Keith, I have close to 40 years in a job shop environment. Don't overthink, keep it simple. Set the tailstock on it's side and mill a step (1/16" deep would suffice ) to accept a piece of CRS bar stock ( 3/4" x 1" ? ) to cover the bed/ extend the width. Use three or four dowel pins along the length and 3/8-16 cap screws to hold it in place. Flip it over and mill to match the bottom surface. You now have full surface contact with minimal time spent. A similar fix could be used to extend the footprint on the steady rest. If you want more details on my idea, PM me on OWWM. Jeff in PA
Keith, shingles can affect different people in different ways, my wife got it at 68, it was dreadful, the doctor advised me to get vaccinated which I did, I hope you recover well.
Unrelated to the topic, but has anyone heard from Abom79. I hope he and his family are okay. Looking forward to hearing from him again. Great find on the tailstock and steady rest. Looks like it'll work fine. my mother and I both had shingles, fortunately It was caught quickly before it spread. Hope you feel better soon.
When you first showed that lathe I remember some people saying: "oh no what did you do! You will never find a tailstock for it!" and "it is complete junk!". So glad that you proved them wrong. I cannot wait for this lathe to be finished and you starting to make some big chips with it!
New tailstock casting is my vote. Every time you use that tailstock, it’s gonna bother you see that flat way sticking out. Folks would really enjoy seeing the process end to end with CAD modeling, patternmaking, casting, and close tolerance machining. Scraping too! Perfect series video project!
Awesome to find ones so close to what you need. Looks like they would almost work as is. I don't think I would worry a lot about that misalignment on the one way.
If it was mine I would mill out the flat side of the base and build a new correct width sliding surface on that side out of G2 durabar. At the same time build it to blend into the side of the existing casting as best as you can and bolt it from underneath. You could even mill it away, and then have someone model it up and 3d print it to get the shape you desire, then when it's like you want, it can be cnc machined out of the durabar and will match the casting like the 3d print prototype. At that point it can be permanently attached and filler applied to make up any discrepancy before paint. I would be happy to help and can do everything except the 3d printing as I do not have that capability.
That is a nice old lathe, and it's luck someone had those items for you! I'll keep watching as you get it all cleaned and painted and in working order like you do with anything you tackle!!
Thanks Keith! I am very glad that you were able to get the tailstock and steady rest for the Monarch 28. It will be fun to follow your improvements to them!
I would love to see the whole process involved with making a new base. The pattern could incorporate the wider width and taller height needed for your machine. What really interests me is how you would choose to machine it, milling, shaping or planing. With your assortment of machine tools you could show as many as possible to process this part. You have friends who could actually cast this part and maybe do some video that you could include in the series.
I agree with Thomas Utley (below)… New tailstock base project. But of course>> "Nothing is impossible for a person that does not have to do it himself" Feel better soon Keith.
Great videos. I always enjoy your gift of being able to repair things. You have a great gift and make us wiser watching. Yep that is a bad thing to have, had those shingles about a month ago for the first time, scars are still hanging around. Felt sorry for you because my case was small but sure made me tired when I tried to do anything.
Wooow - was that great things to get your hands on! And I think that if any human can do what it takes to get it fit, you are the right man to do it. Congratulations
Great addition to the lathe. Turned it from a so=so piece of machinery to a much greater peice in the usefulness. I am looking forward to the new projects. Especially that planer! Speedy recovery on the shingles. Definitely a major pain, literally. Thanks for taking the time to film and share.
Sorry to hear about the shingles problem. Had that occur to me a few years ago quite uncomfortable. I found that if you took a little Abreva, a crushed aspirin, and shot of alcohol (rubbing) and mixed them together than applied it to a poultice and applied it to the affected area you get about four hours of relief. Hoping you have a good recovery!
I too know what it's like with shingles. Called the doctor who said they couldn't see me for at least a week and to go to the ED, in my town you would be waiting for a week (figuratively) to get seen so what I did was take plenty of painkillers and when I went to bed at night I would smother myself up with aloe vera gel and cayenne pepper then wrap up with cling film. The shingles cleared up within a week but then the itching started, I would want to scratch so bad so what I used was a soft brush to scratch with. Interestingly I noted the shingles were nearly all the way around my midriff but each day would visibly get less and less until they cleared and have never had them since.
Keith, first of all, get rid of those shingles. My wife just got over that recently. I vote for a new wider and thicker base plate for the tail stock. It would solve the height alignment problem as well as the bed width problem. In addition you could do a video of making it with your shaper. Love your videos and keep up the good work!
I think both pieces are fine as is, the slightly narrower width won’t hurt anything. I like that rack and pinion setup on the tailstock with the handwheel facing the front. Be an interesting project to make a new tailstock ram should you decide to go that route. Get well soon.
That's a good find even with fitting issues. That Monarch is a brute, glad you saved it. Sure you'll figure out the best way to make a better fit. You look and sound better Keith. Each piece is probably more than 200 pounds. I was thinking, anvil.
Hi Keith, If you end up making an adapter plate to go on the bottom of your tail stock to fit the ways a little better, you could also adjust it to make up for any height discrepancy that may exist.
Keith, touch base with Mike Wiggins. He made a new tailstock spindle out of 4140 for his Pratt & Whitney lathe, in order to use Morse taper tooling. The OEM spindle was Jarno. That broken ear on the steady rest reminds me of Keith Fenner's "Million Dollar Rest" series. K/F built a missing ear up out of braze.
It's a shame Jarno never caught on. Sure is nice to be able to set your taper attachment on a nice even 1/2". Still not sure where the seemingly random MT numbers came from.
My vote is to just do what you have to do to make the tail stock spot on functional because I'm betting someone may offer you the exact one needed after viewing this video sometime in the near future. If not, then just continue to mod as you feel necessary. Great videos, thank you.
5:37 Hey Keith, I'm thinking even a "faux" extension so the wiper can cover the full way will keep the way wiped for the full width so there are no trapped particles to scratch or mar might be a good idea for the time being. Nice find, that big old Monarch should prove some interesting jobs, cheers!
Not sure if it would work but if you need 1/8" , buy a piece of brass that thick on the buttom of tale stock. Put ridge of brass rod on front side of brass to hold it in place to cover the ways. To make it correct shape just tighten the hold down nut to mold it in to correct shape.
I think you would be fine with the castings as they are. However you could easily machine a piece of durabar and neatly bolt it to the original casting.
Can you make an adapter for the tailstock spindle? Maybe sleeve it and re-bore/grind a morse taper in the sleeve. Also you may be able to take out some of that center misalignment with turcite and re-scrape the fit of the tailstock.
Hmm, Would an 1/8th inch adapter plate work for your Tailstock? It would solve the height difference and the width variance. Great video as always! I love the problem solving with the older and "broken stuff to get them back to working condition... very inspiring. Keep on keeping on!
Keith what about taking and Milling the bottom flat off to where you can bolt a wider flat on base that comes out from underneath of the base of the tail stock. I would think that would also work for the steady rest too.
If the tail is shifted towards the back, the alignment may be low and back, two directions. Seems to me that making a new base would solve the Z axis X axis and alignment problem, cover the ways better, and allow proper clamping all in one. I vote new base, but of course Im not doing the work.
Would it be possible to make a new "cradle" to set the base in and cure the width and height issues in one piece? How about machining the base of the steady rest and install a new base adapter and cure any alignment problems? Just saying. Thanks for all the great content and I hope you heal well and soon.
Have you thought about milling that tail stocks vertical face flat and installing an extension on that short side? Pinned and bolted would do it. Would have to true everything on the horizontal face afterwards. You could show us scraping again
Mr. Rucker, Nice score for your Monarch Lathe. If you determine the Tail Stock and Steady Rest Bases need modified. It would be another great RU-vid Video Series.
The tail stock base width will not hinder anything you will ever run on that machine in any way. However the" MENTAL" part will EAT YOU ALIVE because of your personality --I am exactly the same way. If you can not stand the look of it, I would make a spacer that fit between the upper and lower halves and then fix the width issue by milling the operator side of the base flat ---attach a piece of bar stock to the side with dowels and flat head screws -----blend the sides and ends of "patch" into the base----. I would stay AWAY from anything concerning modifying the actual "V" on bottom(too much added work there) .------- Shim the height and patch the base. ---------- I made a new base for a small 12 inch lathe that i have ---had no choice. Making a new base will be extremely time consuming and expensive and you will regret going that direction in the end. Pick where to invest your time wisely-----you have several projects more worthy of your time. If you had no other projects needing attention --my advice may be different. thanx great videos-------is this the duplicator lathe we have discussed?????
Keith, hope this won’t be an issue for a verr long time, but have you made arrangements for your machines to go to a worthy individual or organization when you’re gone? Hate the idea they might be parted out or sold for scrap metal after all the fine restorations you’ve done.
Just watching and thinking (What would I do?) How about splitting the base and making a spacer to widen it? Where to split would be a question to not having to modify bolt centers,center slot ,etc.,but food for thought at any rate.
I spotted that way misalignment in the first couple seconds and wondered about a horizontal shift in the center vs the spindle. But if there isn't one, I think I agree it should be "good enough". It's probably totally impractical, but if you have to make a new ram for the tailstock, why not make it for a 5C collet,and then make a 5C to Morse #5 or #4 adapter?
Enjoy your videos, Did you lose some weight? I'm only asking because I lost 25 pounds and nobody at work noticed. Your looking thinne! , keep the videos coming.
So, the old, unknown make steady that Nick sent down will likely get passed off to someone else? Paint the top knot red and call it "stepchild?" ;-) Seriously, though, I've just thought of a possibility for it. Send Mike Wiggins the dimensions, and see if it will go on that old rescued lathe. I believe the ways are the correct style.
Hi Keith, could you mill a rabbet, say an inch high and 2 inches wide along the length of the bases of both the tailstock and steady rest and then fasten them with big flat head screws up through the bottom? (Not that I wouldn't want to see a video of a new cast base!)
Hi Keith. Hundred people, hundred one opinions and here is mine :-). From the pressure point of view, only half of the way by the length of the tailstock is more than enough. From the wear point of view, only if you move it a lot and in the future expect to find the originals, the wear of half of the way would be an issue but instead of casting a whole new bottom I would check if there is enough meat to mill out that edge and install a new bigger one, that you scrape once installed to get the perfect fit. From the esthetics point of view the new casting is maybe the way to go, but will depend a lot on the hope on finding an original. Of course Murphy predicts the original will show up when you already have this one modified :-). Have fun and always nice to get your videos.
The best fix would be to make a new base casting. Bolting things to the side of the casting to make it wider would not be as rigid and rigidity is very important. The height issue could be addressed at the same time as the casting could be designed to make up the height, once again, preserving the rigidity of the assembly.
2nd best might be to make a full baseplate adapter instead of a new cast for the tailstock . use 4 pins ( press fit, braze it to lock it from moving ) to secure the alignment, and the thickness will make so it is center in all directions. - running with it as is sounds like a bad idea. but what ever is done it will be interesting to watch.
I mean this in no way negative, however, I do wonder.... I have not EVER seen you exceed the swing on any of your lathes.. or am I wrong. So its rare that you need a monster lathe. This is a lovely machine and deserves life, however I don't think I'd lose much sleep over way wear from the various parts. You don't do enough to destroy that in 10 life times! I'd suggest you be proud its running and in that back of your mind always be watching for an upgrade.. Just a thought
Which part is asymmetric? If the centers are lining up front to back and it's fitting over the V shaped way on the back, the flat part has to be a different distance from center on either the lathe or the tailstock and steady rest.
