Yet another 13" Taper Attachment Thread

Greetings all,

I've been diligently searching the South Bend section today looking for my answers and while I seen to come close, I never find exactly what I'm looking for. Thank you for your patience.

I've seen the link for the 9" taper install instructions but haven't been able to find a link that works for the 13". The few posts I saw about it point to the same site which dead ends for me.

Secondly, the taper attachment I bought came with the alignment pins. My '77 lathe has the bolt holes in the apron but didn't have a prior taper attachment so there are no holes drilled for those. I think this is s good thing as it _should_ allow me to drop new ones once I properly install and align the attachment. My question is how would I best drill those holes to match up with the existing holes in the taper attachment once everything is set?


Thanks!

As you said, with alignment and such done, and with TA mounting bolted tightly to saddle. Drill right through existing holes of TA mounting, or punch new holes. Then hammer your pins through mounting and into saddle.

For alignment, Id start with cross feed lead screw. Get it where you have really nice smooth travel on cross slide without TA locked. Then work toward having bed clamp and TA locked, You'll most likely restart several times on each, gradually widdling it down closer and closer on each till total operation is smooth.

And obviously have all the moving pieces cleaned, lubed etc so you know they are free moving prior to total install.

texasgeartrain said:

As you said, with alignment and such done, and with TA mounting bolted tightly to saddle. Drill right through existing holes of TA mounting, or punch new holes. Then hammer your pins through mounting and into saddle.

For alignment, Id start with cross feed lead screw. Get it where you have really nice smooth travel on cross slide without TA locked. Then work toward having bed clamp and TA locked, You'll most likely restart several times on each, gradually widdling it down closer and closer on each till total operation is smooth.

And obviously have all the moving pieces cleaned, lubed etc so you know they are free moving prior to total install.

Click to expand...

The taper I purchased is the dictionary definition of a sad bastard. All the major components are there; however, it spent at least the last year if not years of it's life in an uninsulated and non-air-tight building so it has a mildly heavy brown patina that will be painfully removed and restored without damaging machined surfaces. Everything will be cleaned and properly oiled for reassembly.

That said, are the alignment pin holes through holes on the TA? There is so much old paint, grime, and rust that they didn't appear to be but I can't imagine how else they would have done it.

I'm presuming the 13" TA also uses babbit in the tie rod clamp?

Thanks!

Yes, the clamp/post interface uses babbit.

The holes for pins must be drilled all the way through TA mounting. No way someone laid out, marked, and drilled blind holes in both saddle and TA mounting and managed perfect alignment and fit.

Clean all that patina off. In this case, cleanliness is next to Godliness. You need free and nice moving parts.

Not a 13", but I went through two TA's for 16"s. One was original mounting, the other was not, like you. And both were heinous, I thought no way they clean up. But it was all just surface rust and coloration. Both cleaned up very well.

In the following thread this TA was original to the lathe. And I started the TA around post #53. However the post I'm linking shows a shaft/bushing (I forget the part name), cross feed leadscrew is secured to it. Anyway you want that shaft and the bores its in very clean and lubed so that slides super nice, post# 56:


Edit: Yes bed clamp was babbit. However I think you could make a bushing to shove into it. Use a lock nut on both sides to secure the rod. Just use eyeballs and watch as you tighten and secure it down that you are not putting TA into a bind, and maintain smooth operation.

This copy is a little hard to see the photos, but it's the only one I have.
Form 1072, Fitting the Taper Attachment - 10–16-inch lathes.

www.wswells.com/download/SBL-1072-TA-Fitting.pdf

Steve

swells said:

This copy is a little hard to see the photos, but it's the only one I have.
Form 1072, Fitting the Taper Attachment - 10–16-inch lathes.

www.wswells.com/download/SBL-1072-TA-Fitting.pdf

Steve

Click to expand...

Steve,

This is a great place to start. I did try browsing your site first but couldn't locate it. Thanks so much for this!

I was surprised that the alignment pin holes get drilled without the rear bed clamp and bar installed. I guess it makes sense that they pour the babbit in that section then so whatever the alignment is up front they lock in on the tail.

SuperG said:

Steve,

This is a great place to start. I did try browsing your site first but couldn't locate it. Thanks so much for this!

I was surprised that the alignment pin holes get drilled without the rear bed clamp and bar installed. I guess it makes sense that they pour the babbit in that section then so whatever the alignment is up front they lock in on the tail.

Click to expand...

I didn't have the 1072 parts form in the website parts list, I searched my SBL hard drive and found it, then put it in the website download folder to link to. I have a lot of files that need to be added...lol...just not enough hours in a day.