"Daniel Koller" wrote in message
...


Hi folks,

I have a machining question for the group. I have acquired a nice
boring head for a lathe tail stock. It has a smooth adjustment motion
with a big dial calibrated in mils and it would be a really nice
accessory for my 1952 Montgomery Ward / Logan 200 10" lathe.

However, the integral shaft of the head is 3/4" in diameter and
will not fit the Morse #2 taper of my tail stock. So, what can I do
about it?

I was thinking I should cut a Morse taper into the shaft. There is
plenty of diameter and length to do that, and it would allow for quick
swap-outs when I need it. I read through "How to Run a Lathe" and
browsed the various ways to cut a taper:
A) turn the compound to the desired angle and cut at an angle.
B) Offset the tail stock and hold the part between centers. Cut
straight.
C) Use a taper attachment.

I don't have a taper attachment, so C) is out. B) seems a little
iffy and I'd need to grind down a center to clear parts of the
dovetail integrated into the head. Also I don't trust how securely
the part can be held at the necessary offset to get the taper.

So, A) seems to be the best option. I can set the angle to better
than a degree by putting a micrometer on my compound and running it
along the side of a known good MT2 taper held in the lathe chuck.
....actually, I just calculated, if I get the compound parallel to the
desired taper by 0.5 mils over a 2" length, that's within 0.15 degrees
of the correct angle.

QUESTION 1: How accurate does this angle have to be to have a
good Morse taper? How smooth does the cut have to be? What are the
pitfalls to cutting a taper by rotating the compound?

And it appears that my boring head shaft is soft enough to scratch
with a hard steel cutting tool, so...

QUESTION 2: Do I have to grind the taper or can I cut it with a
carbide tipped turning tool?

I've never cut a taper before, and I need to get this one right to
make sure I don't screw up my boring head, so advice would be
appreciated!

Thanks,

Dan

=====================

Even if you succeed you may not like the result. Morse #2 won't resist
much torque and the hole will likely taper smaller as the tailstock
extends. Save the boring head for your Bridgeport.
-jsw