"Karl Townsend" wrote in message
...
snip---
DAMN. I seen Loyd missed "Rollies dad's method". I was all ready to
chime in. Guess I got nothin' else to day.


If memory serves, that will get the tailstock in proper alignment with the
spindle for a given length, but may or may not reflect a bed that is not
properly leveled. You'd make adjustments by setting over the tailstock,
that would yield a straight turn, that's true, but that may not reflect a
true condition of the bed as it relates to the spindle. Chucking a short
piece of large diameter stock would likely disclose error because of twist
in the bed. That's the condition that is addressed by the use of a level.

Harold