Tool tip- gun oil on lathe ways

[Glenn C Roberts]

I don't seem to have a problem with the banjo or the tail stock slipping, using oil as a lube and a rust inhibitor. I don't crank on it - just use what I would consider normal torque. Nova 1624.

[Perry Hilbert Jr]

Probably depends somewhat on the alloy of steel used and the extend to which the ways were ground and polished originally. The ability to slide and to grip may vary from lathe to lathe and also depend on the amount of surface mating between the tail stock/banjo and the ways. The handle length to tighten the part down, (fulcrum) would also be a factor. The handle on some lathes is much longer and would provide more torque with less human effort. It seems the short handles are a weakness on my 12 x 34 HF lathe. The old Powrkraft 9 inch lathe handle to tighten the tail stock is almost twice as long as the handle on the HF lathe. I would put longer handles on the HF lathe but the diameter of the threaded bolts is less too, wouldn't want to strip the threads by over torquing.