Keith and list: Sorry I'm late on this as usual, but I hope it helps some.
It also sounds like you got the job done by now Keith, but this trick is
very useful.
There are three ways to make a taper on a lathe:
(1) Offset Tail stock.
(2) Taper Attachment
(3) Offset centers
The first two have been previously reported with good information and
experience. As mentioned, number 1 can be tedious. Plus dialing the tail
stock back in, after the job is done, hardly makes it worth it sometimes.
Number two is expensive and if you don't have one your are SOL. I'll report
on Number 3 here.
The OFFET-CENTERS method is cheap, simple, fast, and it works on any length
of taper or degree of taper. It is only limited by the lathe's carriage
travel and is NOT dependant on the compound-rest travel. However, it does
NOT have the precision of the other two but can be very close. All you do
is offset a center-hole at one end of the part. IOW, chuck up and face off
both ends then put a center-hole in one end. That hole will be dead-nuts on
the axis of the part. The other end can be treated in a couple of ways. You
want to put a center-hole offset (from the center-line) exactly 1/2 the
amount of taper you want to produce. You then mount the stock between
centers and it will be offset the amount you want to taper cut. Just make
straight cuts with the carriage and viola, you got it. :-)
(See Number 2 to follow)
-Elon
Date: Mon, 29 May, From: "Keith Turk" <kturk@ala.net>
(Snip. . . ) So Dahlgren sent me this little lathe down here... and I'm
trying to sort out how I'd make a taper on a 1" piece of bar stock that is
supposed to end up looking like a shifter handle... picture a 1/2" taper
over 8"...
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