First project: Taper.

[bullpeters]

My first project. Had my lathe a week, made some HSS cutting tools, needed a taper for my very old horizontal mill. The taper is basically a Browne and sharp number 8, but it's only 2inchs long. I have the one that came with the mill so I chucked it up, "crashed" the compound up against, locked in place and away we go. Turned out pretty good, I blued it up and it touchs as good as the sample. Very very pleased with myself

 

[Herbiev]

Sounds great but pictures if you get a chance.

 

[bullpeters]

I thought i did! Will here they are. A picture of the spindle on my mill, the taper first fit and the finished item. I realize that this is pretty basic stuff, but i am amazed that i could do it!! Next is to drill and tap for draw bar, fit it in the horizontal mill and drill and bore for a collet holder. Hope it works!!
hope you can figure the photos out. In retrospect I might have left the taper only touching top and bottom, third photo i think. It seems to be a snugger fit
Any suggestions, I am very new to all this

 

[Herbiev]

Looks fine as it is. Other members may have suggestions. Thanks for sharing

 

[Thivoth]

It looks good to me too! I'm new to this too so I can't really make any suggestions

 

[MachineTom]

When it is blued on the ends and not the center as you have. I'd be thinking that one end ist too big, likely the small end. Technique is the trick when checking the Blue. Blue the shank put it in the bore an move around, remove the shank and clean well, now insert clean shank without twisting, push until in stops then wiggle up and down, do you feel any play? if you do figure out which end by listening ,and wiggling, fell no play then push and twist the shank only
15° then remove, the blue pattern should be even end to end. Do make sure the spindle has blue end to end before your test.

You will likely see a pattern of full coverage at one end and partial at the other.Which ever end has the full coverage needs to be made a bit smaller.

 

[bb218]

I have cut some morse tapers for end mill holders and I like to have the large end contact just a little more than the small end. Reason is that all the side pressure is on the large end so I want it tight.
A little off topic but we purchased a Studer grinder and when you slid a taper center into the head it would bounce back out. At first I thought the taper was out of spec but then though if the taper was to little the large end would wedge. To large and the small would wedge, this taper was so close that the only way it would lock is if you pushed and held it in for a few seconds.

 

[bb218]

One other comment, tool center height is very criticial when machining tapers. Mike

 

[bullpeters]

Tivoth: I have only had the lathe a week. It was pretty easy job, used tool holder to match the Taper, hard to get a good finish hand cranking the compound, maybe I will use electric drill and extension for final cut

The taper blued at each end was not the final result, blue all over is!!

Thanks everyone