Tailstock taper lock?

[Tom Albrecht]

Is there anybody here that employs a method to lock/ secure a morse taper fitting into the tailstock (ie. a MT Jacobs chuck, or a MT drill)? The purpose of securing it prevents it from pulling out of the tail stock quill whist backing the drill out of the hole under power.

I bring this up after watching a Lyle Jamison Youtube video whereby he modifies a quill.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOVnB2gnHxg


It seems to me, that a more secure modification would be drilling and tapping for a set screw to hold the taper in place. I am wondering how many woodturners are familiar with this idea.

 

[Brian Gustin]

Nope, Nope, Nope.. Morse taper is designed to fit tightly - myself, I've never had one pull out by itself, I had to actually crank it out (retracting tailstock fully) or drive it out (same as with headstock spur centers).. If your tail stock taper is popping out all by itself, you need to clean up your morse taper, IMHO.. .. drilling and adding a setscrew would completely ruin the taper fit and finish, and you'd have to use set screw on everything afterwards (and thus ruin them as well for putting on a new lathe, or their resale value)

 

[Mark Jundanian]

There are Morse tapers that are threaded to accomodate a drawbar, but you wouldn't use a set screw from the side.

 

[Don Wattenhofer]

Yes due to torque and vibration even the best Morse taper can come loose.
The simple solution to prevent back out loosening or too much torque due to large drilling is to simply place the long end of the chuck key into one of the holes and bring up a tool rest for the key handle to ride against. This will prevent the arbor breaking loose and spinning to damage it self and the MT socket while drilling and when backing out pull back on the key with your left hand as you crank out with your right hand.

 

[Don Wattenhofer]

There are Morse tapers that are threaded to accomodate a drawbar, but you wouldn't use a set screw from the side.

The draw bar would work but you could not crank the drill into the work You would need to push the entire tail stock manually.

 

[John Hicks]

Many hold the chuck or whatever with their hand while drilling. I have hurt my hand doing that; I guess it should slip so it doesn't destroy the piece you're working on?

 

[Tom Albrecht]

Yes due to torque and vibration even the best Morse taper can come loose.
The simple solution to prevent back out loosening or too much torque due to large drilling is to simply place the long end of the chuck key into one of the holes and bring up a tool rest for the key handle to ride against. This will prevent the arbor breaking loose and spinning to damage it self and the MT socket while drilling and when backing out pull back on the key with your left hand as you crank out with your right hand.

Yes, that assumes you are using a drill chuck mounted in the tail stock.
Some of us use dedicated drills with #2 MT tang.

 

[Don Wattenhofer]

Yes, that assumes you are using a drill chuck mounted in the tail stock.
Some of us use dedicated drills with #2 MT tang.

Yes I have some of those, did you notice that the MT drills have a flat on the end? That problem can be solved by using a vise grip directly on the drill bit. Metal working lathes, Drill presses, etc. have a matting slot at the end of the MT socket to prevent it from spinning I am not sure why that feature is not supplied on any wood turning lathes.

 

[Don Wattenhofer]

Many hold the chuck or whatever with their hand while drilling. I have hurt my hand doing that; I guess it should slip so it doesn't destroy the piece you're working on?

Letting the chuck slip or spin is a poor option because that will cause damage to both sides as in male (the chuck or MT drill bit) and female ( to socket).
Holding the chuck with your bare hand should never be an option.

 

[hockenbery]

Yes, that assumes you are using a drill chuck mounted in the tail stock.
Some of us use dedicated drills with #2 MT tang.

they can pull out too. I use a a drill bit with a #2 in demos. A few times I have had them pull out. Just stop the lathe crank the tailstock onto the taper then they pull out. Granted the demo machines are not likely To be as well maintained as our own machines.

big advantage of the number 3MT in the tailstock standard on the ONEWAY optional on Robust.
maybe some others. The extra surface area of the #3 tapers keep the locked better than the #2.

 

[Doug Freeman]

When using larger forstner or auger bits I put a leather glove on my left hand and pull back on the drill chuck as my right hand cranks the handle . Yes I have still had them break loose, thats why I wear a leather glove.