# New Jet 1221VS - Aligning head & tailstock



## marcuscraft (Nov 14, 2012)

Just picked up a new Jet 1221VS on Friday. Finally got it out of the box Sunday, got it cleaned up, and moved the tailstock to meet the headstock. Disappointment, the tailstock was at least 1/16" behind the headstock and about 1/32nd below the tailstock. I reseated the spru drive and live center just to make sure they just werent a bit wonky and was still off by that 1/16th. I loosened the bolts holding down the headstock, and if I really push and hold it, I can get the head and tail aligned left and right, but the best I can do when when tightening it down is maybe 1/32nd.

So what are your thoughts? Should I take this beast back to woodcraft? Is it worth getting some feeler gauges and using them as shims (im guessing paper wont work because of the force needed to move/hold the headstock). Or is there something else I should try? Brand new to the world of lathes, so open to suggestions.


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## Wildwood (Jul 22, 2012)

I would take it back before shimming! Is there any adjustment on the tailstock? Are you locking down tailstock during alignment? If have a shot gun bore brush & cleaning rod would clean out head/tailstock Morse tapers and try again. I would also intall any wood blank tighten everything down, run the lathe for few minutes, shut down and recheck. If still not aligned would take back for exchange/refund.

While at the store would not mind trying different spur/live center and checking again.

I had same problem with my Jet 1642 after putting it together & leveling legs. MY headstock adjustment little easier, so did that. Wasn't until swapped out OEM live center with one of my old ones did things line up. So remove my spur center and installed a dead center in headstock and was right on the money too! Several years later my OEM live center and headstock now aligned.


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## marcuscraft (Nov 14, 2012)

Hey bill, thanks for the reply. There is absolutely no lateral play in the direction needed with the tail stock. But yes, I am locking it down when I check alignment. I had the same thought about trying a different drive/live center, but just do not have any. I suppose I could just put the drive in the tail stock and live center in the head…if there is a problem with one of them, I would guess the error would still be there, but just in the other direction.


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## Wildwood (Jul 22, 2012)

Marcus, would take the lathe back to the store and ask if can check with different dead/spur & live centers before requesting exchange or refund. Store may also sell a green morse taper cleaning tool would try that too. Not sure if store sells morse taper alignment tool, but that might work too! Those MT alignment tools sold for lathes with swiveling headstock.

If order on-line forget my post!

Good luck sorry for mess you have!


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## dhazelton (Feb 11, 2012)

I was going to say mine was dead on, but I see now that they just 'upgraded' the design and castings. Here's what someone did on Amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/review/RUVLB68HC2IY5/ref=cm_cr_pr_viewpnt#RUVLB68HC2IY5


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## joek30296 (Jul 21, 2010)

With your spur center in the headstock, turn the lathe on low speed. Watch the center pin; does it wobble? If so, then it's the center that's the problem and not the lathe. Mine wobbled when I first got it. However, the center pin can be punched out and and re-centered. Granted, it's tapered but still possible to be inserted off-center.

Just one more thing you can eliminate before returning to WC.

joe


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## marcuscraft (Nov 14, 2012)

Joe -

I looked at that first as well, everything seemed to be turning true. I remembered I had just ordered a pen mandrel w/ a "mandrel saver" end, so i had another set of morse tapered ends, they mis-aligned up just like the stock ones, so pretty sure it was the lathe not aligned. I did some work w/ the headstock (my bolts were tight and the spring was not jammed like in the Amazon review) and was able to get everything lined up. The headstock is definitely cocked in one direction now…one corner of it overhands by probably 3/32" now. Its lined up, but that sure seems odd to me.


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## marcuscraft (Nov 14, 2012)

Sorry for the bad picture…dark garage and crappy cell phone camera/flash. You can see that the back end hangs over the bed and the front end is on top of it though.


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## marcuscraft (Nov 14, 2012)

So I spent 45 minutes on hold waiting for Jet tech support. That "red assurance" sure is nice (har har har). I finally gave up and left a voicemail. I gave woodcraft a call, they said it was the first of these lathes that they've heard of not being aligned. I told them it was aligned, but that the headstock had to be moved quite a bit. They said they would "look into it" and give me a call back this afternoon. Not sure what they were going to look into since I have the lathe at home =)


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