TaperMate

Re: TaperMate - Yes

Mark Mandell - Gone Round In Jersey

>Ab-so-lootly!

In fact, I clean my tapers every time before I put a drive or center in, and also eject the TS center and clean both surfaces on a regular basis. Once you get galling stared, it just never seems to stop; ounce of prevention, etc. Those who think that a little wood dust on the tapers won't matter are forgetting about the sanding abrasives that made that dust and are mixed in with it on the metal surfaces. Put even a clean drive into a dirty spindle and you're regrinding both surfaces. Moreover, since the accuracy of the lathe is directly effected by how solidly the two metal surfaces meet, any dirt present will prevent a precise mating of the tapers resulting in small movement during use and causing vibration in the workpiece.

Get one and use it by all means.

Mark Mandell

-2=mail

Mark.....

W.C. Turner

>"Once you get galling stared", what does that mean?

WC

Re: WC.....

Mark Mandell - Gone Round In Jersey

>"Galling" is gouges and grooves cut into the metal when one surface moves against the other and there is a piece of dirt caught between them; both surfaces are marred. Aside from effecting the accuracy, this can also act like a "key" and "slot" making it very difficult to remove the item from the taper. Even if the gall is then removed by carefull filing or sanding, either a small bump or depression will remain on what was once a precisely machined surface, and that will allow more dirt and grit to enter during use and further degrade the machining over time. Wood turners aren't working to the tolerances that machinists do, but it's amazing how much just a little damage on those tapers can effect how a wood lathe performs.

"stared" = "started"

Mark

Re: TaperMate - Yes

Fred in NC

>I agree.

Please be aware that Enco (use-enco.com) sells Morse taper reamers. These can repair damage to the taper in a spindle... BUT .... I think it need to be done properly by a machinist, or the damage could be greater than the problem.

fred

Re: TaperMate

Arch

>W.C. I had thought this thing was the ultimate gimmick for woodturners to waste money on. However, since respected turners are using it, its value is worth our considering. Thanks for bringing it up.

I'm all for clean tapers, but as they are necessary for metal lathes even more than for wood lathes I hope some of our machinist members will chime in. What do they recommend and have they ever used a plastic taper instead of a clean cloth & stick for cleaning hardened spindle tapers.

I think some shops consider galling to be a sort of work hardening and surface loss due to excessive heat and lack of lubrication of rubbing metal parts. Arch

Re: TaperMate

Russ

>Yes, you should clean your tapers, but make your own cleaner by turning a taper on the end of a piece of Pine lumber; and save the money for a better use. It will work just as well, and it will give you some turning practice.