Boxford CNC lathe (5)
by John
The following pictures and video were supplied to me by Stuart Tankard.
They show the rarely used tailstock in use, supporting a relatively long thin workpiece.
The lathe is Stuart’s, and his control panel is fixed to the lathe cabinet. (Mine is an identical machine except that I use a wireless MPG).
The tailstock is the part coloured bright yellow, and it normally sits unused in a drawer, or hinged down and out of the way. As you can see however, it occasionally is useful.
Stuart’s lathe. Note that the G code for the part was generated by a program called EZILATHE. I also use this very handy program. Ezilathe is a free download.
The part is the first step in making a link for the beam engine which Stuart is completing. The headstock end is held in an ER collet. The tailstock contains a small roller bearing held in a shop made fitting. After turning, the tear drop ends will have flats milled onto the sides, then holes drilled and reamed for shafts.
Check out the following Youtube video to see Stuarts lathe in action.
johnsmachines 
Very nice. Would not the original have been turned between centers so the end would have a center cut in it even if it might be filled up afterwards?
john f
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I guess so. That is the method I used on my beam engine. But it is nicer to not have centering holes to fill in.
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