Lathe alignment:

A simple and quick way to check alignment of the lathe:

1. Set a long precise, straight rod in the chuck, but close to the chuck:
2. Face the end and mark the centre with the tiniest dimple from the sharpest centre drill you
have. (I use a countersink bit for wood, held in the tailstock chuck, to get a centre dimple
about 0.020”, 0.5mm. Across, but showing a 1mm drill, as it doesn't block the view!).

3. Now extend the bar from the chuck to the length of the lathe – or as far as is practical
retaining full engagement of the piece in the chuck.
4. Check the centre against the pont used to make the centre mark in the workpiece, but do not
engage the centre in the dimple in the workpiece. Rotate the lathe slowly, and witness if the
centre point of the workpiece rotates around the fixed centre in the tailstock. This indicates
error in the clamping of the chuck. (I have about 0.5~1mm of circle transcribed by the
worpiece dimple, showing my 3 jaw chuck is strained!).
5. I touched the centre point of the test piece with the 1mm drill (not it has a long length from
the chuck, and a bit of tape attached). This showed a bit of motion as the lathe was rotated.
(A “wobbler” centre indicator could be used, but I know the small drill with tape gives me
some indication of a rotating centre = not on the centre of rotation – of the workpiece).

6. If the centre dimple is stationary, and on the fixed centre, the lathe is “true”, but if displaced
and stationary when the lathe is rotated, it has a distorted bed/mounting and needs
jacking/shimming to correct the alignment. In this case, a DTI can be run along the length of
the test piece to measure both vertically and horizontally how the axis of the lathe deviates
from the axis of the bed, as the saddle is traversed. The deviation – as seen on the DTI – can
be used as a visual aid when re-setting the tailstock end on the bed with the jacking screws,
or shims.