How do I center a rod lathe to run center with the blank since the blank is tapered and every rod support will be adjusted a little bit differently?

Glenn McMurrian

With a lathe like FlexCoat's Cork Lathe - just measure fom work bench to center of blank .
I assume you are not using a lathe with head and tail stock with the blank as a mandrel.
Herb

You need to make a height adjustment tool. Simply get a piece of thin aluminum flat, about 1/4 inch wide and bend it into a "C" section shape. The horizontal on top should be set to be even with your lathe chuck center. Now you can just slide this along the bed and raise or lower your rod supports until the blank in that area set to the same height as the height adjustment tool. We detailed how to make one in an issue of RodMaker some time back but hopefully you can envision what I'm talking about here.

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Hello All.

Here is the article on the level.

Vol/Issue...............Article..................................................................................Page.
8/2 Level: Jig/Lathe Height Adjustment Gauge, Easy To Make Easy To Use . 22.



Tight Wraps & Tighter Lines.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/03/2023 04:48PM by Robert A. Guist.

Glenn,
Pretty simple.
Take a tape measure and measure from the wrapper bed to the center of the closed chuck.

Record that measurement.

Go to each rod stand and set it at the same height, minus the radius of the rod blank at that location.

But, for most wrapper setups, just use the distance from the wrapper bed to the center of the closed head stock chuck and set the resting surface of all of your rod supports to the same height and you will be good to go.

Or, you can also do the following that also works very well and is even more simple.

Take a standard level and check the level of your wrapper bed.

Assuming that the wrapper bed is level, simply place your rod in the head stock chuck and secure it.

Then, go to your first rod rest and adjust the height of the rod rest until the rod is level between the head stock chuck and the first rod rest.
Then, go to the 2nd and all of the rest of the rod rests and do the same thing. i.e. Start with a level wrapper bed. Then, insure that the rod that is secured in the head stock and all of the rest of the rod is also level and you will be good to go.

Or, you can insure that the wrapper bed is level.

Then, insert the rod into the head stock chuck and secure it.

Then, go to the middle of the rod and adjust that rod rest so that the rod is level.

Then, simply adjust all of the rest of the rod rests so that each rod rest does its job to support the rod.

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Or, assuming that you have a good caliper, use the caliper to measure the diameter of the rod at each of the rod rest positions.

Then, assuming that you have the correct height to the center of the closed head stock chuck, just subtract 1/2 of the rod diameter at each of the rod rest positions and set that particular rod rest to that matching height.

Or, place the rod into the head stock chuck and simply sight down the rod and adjust each rod rest so that you see no bends or curves when you sight down the rod.

Remember, we are not building rocket ships. Don't overthink the process.

Best wishes