# New Delta 46-460 headstock/tailstock alignment



## BenDupre (Jan 23, 2017)

Hey all. I am excited to have a new Delta 46-460 MIDI lathe. This is an upgrade for me from my HF 10×18 lathe which I loved. I do believe there are better products out there even for less money but I chose this one primarily because I was lucky enough to win a $500 gift card from the grand opening at a new Menards in Vernon Hills IL. >WOOT WOOT< and the only other lathe you can buy from Menards is a RIKON which does not have a variable speed motor.










Anyhow, I got it yesterday after waiting almost a month for shipment from South Carolina. Everything appears to be fine out of the box, but there are a couple issues. One I have already fixed, but on the other I need your advice on how serious it is and what I can do about it.

So the minor issue, the forward/reverse on the lathe was wired backwards. I was able to open the control box and swap the motor wires at the switch.

The other issue is that there appears to be less than perfect spindle to tailstock alignment. I am no machinist, but I did check the spindle runout and it's 0.0005 using my Harbor Freight 1 inch dial, so perfect IMO.

I tried to take a picture but I do not know how to measure the amount of misalignment, nor am I sure what is considered acceptable.










I also mounted my cone center and quilled it into the open spindle and confirmed an eccentricity. Again, I am unable to measure how much.










Here is a link to a video. You can see the misalignment when the live center begins to "skip" as the contact point comes around. This was done at the slowest possible speed.

The instruction manual has no information about spindle or tailstock adjustment. Does anyone know how/if this can be adjusted? Does anyone know if this apparent misalignment is minor and inconsequential or if it will cause problems turning between centers?

All my turning experience is on my old HF 10×18 lathe which was perfectly aligned right out of the box.

Thanks for your sage wisdom Jocks.

Ben


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## Sigung (Nov 20, 2013)

First you must determine which is out of alignment, the headstock or the tailstock. Push a tightly fitting rod through the hole in the back of your headstock that is long enough to reach the end of the ways. Measure side to side and vertically to make sure it's square. If so then the tailstock can be shimmed to bring it back into alignment. This Morse taper alignment tool will help you get it perfect.

http://www.packardwoodworks.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=packard&Category_Code=lathes-acc-mrstool

PS - That looks like about 1/16" to my eye, and that's going to double as it rotates to the opposite side. That's unacceptable. If you can't get it into alignment, well, if it was me, I'd get it returned and replaced.


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

Honestly that's not bad at all. My Comet II the live center looked like a moon revolving around the drive center and it worked fine, just a little extra vibration at times. Try turning with it, I doubt you notice it.


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## LeeMills (Nov 2, 2014)

Most (maybe not yours) has screws under the tailstock to align. If you are sure your drive and live center are true I would align the points then retighten the screws. JMHO but a for spindle turning I don't think it matters between centers. It may if the drive end is a chuck or other fixed holding method.

Rick, I bought a Comet for my daughter and it was one of the first which did not get properly aligned at the factory.
IIRC there are four bolts holding the headstock to the bed. With true points, loosen them slightly, align the points, then retighten. She never had a problem after that. Yours sounds like it may be something else, not sure how the live center could revolve around the drive center unless something is amiss with the center or the quill.


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## Jim Jakosh (Nov 24, 2009)

I would check the head stock for an adjustment. That is usually where the out of alignment comes from. We have Jet lathes at school and I always have align them They can swing out the side and they don't seem to have a real positive zero to the ways.

that tail stock in fixed and not adjustable.

Jim


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

Yeah sorry, I said that backwards, but you get the drift. I bought the Comet used and it had a lot of miles on her.


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## LeeMills (Nov 2, 2014)

> Yeah sorry, I said that backwards, but you get the drift. I bought the Comet used and it had a lot of miles on her.
> - Woodknack


I can't check the Comet because my daughter is states away but IIRC the spur center is solid (does not have a movable point) so it just about can't be bent. So either the drive spur is boogered up and needs a little file work, the MT in the spindle is boogered up (fixable with a reamer), or the spindle is bent.
Folks with a machining background may offer better checks than me.
Yours would be more of a problem to me than Ben's where the points run true, just a little out of alignment.


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

I don't remember, I fixed it somehow, fixed a few other things, and sold it. Mine was one of the original designs. Then bought the Delta which is twice the lathe.

Ben did you adjust it?


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## BenDupre (Jan 23, 2017)

Rick

I am going to try loosening the capsrews on the head and retightening. There really is no adjustment on this thing. Have to hope for a little extra slop. It appears that may do it. The misalignment seems to be left/right not up/down. Just haven't got to it yet.

Ben


> I don t remember, I fixed it somehow, fixed a few other things, and sold it. Mine was one of the original designs. Then bought the Delta which is twice the lathe.
> 
> Ben did you adjust it?
> 
> - Woodknack


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## Grumpy (Nov 9, 2007)

Great buy Ben, enjoy.


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