I purchased a new Teknatool Nebula lathe and 'thought' I had head and tail stocks in alignment but now I realize what I thought was right quickly became mis-aligned. Does anyone else have a Nebula and can offer me suggestions? In the spirit of things I think I know, I believe the answer is going to be in the sequence of aligning. Any thoughts would be appreciated...THANKS. john
-
September 2025 Turning Challenge: Cindy Drozda Finial Box! (click here for details) -
Congratulations to Dave Potts, People's Choice in the August 2025 Turning Challenge (click here for details) -
Congratulations to Paul May for "Slipstream" being selected as Turning of the Week for September 8, 2025 (click here for details) -
Welcome new registering member. Your username must be your real First and Last name (for example: John Doe). "Screen names" and "handles" are not allowed and your registration will be deleted if you don't use your real name. Also, do not use all caps nor all lower case.
Tailstock Alignment...
- Thread starter John Grace
- Start date
john lucas
AAW Forum Expert
Why do you think it's misaligned. If two pointed centers align that does not tell you if the quill and spindle are parallel. On my powermatic if you don't pull the tail stock toward the front ways when you lock it down it won't be parallel to the headstock. I can tell this when you put a long drill bit in a chuck in the tailstock.
A point most turners miss.
In my mind the only way that can be true is that when you lock down the headstock you would have to be sure that the headstock is also aligned against the front ways. If there is enough slop between the ways that you absolutely had to do that and the headstock was canted between the ways you could never line it up. The only way to be sure (hoping that the machining is true) is to use a double ended MT2 device. Right or wrong that's my thinking.
I agree with this.
I agree as well. I purchased one of these so I could re-align my headstock after rotating it.
https://rikontools.com/product/70-941-double-end-mt2-mt2-taper-gauge/
I'm not familiar with that lathe but from a picture it appears to have a rotating head.
I would certainly try the double-ended MT alignment tool first. If the tailstock can be loosened do that then tighten them both. The problem will then be if the tailstock doesn't remain perfectly aligned with the lathe bed as it is moved away from the headstock, a posibiity if there is any play in the construction of the tailstock both horizontally and vertically.. On one lathe I had to fasten a piece of very thin shimstock under the tailstock to make it perfect aligned vertially.
As far as the points aligning when the headstock is brought close to the headstock the MT alignment fixture will fix that for close work which may be critical, but it might not for long spindles when the tailstock is moved away. Fortunately, when turning longer wood spindles some tiny misalignment doesn't make much practical difference.
For example if the tailstock was misaligned by a small amount, turning this hoe handle would simply introduce an insignificant bit of taper:
There are other ways to check alignment using a precision steel rod but they take a lot of work and some specialized. tools.
BTW, I know a lot of people like rotating heads but I've never been tempted. I know that can make some face turning easier but I don't have any problem with a non-rotating head. If working on the inside of something and I want to see without bending over the late, I simply turn in reverse - I have some made, for example, to make undercuts on bowl rims.
In most cases there is no need to see - The PM3520b allows sliding the headstock to the end for those who want to see with the eyes instead of the fingers.It even provides for a a way to mount a lowered toolrest to turn things larger than 20". I don't do that, don't have the big-bowl gene.
JKJ
I'll add a couple of thoughts. @John Grace, you've probably already done this, but make sure the lathe bed is flat and straight. You may need to adjust the levelers.
A double ended MT tool is a good thing to have (or borrow) as has been mentioned.
Since this is a rotating HS lathe, it may be that the zero degree detent position needs adjustment? Are there any instructions for this in the manual? Are there instructions for aligning the TS?
Not sure this would add any useful information, but since the HS also slides you could check the alignment at a few points along the bed.
A double ended MT tool is a good thing to have (or borrow) as has been mentioned.
Since this is a rotating HS lathe, it may be that the zero degree detent position needs adjustment? Are there any instructions for this in the manual? Are there instructions for aligning the TS?
Not sure this would add any useful information, but since the HS also slides you could check the alignment at a few points along the bed.
Last edited:
PROBLEM SOLVED....