Turning a taper

[Enconorth]

Is there a way to cut a slight taper on a lathe without a taper attachment.

1" bar stock taper from .975 to .500 over 8 inches

Thanks

[Mr Ron]

Set over the tailstock.

[chucketn]

Boring head in the tailstock, center instead of boring bar, set over boring head. Center in lathe head stock chuck.

Chuck

[mars-red]

I wouldn't recommend setting over the tailstock unless you're turning between centers (and even then, you'd probably want a live center in the tailstock, I think a dead center would get a bit galled up).

I don't have a taper attachment either, but I'm lucky enough to have 8" of travel on my compound slide. So far I haven't needed to turn a taper longer than that.

[John Evans]

You also can use the compound with several cuts blending in the steps.

[Enconorth]

Ok thanks for the idea's, not quite sure what you mean by " setting over the tail stock "
but will look into it.
Thanks

[BadDog]

One option for turning a taper is to offset the tailstock from center line. There is typically a 2 piece top/bottom casting used for the tailstock, and a mechanism to precisely offset front to back similar to a cross slide with square ways. But that requires turning the taper between centers, which can be hard on a ground center if you don't have a point style (small ball rather than sharp point) that supports turning off-center. Lots of folks do it with pointed centers, and it works, but it also causes the wear ridge rings and galling you all too often see on tailstock centers.

[wlw-19958]

Hi There,

Ok thanks for the idea's, not quite sure what you mean by " setting over the tail stock "
but will look into it.
Thanks

Most all text books on machining explain about tuning tapers by setting over
the tailstock. Here is a link to a simple graphic showing the technique.

Taper Turning by Offseting the Tailstock

Good Luck!
-Blue Chips-
Webb

[Enconorth]

Thanks for all the info, think I've got a handle on it now....

Bob

[pete]

Order the George H. Thomas book " The Model Engineers Workshop Manual" from either Tee Publishing or Hemingway kits in the U.K. It will be the best $50.00 you'll spend towards your metal working education that you'll ever spend.

Pete