I just purchased a Pac Bay rod wrapper with a tail stock and I'm having difficulty getting it to tightened . It's a poor design . Anyone else have this problem?

Well , I ran it by a Marine Machinist and he said that there was too much slop in the slot and the pin was too small causing the slop. At 100 per hour it is not cost effective to do. I'll try some tape but that won't be
a permanent fix.

Could you find some tubing with an inside diameter to match the O.D. of the pin and shim out the O.D. of the tubing to fit the slot?

William,
Could you take some close up pictures and illustrate your problem.

You indicated that "I"m having difficulty getting it tightened."

If the tail stock slipping with respect to the base of the tail stock slipping with respect to the wrapper bed?

Or, if you have the tail stock just locked down by itself, are you saying that if you put your a block against the pin of the tail stock and go to advance the tail stock into the block that there is no piercing pressure of the tail stock into the block and then if so, is the adjustment slipping back?

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Is this the tail stock that you purchased that you are having an issue with?

[www.mudhole.com]

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Here is a question from another forum about tail stocks:
"The tail stock slips when I try to tighten it down. The whole assembly slips back. When turning between centers I really crank it down using a wrench to get more leverage. I think I need to replace the clamping mechanism but I do not know how it is listed."

The fix for the question just listed above it to take a pair of blocks of metal and drill a hole through the center of the blocks. Then slip the block pair into the bad of the wrapper or lathe, and align the blocks one below the bed and one above the bad and make the thru bolt hand tight.l Then, slide the block pair up to the base of the tail stock and tighten the block pair with a wrench. This creates an effective stop - such that the tail stock can not slip away from the head stock as the top of the tail stock assembly is tightened into the work piece.
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So, this goes back to the question - does your tail stock not have the strength and power to advance the point of the tail stock into the work piece due to a design or manufacturing problem?

Thanks for your thoughts.

The final straw was that the knob on the tailstock ram was press fit with a piece of tape! I returned the wrapper. No wonder I had issues tightening it down. I'll try and post photos of the tail stock. I'm new to the board so I will go to the picture section and try to post the images .Bill

Just tried to post the photos but I guess I'm not recognized by the photo board . Bill

That is a separate website and you will need to register there.

..........

William,
Just curious if you tried to tighten the tail stock with the knob removed and then used a vise grip to use to turn the tail stock shaft on the tail stock to tighten it.

If so, would the tail stock held all right.

If so, then the simple fix for the issue is to pick up a new metal knob with threaded holes for at least two set screws to tighten the knob on the shaft of the tail stock.

Understand that with a new product, you should not have to modify it to make it work. But, from the pictures, the tail stock actually looks like a nice unit. So, if it could be made functional with a new knob it would be good to know.

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I just did a quick search and ran across this very inexpensive tail stock:

[www.amazon.com]

One would have to add a spacer block under the tail stock to bring it to the correct level, but other than that - it would be interesting to know how it would work for a tail stock. It appears to be quite well made.

I should have to modify the wrapper. That tail stock would probably work but I'm not throwing more money at a poorly designed product. I have sent the unite back for a refund. Bill

I replaced mine.