HwacheonCentreLathe-tailstock-mask legend

Tailstock used for drilling A tailstock, also known as a foot stock, is a device often used as part of an engineering

lathe A lathe () is a machine tool that rotates a workpiece about an axis of rotation to perform various operations such as cutting, sanding, knurling, drilling, deformation, facing, and turning, with tools that are applied to the workpiece to c ...

, wood-turning lathe, or used in conjunction with a

rotary table A rotary table is a precision work positioning device used in metalworking. It enables the operator to drill or cut work at exact intervals around a fixed (usually horizontal or vertical) axis. Some rotary tables allow the use of index plates f ...

on a

milling machine Milling is the process of machining using rotary cutters to remove material by advancing a cutter into a workpiece. This may be done by varying direction on one or several axes, cutter head speed, and pressure. Milling covers a wide variety of d ...

. It is usually used to apply support to the longitudinal rotary axis of a workpiece being machined. A

lathe center A lathe center, often shortened to center, is a tool that has been ground to a point to accurately position a workpiece on an axis. They usually have an included angle of 60°, but in heavy machining situations an angle of 75° is used. The prim ...

is mounted in the tailstock, and inserted against the sides of a hole in the center of the workpiece. A tailstock has a Dead Center, while headstock has Live Center. A Tailstock is particularly useful when the workpiece is relatively long and slender. Failing to use a tailstock can cause "chatter," where the workpiece bends excessively while being cut. It is also used on a lathe to hold drilling or reaming tools for machining a hole in the work piece. Unlike drilling with a

drill press A drill is a tool used for making round holes or driving fasteners. It is fitted with a bit, either a drill or driverchuck. Hand-operated types are dramatically decreasing in popularity and cordless battery-powered ones proliferating due to i ...

or a

, the tool is stationary while the workpiece rotates. Holes can only be cut along the axis that the workpiece is set to spin. Usually, the entire tailstock is moved to the approximate position that it will be needed by manually sliding it along its ways. There, it is locked in place and the tool mounted to it is moved with a

leadscrew A leadscrew (or lead screw), also known as a power screw or translation screw,Bhandari, p. 202. is a screw (simple machine), screw used as a linkage (mechanical), linkage in a machine, to translate Rotation, turning motion into linear motion. ...

to the exact position where it is needed. When a cutting tool such as a drill bit or reamer is used, the feed is done with this leadscrew. The tailstock quill or extendible portion usually has a

Morse taper Morse may refer to: People * Morse (surname) * Morse Goodman (1917-1993), Anglican Bishop of Calgary, Canada * Morse Robb (1902–1992), Canadian inventor and entrepreneur Geography Antarctica * Cape Morse, Wilkes Land * Mount Morse, Church ...

mount in the end of it to secure the drill or reamer. If the work is heavy the drill may be further secured from turning with a

lathe dog A lathe dog is a mechanical device typically made of cast iron, steel or aluminum that transmits rotary motion from a faceplate to a workpiece mounted between centers in a lathe. The tail of the dog is rotated by a slot in a driving faceplate, a ...

as shown in the photo.

References

Machine tools {{Tool-stub