I have just purchased a Boxford Lathe

[123hotchef]

Beeter still, get hold of some MT2 blank arbors.

View attachment 182342

Nice what center drill fits those

 

[Seadog]

Any one you care to make fit. They're blank and soft-nosed. Drill and ream or bore for a close fit, pop a grub screw through the side and then grind a flat on the centre drill for the screw to locate on.
If you can find them with tangs, all the better. I bought a very cheap lot that didn't have tangs, so adapted pieces of studding. They're only there to eject the arbor.

 

[Seadog]

Arc are the cheapest

https://www.arceurotrade.co.uk/Catalogue/Blank-End-Arbors/MT2-and-MT3-Blank-End-Arbors?

 

[Pete.]

If you get those blank arbors make sure you don't do something silly like drill the hole by putting a drill in your chuck and the arbor in the tailstock. You'll almost certainly drill the hole off centre.

Clock the arbor in the 4-jaw and when it's dead on drill and bore the hole for the centre drill.

 

[123hotchef]

Thanks they are cheap.
I shall wait until I know how to get them dead right or they will just mess up work if they are off

 

[RichardM]

Alternatively use a 3MT to 2MT sleeve in the headstock spindle, put your blank in and drill / final bore like that. Be gentle you don't want it to spin in the spindle.

 

[eLuSiVeMiTe]

If you get those blank arbors make sure you don't do something silly like drill the hole by putting a drill in your chuck and the arbor in the tailstock. You'll almost certainly drill the hole off centre.

Clock the arbor in the 4-jaw and when it's dead on drill and bore the hole for the centre drill.

How about a end mill in a spindle collet and the work In The ts
Just curious as I have a few to do.

 

[123hotchef]

Is it bad if the MT spins in the tail stock bore

 

[eLuSiVeMiTe]

Is it bad if the MT spins in the tail stock bore

Can Damage the taper.

I've always given my chucks and my drills a quick tap with a nylon mallet to ensure there seated well

 

[Seadog]

Except you still have the problem Richard. If the tailstock is off it's off, if you get what I mean.

How about a end mill in a spindle collet and the work In The ts
Just curious as I have a few to do.

Probably fine for you, Robin. But 123 has doubts about tailstock alignment so probably not the best approach at the present.

 

[eLuSiVeMiTe]

has doubts about tailstock alignment so probably not the best approach at the present.

Does look that way.

 

[123hotchef]

yikes I dont want to damage it! it did spin the MT's a few times the other day,

 

[123hotchef]

Can Damage the taper.

I've always given my chucks and my drills a quick tap with a nylon mallet to ensure there seated well

Hard to do that with a bit in the chuck. Might cut a bit or tube to go over the bit then tap that

 

[eLuSiVeMiTe]

Hard to do that with a bit in the chuck. Might cut a bit or tube to go over the bit then tap that

Tap the Chuck body not the end of the jaws.

 

[Seadog]

Or use its own mass to lock it in. A quick shove when it's more or less lined up will usually suffice.

 

[addjunkie]

yikes I dont want to damage it! it did spin the MT's a few times the other day,

Make sure it clean and no dings in it, clean out the female side too, a bit of swarf can stop them locating fully.

Make sure your drills are sharp and you lubricate when drilling.

It doesnt take much spinning to ruin the taper in the tail stock.

 

[123hotchef]

they were both crispy clean, may have been a littly oily from my hands though! The drill bits may have lost there edge after trying to drill out a broken bit
and to eject the MT you just wind the tail stock all the way back correct?

 

[Seadog]

The taper and socket should be dry. The feed screw hits against the tang and ejects it. However, if there is no tang it will eject. Interestingly centres do not seem to have tangs. I have never understood why. I usually pop a small brass slug in before inserting the centre, or else it's the Devil's own job to get the damned thing out.

 

[123hotchef]

I shall dry them all then, do you mean if there is no tang it will not eject?

 

[Seadog]

I do. I've yet to see a centre with a tang. I did manage to drill the back of my live centre and fit a slug but very often fixed centres are hardened right through. That aside, holding them whilst you drill makes for an interesting little problem.