MARK V - Tailstock and Tool Rest

Carefully remove your lathe center from the Mark V Tailstock. It’s a simple fit – one taper slides into another, but it can get awfully tight. Twist the lathe center out as if it was a dart. If this doesn’t work, place the Tailstock on a work-bench with the eccentric center supported and tap the lathe center out with a soft-faced mallet. Whacking the center out, with the Tailstock mounted on the Mark V, can loosen and damage the Tailstock tubes and eccentric center.

Always wipe the lathe center tapers free of sawdust and wood chips before assembling the two pieces. A silver of wood caught between the tapers can misalign the center or cause slipping of or damage to the eccentric center.