The tailstock on my lathe was getting loose, so I decided to pull it
apart. I've been working on one of Andy Lofquist's casting kits, the
filing machine. Anyway, took it apart, placed the phenolic thrust
washer on the tailstock base, cleaned stuff up. Couldn't find the
washer. Not anywhere. Damn! I guess the quantum effect of small
parts tunneling to Floyd's Knob, Indiana is true.

I had some bronze bushing stock for the filing machine, so I made a
new washer, twice as thick to allow for previous wear. Was putting
things back together after washing out the bore, and that damn
phenolic washer appeared out of nowhere and fell in the base casting
where I had looked with a flashlight a dozen times trying to find it.

I guess that quantum tunneling thing works both ways. The upside is I
got rid of most of the play in the tailstock ram.

Pete Keillor