User Guide

If excessive backlash develops at the handwheel and thrust collar junctions, adjust by first
loosening the handwheel set screw. Index (rotate) the handwheel so the set screw tightens
on a different part of the shaft. (If you don't, it may tend to keep picking up the previous
tightening indentation and returning to the same spot.) Push the handwheel in tightly
while holding the mill saddle and retighten the handwheel set screw.
Movement of the handwheels
Turning the appropriate handwheel moves the saddle, crosslide and tailstock spindle. For
the inch version, one complete turn of the handwheel gives a movement of .050". For the
metric model, one complete turn of the handwheel gives a movement of 1mm.
Handwheels are calibrated in .001" (1/1000") for inch models and .01mm (1/100mm) for
metric models. Keep the screws clean, oiled and free from chips. The handwheels are
quite accurate and should be used accordingly.
Aligning the head and tailstock
The versatile feature of Sherline machines that allows the headstock to be removed or
rotated for taper turning and angle milling keeps us from being able to lock the headstock
in perfect alignment. Precision ground alignment keys and accurate adjustment at the
factory, however, make the machines highly accurate. In standard form, alignment should
be within .003" (.08mm). This should be more than acceptable for most jobs you will
attempt.
Only someone new to machining would talk about "perfect" alignment. Machinists speak
instead in terms of "tolerances", because no method of measurement is totally without
error. We believe the tolerances of your machine are close enough for the work for which
it was intended, however, for those searching for maximum accuracy, here are some tips
for maximizing the accuracy of your machine.
Loosen the headstock, push it back evenly against the alignment key and retighten. This
will maximize the accuracy of the factory setting. To achieve greater accuracy, you will
have to be willing to sacrifice one of the better features of your lathe or mill; that is, its
ability to turn tapers and mill angles in such a simple manner.
HEADSTOCK-If you choose total accuracy over versatility or need it for a particular job,
proceed as follows. Remove the headstock and clean any oil from the alignment key and
slot and from the area of contact between bed and headstock. Replace the headstock,
pushing squarely against the key and retighten. Take a light test cut on a piece of 1/2" to
3/4" diameter by 3" long aluminum stock held in a 3-jaw chuck. Use a sharp pointed tool
to keep cutting loads low so as not to cause any deflection of the part. Measure the
diameter of both machined ends. If there is a difference, the headstock is not perfectly
square. Now, without removing the key, tap the headstock on the left front side if the part
is larger at the outer end. (Tap on the right side if the part is larger at the headstock end.)
You are trying to rotate the headstock ever so slightly when viewed from the top until the