Headstock/Tailstock Alignment
 

Keith Young wrote:
I find that my alignment is off just 1 to 1.5 milimeters
Is that an acceptable error.

Depends what you plan on doing with it. For turning spindles between
centers it most likely won't matter. For drilling from the headtock it
will be a problem.

--
Derek Andrews, woodturner

http://www.seafoamwoodturning.com
Wedding Favors ~ Artisan Crafted Gifts ~ One-of-a-Kind Woodturning

Keith; these lathes can be adjusted so the centers line up exactly, dead
on. Tell us which way your centers are out: up and/or down or front to back
or a little of both.
Accuracy of the center points of the Record lathes depends on the "flatness"
(?) of the surface the bed is bolted to. One can move the alignment of the
center points by shimming under the front or back corners of the cast iron
end brackets(?). This has the effect of twisting the bed bars which will in
turn bring the centers into alignment; or out of alignment depending which
corners are shimmed.
Good luck.
Edward

Hello Keith

This only works if the ways are not flat and twisted now, by UNtwisting,
you would make it flat and then you would be not out or exactly the same
amount out over the whole length of the bed, if the bed is flat now and
you are out of alignment than twisting the bed would make your alignment
different all along the ways, the way I can show you in a very simple
way, is to take a bold with a nut on it, now imagine that the thread is
your ways, the nut your tailstock and the bold head your head stock, now
move your tail stock (nut) back and fort and you will understand how
your tailstock is aligned only at one point and will get out of
alignment the moment you move it forwards or backwards, now the wood
lathe is not a precision tool like a engine lathe, and you are wanting
to have the centers lined up at lets say 4" apart then you might be able
to do this like the suggestion, but I would recommend that you find out
if your ways are twisted or not and rectify if needed and use bras shims
to make the adjustment.
Have fun and take care
Leo Van Der Loo

Jo-Anne & Edward Tabachek wrote:
Keith; these lathes can be adjusted so the centers line up exactly, dead
on. Tell us which way your centers are out: up and/or down or front to back
or a little of both.
Accuracy of the center points of the Record lathes depends on the "flatness"
(?) of the surface the bed is bolted to. One can move the alignment of the
center points by shimming under the front or back corners of the cast iron
end brackets(?). This has the effect of twisting the bed bars which will in
turn bring the centers into alignment; or out of alignment depending which
corners are shimmed.
Good luck.
Edward