Taper Turning Attachment for Standard Modern

[thestelster]

I recently finished up a taper turning attachment for my Standard Modern 16" Utilathe. And it works!! I utilized several different designs which I Googled. Most of the material was from stuff laying around the shop, which means, cold rolled, hot rolled, O1, A2, aluminium.

 

[Brent H]

@thestelster : nice job!

What is your wee wheel for on the flip up door for? Visible in pic 1, 5, 6

 

[thestelster]

@thestelster : nice job!

What is your wee wheel for on the flip up door for? Visible in pic 1, 5, 6

Thanks Brent. The small caster: Originally, the lathe had a flimsy sheet metal back splash panel which only went down half the length of the lathe bed. I decided to remove the sheet metal panel get a sheet of 3/4" plywood and bolt it on. Which worked well. I was able to bolt things right onto it, it was taller and longer it worked fine. Until one day, I had to advance the cross slide past a certain point. But wouldn't you know it, the chip guard on the cross slide came into contact with the new back splash panel. I was not about the cut the chip guard, and I didn't want to cut a slot in the plywood, so I attached that caster to the chip guard. So now when I advance the cross slide past a certain point, the caster makes contact with the plywood and and goes up the wall lifting the the chip guard with it. It traverses lengthwise easily as well. It's not perfect but works well enough.

 

[ducdon]

Nice

 

[Tomc938]

Well done! Nice work.

 

[PeterT]

Nice, how does the cross slide leadscrew disengage on that model lathe?

 

[RobinHood]

Nicely done. Beautiful grinding wheel balancer btw!

You had the advantage that your lathe bed was already designed (and machined) for the taper attachment. It probably came with one from factory but was lost at some point.

 

[thestelster]

Nice, how does the cross slide leadscrew disengage on that model lathe?

Hi Peter, if you look at a couple of those photos, on the cross slide there is a flat magnet with a number 6 on it. It covers up the hole that a bolt with an oil cup goes into which engages the lead screw nut of the cross slide. The magnet is just there to prevent swarf from getting in. So taking that bolt out allows the cross slide to run freely with the taper turning attachment. I then turn the compound rest which allows me to move in the y axis. Attached to the forward section of the cross slide I made that piece which has 3 holes spaced so that I can accommodate varying diameter round bar.

 

[thestelster]

Nicely done. Beautiful grinding wheel balancer btw!

You had the advantage that your lathe bed was already designed (and machined) for the taper attachment. It probably came with one from factory but was lost at some point.

Thank you RobinHood. This is how I did the balancing of the grinding wheel. I don't have a surface plate yet, so used the flattest/levelest surface I had, which is the milling machine table. Even then, I had to shim the rear sections of the 2-4-6 blocks with 0.006" shims to get it perfect. The balancing plate is on the other side, and I didn't take a picture unfortunately.

Yes, very fortunate for the rear t-slot. The factory taper turning attachment was an accessory, and would have cost a pretty penny even in those days.

 

[darrin1200]

Nice design.
I have, I believe, an original taper attachment for my 10” Utilathe. I am starting to play around with it. Two questions.
1. You mention a bolt with an oil cup engaging the crossfeed lead screw nut. Is an oil cup there standard? My lathe uses the same bolt type connection in the same location, but it doesn’t have an oil cup. {note: I use a magnet to cover the hole as well}

2. What is the purpose of the spindle taper wipers. (My newbiness is showing through).

 

[thestelster]

Nice design.
I have, I believe, an original taper attachment for my 10” Utilathe. I am starting to play around with it. Two questions.
1. You mention a bolt with an oil cup engaging the crossfeed lead screw nut. Is an oil cup there standard? My lathe uses the same bolt type connection in the same location, but it doesn’t have an oil cup. {note: I use a magnet to cover the hole as well}

2. What is the purpose of the spindle taper wipers. (My newbiness is showing through).

Hi Darrin, thank you. That bolt had an oil cup, which dripped oil right on the crossfeed lead screw/nut. But the tiny spring for the cup was broken, and the lid wouldn't keep closed, so I removed it and capped it with that blue tube end. This way I can apply oil directly through the hole. I'm not sure if the oil cup was factory installed, or if it was put in by the previous owner of the lathe. I will eventually get new oil cups from McMaster/Carr.

The spindle wipers are MT5, MT4, and NMTB 40. It was always a pain to get my fingers and cloths into the swindles when cleaning them out before installing new tools holders, centers, etc. So I made these out of wood, then I wrap a single sheet of paper towel around the them, insert rotate a couple of times, repeat. KBC sells them made out of plastic for about $45.00 each.

 

[Brent H]

@darrin1200 : The 9, 10 and 12 inch Utilathe just has the bolt that retains the cross feed nut - no additional oil cup. If you back up the cross feed it is pretty easy to apply lube to the cross feed threads just by opening up the cover door. You could do it by taking out the bolt as well if you really wanted to. The cross feed also gets lubed up by the oiler on the compound feed and things drip down through the works.

 

[YYCHM]

The 9" Utilathe doesn't use a bolt to retain the cross feed nut...

It uses a 5/16-18 X 1 flat head socket cap screw and a countersunk washer. An oil passage through the screw has me thinking though.

 

[PeterT]

@YYCHM so when the flathead bolt is removed & table is now under taper guidance, I assume the table can now freely pass over the nut unobstructed? What does the circular boss engage if not a hole in the table?

That's kind of the mod I was thinking about for my 14x40 but its a bit more involved. My nut has a step which engages a recess on casting underside. It's meant to be permanent. The taper cutting lathe model has some different parts, so its not just about the rear mount taper attachment. At one point I had it drawn out but chicken to try because likely involves mods to the table too. That's why we are going to try it on @LRSbm146 lathe first HaHa.

 

[Brent H]

Pictures should say it all....I should think?

 

[YYCHM]

@PeterT

You remove the screw and button (as I call it) from the x-slide and use it to attach the x-slide extension to the taper attachment shoe. The x-slide is now detached from the x-slide nut.

 

[darrin1200]

Thanks @thestelster @Brent H
I assumed there were channels to the screw from the oil points on the cross slide. It probably wouldn’t hurt to direct oil occasionally.

Taper Wipers {insert head smack here}. I actually have a green plastic mt2 wiper for wood lathe. It never dawned on me to make one out of wood. New shop project on the list, I need an MT4. Also a good way to practice with the taper attachment.

 

[thestelster]

I'm working on a rifle barrel for a customer. He purchased it but was not the contour that he wanted. It's a Krieger barrel 30cal. in a straight taper, not sure which taper. I have to machine it to a Light Palma contour. So I figure since I just finished making the taper turning attachment, lets use it. I've attached a video, but not sure if it will work.

 

[darrin1200]

cool video. I had to save and unzip to watch it.

What is the purpose of the block of metal. does that help to mitigate deflection?

 

[Tom O]

Something I found on Facebook for rifling Kentucky barrels.