Unimat sl with high tailstock

[Leslie DeasyParticipant @lesliedeasy53009]

New unimat sl owner

Just wondering if any one else with a unimat has come across there tailstock been 0.5 higher than the spindle center??

[Leslie DeasyParticipant @lesliedeasy53009]

[old martParticipant @oldmart]

That is a lot, 0.05mm high would be pushing it.

[Andy CarlsonParticipant @andycarlson18141]

Mine is OK… never measured it but have not noticed an issue anyway.

Do you get the same height difference with the tailstock barrel fully retracted as with it fully extended? – just wondering if the tailstock is sitting level or not.

Are we talking the ols Unimat DB/SL here or the more modern (red) thing similar to the 'Unimat PC'

[old martParticipant @oldmart]

Looking at the "Lathes UK " website, you should look into ways of raising the spindle height of your lathe to match the tailstock. I think that is the easier option. 0.5mm shim is available and might be used to raise the left hand end of the lathe. Lowering the tailstock would be possible, but harder to do. There are lots of Unimat people on this forum to tell you if this is feasible.

[Former MemberParticipant @formermember12892]

[This posting has been removed]

[Leslie DeasyParticipant @lesliedeasy53009]

Posted by Andy Carlson on 31/05/2021 18:16:50:

Mine is OK… never measured it but have not noticed an issue anyway.

Do you get the same height difference with the tailstock barrel fully retracted as with it fully extended? – just wondering if the tailstock is sitting level or not.

Are we talking the ols Unimat DB/SL here or the more modern (red) thing similar to the 'Unimat PC'

Hi its the Hammered green model. No droop noticeable on the barrel

[Former MemberParticipant @formermember12892]

[This posting has been removed]

[John OlsenParticipant @johnolsen79199]

Just to add to the confusion, there is also the Unimat 3 with the more conventional style bed, a V section at the front and a flat at the back. The DB/SL is the earlier type with a pair of round bars for the bed. If I recall correctly, that one could have the headstock easily swivelled to allow taper turning, and also the headstock could be taken right off to go on a milling attachment. So this would imply that a shim could easily be added to that end. It does sound like the tailstock and headstock may come from different batches or something like that.

John

[Andy CarlsonParticipant @andycarlson18141]

The more modern one I was referring to is the 'Basic SL' about which there was a thread on here some time ago. Also a round bar bed but thicker bars than the old SL. Having found it again it's actually less red than I recall – just the tailstock. Apparently lathes.co.uk refer to it (or a very close cousin) as the 'Unimat PC Basic'. It was news to me at the time.

Hopefully the OP's question has been answered. My guess would be that the headstock and tailstock started out on different lathes.

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