What's new
What's new

Setting up new lathe chuck

GOOG

Plastic
Joined
Feb 21, 2021
I'm new to this forum. I am concerned that I am under qualified to be here.

A little background:
I graduated high school in 1976. I spent every minute I could for those four years in the metal shop. I could weld steel, got pretty good on a LeBlonde lathe and ran a Bridgeport quite a bit. I was away from machine shop equipment for a while until about ten years ago I purchased a Bridgport milling machine and a Monarch 10EE lathe. I am an excavating contractor. I enjoy fabricating "dump truck parts" and use my small shop for that purpose. When I purchased the lathe, it came with a 6" 3 jaw chuck and a 6 jaw chuck. I have a Hardinge collet chuck as well. I have been wanting a 4 jaw chuck for awhile. I see them on Ebay and am ready to buy one. It says it is "semi finished". Here is a link to the chuck. 6" 4-JAW LATHE CHUCK w independent jaws w D1-3 adapter semi-finished #0604F0 | eBay

Question:
What is needed to make the chuck ready to be used?

Summation:
I would greatly appreciate any guidance you gentlemen could provide.

Thanks in advance
Tom
 
I'm new to this forum. I am concerned that I am under qualified to be here.

A little background:
I graduated high school in 1976. I spent every minute I could for those four years in the metal shop. I could weld steel, got pretty good on a LeBlonde lathe and ran a Bridgeport quite a bit. I was away from machine shop equipment for a while until about ten years ago I purchased a Bridgport milling machine and a Monarch 10EE lathe. I am an excavating contractor. I enjoy fabricating "dump truck parts" and use my small shop for that purpose. When I purchased the lathe, it came with a 6" 3 jaw chuck and a 6 jaw chuck. I have a Hardinge collet chuck as well. I have been wanting a 4 jaw chuck for awhile. I see them on Ebay and am ready to buy one. It says it is "semi finished". Here is a link to the chuck. 6" 4-JAW LATHE CHUCK w independent jaws w D1-3 adapter semi-finished #0604F0 | eBay

Question:
What is needed to make the chuck ready to be used?




Summation:
I would greatly appreciate any guidance you gentlemen could provide.

Thanks in advance
Tom

Fitting the adapter plate to your lathe and truing up the adaptor face.
More experienced members should add advice
 
Tom - semi finished refers to the piece of metal that goes between your spindle nose and the chuck

By semi finished, they infer that the spindle face of the piece of metal is ready to put on your D1-3" spindle nose, but the chuck side of the piece of metal IS NOT ready to mount the chuck on.

Ordinarily, the piece of metal would be scrupulously cleaned along with the spindle nose before mounting on the spindle nose, and any machining required by the proposed mounting of chuck would be done after mounting - as lathe work. Almost invariably, there will be such things as drilled and tapped holes that will have to be done along the way - very possibly this will require having the piece of metal OFF the lathe spindle nose as needed
 
Tom - semi finished refers to the piece of metal that goes between your spindle nose and the chuck

By semi finished, they infer that the spindle face of the piece of metal is ready to put on your D1-3" spindle nose, but the chuck side of the piece of metal IS NOT ready to mount the chuck on.

Ordinarily, the piece of metal would be scrupulously cleaned along with the spindle nose before mounting on the spindle nose, and any machining required by the proposed mounting of chuck would be done after mounting - as lathe work. Almost invariably, there will be such things as drilled and tapped holes that will have to be done along the way - very possibly this will require having the piece of metal OFF the lathe spindle nose as needed

well put John, one more thing, make certain the "semi-finished" mount is fitting correctly to your lathe spindle.

they DONT all fit as they should. you will find all sorts of things said about the fit, but for a D1-X mount, the tapers should contact first, and show a good "print" of blue or other indicator (look up "fitting tapers with blue"), once mated, there should be .002 or so gap between the flats on the spindle and the adapter plate or chuck back if integral mount, and once the cams are tightened, that should bottom out and the faces touch.
 
dang it, someone bought my chuck!

Yeah, that happens. Post on this forum and it will be seen by lots of people.

However, I agree 100% with your advice. that is the same model 4 jaw chuck I have and use. I have a Buck 6" 4-jaw that never gets used, the Cushman is the goto chuck. It is light, has reversible jaws. The one I have is a tight fit to the spindle, just like cyanidekid says. I have to give it a tap to get it to release after loosening all three camlock pins.
 
I did. Did you really want to buy it?

Well, I would like it, but need it is a stretch! I was largely kidding. I hope it works out for you. That chuck looked to be in pretty good shape.....little clean up and away ya go! Let us know how it works out.
 
Goog said: "I'm new to this forum. I am concerned that I am under qualified to be here. "

Goog- you are NEVER "UNDERQUALIFIED to be HERE".

The very reason for a forum, is to provide a mechanism where people can interface in such a way that people with experience and expertise can share with people seeking experience and expertise.

As far as chuck fitment, it is a fun process that anyone can do... it is using the lathe to make ITSELF. Not 'difficult' but does require patience, and it develops both craftmanship skills, and thought processes that define the foundation of accuracy and precision. As John and Cyanide explained, it's a matter of hand-fitting the D-type backplate to your machine's spindle nose, and then using YOUR machine to fit the backplate's chuck=mounting face to the new chuck.

A silly aside-note... let's say you don't have it perfect, but it's on and fits... SINCE you're going for a four-jaw chuck... and I'm assuming it's a 4-jaw INDEPENDANT... you'll be dialing in basically anything you'd ever put in it, a little 'off' in the 4-jaw wouldn't be serious... other'n the fact that you'd fuss with it a bit more to make some parts run 'true'. It'll get you by, until you've had time to be detailed with it.

So dig in, and exercise this thread with your questions... others who have NOT done it, will be reading-to-learn... and John is probably one of the best guys to explain how to make it happen, and WHY it's best to do it a certain way, because he has actually personally owned one of EVERY lathe ever made... and at the present time, still actually has all but mebbie THREE of them. ;-)
 
I appreciate your kindness. My concern is that the name is Practical "MACHINIST". I can do a fair amount of work on my lathe and mill, but I am not a machinist. My favorite is the lathe. I've made a lot of special parts over the years. But the tolerance for stuff I make is quite loose.

Bottom line is I'm glad I found you guys and I will be lurking her from now on.

Thanks to all that responded.

Tom









Goog said: "I'm new to this forum. I am concerned that I am under qualified to be here. "

Goog- you are NEVER "UNDERQUALIFIED to be HERE".

The very reason for a forum, is to provide a mechanism where people can interface in such a way that people with experience and expertise can share with people seeking experience and expertise.

As far as chuck fitment, it is a fun process that anyone can do... it is using the lathe to make ITSELF. Not 'difficult' but does require patience, and it develops both craftmanship skills, and thought processes that define the foundation of accuracy and precision. As John and Cyanide explained, it's a matter of hand-fitting the D-type backplate to your machine's spindle nose, and then using YOUR machine to fit the backplate's chuck=mounting face to the new chuck.

A silly aside-note... let's say you don't have it perfect, but it's on and fits... SINCE you're going for a four-jaw chuck... and I'm assuming it's a 4-jaw INDEPENDANT... you'll be dialing in basically anything you'd ever put in it, a little 'off' in the 4-jaw wouldn't be serious... other'n the fact that you'd fuss with it a bit more to make some parts run 'true'. It'll get you by, until you've had time to be detailed with it.

So dig in, and exercise this thread with your questions... others who have NOT done it, will be reading-to-learn... and John is probably one of the best guys to explain how to make it happen, and WHY it's best to do it a certain way, because he has actually personally owned one of EVERY lathe ever made... and at the present time, still actually has all but mebbie THREE of them. ;-)
 
As far as chuck fitment, it is a fun process that anyone can do... it is using the lathe to make ITSELF. Not 'difficult' but does require patience, and it develops both craftmanship skills, and thought processes that define the foundation of accuracy and precision. As John and Cyanide explained, it's a matter of hand-fitting the D-type backplate to your machine's spindle nose, and then using YOUR machine to fit the backplate's chuck=mounting face to the new chuck.

A silly aside-note... let's say you don't have it perfect, but it's on and fits... SINCE you're going for a four-jaw chuck... and I'm assuming it's a 4-jaw INDEPENDANT... you'll be dialing in basically anything you'd ever put in it, a little 'off' in the 4-jaw wouldn't be serious... other'n the fact that you'd fuss with it a bit more to make some parts run 'true'. It'll get you by, until you've had time to be detailed with it.


Totally agree with your comments about fitting a chuck/back plate to your lathe. It is a right of passage that is fun and satisfying. Yes use the lathe to repair and build your lathe. I saw some thread about whether the user could use his lathe to make a new spindle bearing for his lathe....I'm thinking of course you can. I did much of the same a long time ago restoring my 3rd lathe a basket case tech/high school 10K (which I still have to make sure I can keep the 10EE going, but it is about time to pass that along). I mean how many lathes can someone have in their basement?

So back to the chuck thing...I found a couple of free chucks that came out of barn fire. One of them I restored, fit a new back plate to and turns out to be the best, most precise, repeatable that I have for the 10K. Satisfying exercise indeed.

Ohh back to that chuck thing.....I couldn't help to recommend the cushman on ebay for a number of reasons and I had a similar one that is now a go to piece and hoping the same for GOOG and if he doesn't like it I hope he passes it on to me as it is an 8"!

Lathes are fun, aren't they?
 
Goog said: "I'm new to this forum. I am concerned that I am under qualified to be here. "

Goog- you are NEVER "UNDERQUALIFIED to be HERE".

The very reason for a forum, is to provide a mechanism where people can interface in such a way that people with experience and expertise can share with people seeking experience and expertise.

As far as chuck fitment, it is a fun process that anyone can do... it is using the lathe to make ITSELF. Not 'difficult' but does require patience, and it develops both craftmanship skills, and thought processes that define the foundation of accuracy and precision. As John and Cyanide explained, it's a matter of hand-fitting the D-type backplate to your machine's spindle nose, and then using YOUR machine to fit the backplate's chuck=mounting face to the new chuck.

A silly aside-note... let's say you don't have it perfect, but it's on and fits... SINCE you're going for a four-jaw chuck... and I'm assuming it's a 4-jaw INDEPENDANT... you'll be dialing in basically anything you'd ever put in it, a little 'off' in the 4-jaw wouldn't be serious... other'n the fact that you'd fuss with it a bit more to make some parts run 'true'. It'll get you by, until you've had time to be detailed with it.

So dig in, and exercise this thread with your questions... others who have NOT done it, will be reading-to-learn... and John is probably one of the best guys to explain how to make it happen, and WHY it's best to do it a certain way, because he has actually personally owned one of EVERY lathe ever made... and at the present time, still actually has all but mebbie THREE of them. ;-)

well, yes, but if you don't have your chuck axis aligned with the spindle axis, AND bed ways you can't re mount the work and true it up regardless of having it in a 4 jaw independent... runout increases as you move from the chuck face..
 
well, yes, but if you don't have your chuck axis aligned with the spindle axis, AND bed ways you can't re mount the work and true it up regardless of having it in a 4 jaw independent... runout increases as you move from the chuck face..

That's why you true up a backplate on your spindle - if you still have nutation in work held by the chuck after that the chuck is the most likely culprit.
 
That's why you true up a backplate on your spindle - if you still have nutation in work held by the chuck after that the chuck is the most likely culprit.
yes of corse, but if the backplate isn't registering repeatably with the spindle, that truing cut is "true" one time only
 
If your blackplate (or chuck, for that matter) it hanging up on the taper and never registering on the spindle face you're going to have all sorts of problems. I would expect that nutation would be the least of them.
 
Goog said: "I'm new to this forum. I am concerned that I am under qualified to be here. "

Goog- you are NEVER "UNDERQUALIFIED to be HERE".

The very reason for a forum, is to provide a mechanism where people can interface in such a way that people with experience and expertise can share with people seeking experience and expertise.

As far as chuck fitment, it is a fun process that anyone can do... it is using the lathe to make ITSELF. Not 'difficult' but does require patience, and it develops both craftmanship skills, and thought processes that define the foundation of accuracy and precision. As John and Cyanide explained, it's a matter of hand-fitting the D-type backplate to your machine's spindle nose, and then using YOUR machine to fit the backplate's chuck=mounting face to the new chuck.

A silly aside-note... let's say you don't have it perfect, but it's on and fits... SINCE you're going for a four-jaw chuck... and I'm assuming it's a 4-jaw INDEPENDANT... you'll be dialing in basically anything you'd ever put in it, a little 'off' in the 4-jaw wouldn't be serious... other'n the fact that you'd fuss with it a bit more to make some parts run 'true'. It'll get you by, until you've had time to be detailed with it.

So dig in, and exercise this thread with your questions... others who have NOT done it, will be reading-to-learn... and John is probably one of the best guys to explain how to make it happen, and WHY it's best to do it a certain way, because he has actually personally owned one of EVERY lathe ever made... and at the present time, still actually has all but mebbie THREE of them. ;-)


Thank you very much for help and the encouraging words. My concern is the name of this group is Practical "Machinist". While I can do a variety of functions in my little shop, I am not a machinist. I make custom parts and pieces all the time. The tolerances on the stuff I make are as tight as the situation requires, which is often pretty forgiving. Obviously I shoot for perfection, and land where I land. I've thrown my share of parts away, and almost always learned something in the process.

It's funny how at this stage of my life I am the most teachable. Not because my brain absorbs better than ever, quite the opposite. But because I am aware of what I don't know.

It's very cool to have a place like this to get hard to find, reliable info and guidance.
 
My concern is the name of this group is Practical "Machinist". While I can do a variety of functions in my little shop, I am not a machinist. I make custom parts and pieces all the time. The tolerances on the stuff I make are as tight as the situation requires, which is often pretty forgiving. Obviously I shoot for perfection, and land where I land. I've thrown my share of parts away, and almost always learned something in the process.

It's funny how at this stage of my life I am the most teachable. Not because my brain absorbs better than ever, quite the opposite. But because I am aware of what I don't know.

It's very cool to have a place like this to get hard to find, reliable info and guidance.

While there's a large contingency of 'Professional' machinists, The name of the forum is "Practical".

While I didn't make up the name, and I don't know who did, or why, there is more than one definite use for the term 'Practical'.

The most commonly expected definition, would be something to the effect of a 'solution that works under prevailing circumstances'. Like... a Practical solution for water in one's basement, is to extend downspouts and install sump pumps. One who seeks practical solutions, is referred to as 'pragmatic', or as a 'pragmatist'.

Another is an adjective describing the nature of one who is PRACTICING. While it's fallen out of use in most cases, we STILL frequently refer to a "Practicing Physician" or a "Liscensed Practicing Nurse". In latter days, this would have been said "Practical Nurse".

Regardless of the circumstance, the key to finding good solutions to problems, is understanding the nature of the problem, and the nature of all aspects affecting the problem, and finally, the nature of all possible solutions.

Since the nature of problems exist in a fluid context (time, resources, technology, tools, and skill), it is inherent that an open mind and constant learning attitude is necessary in order to find the shortest path to best solution for a given moment of time. It is like the paradigm of relativity- one cannot now a vector and velocity, while at the same time know exact position... but someone who is PRACTICAL, will recognize that neither vector, velocity, or position is precisely necessary in order to knock down a flying clay target when holding an 11-48.

IMO, the best thing to keep in mind when faced with a strange problem, is to remember that it is not the MACHINE that fixes the problem, it is the MAN... and the solution to the problem, is how the man implements the knowledge he HAS (like geometry, physics, chemistry) to affect the solution...

And HISTORY is the guide-book on how to (or how NOT to) solve a particular problem.

I've always been a student of SOMETHING... and like you said, as we get older, we realize how much we DON'T know. I'm laid-up recovering from knee surgery, and my lack of ability to do any lifting or walking without crutches granted me opportunity to attend to some older small machines that needed freshening up, so I've been dismantling, cleaning, chipping off old paint, and applying new. While that's going on, I've been running history videos on things I never figured I'd find interesting. I found the tactics of Macedonian Phalanx is really fascinating... and "Count" Dracula's REAL name was Vladimir Dracula, he was from Wallachia, not Transylvania... and albeit he was a little extreme,it seems his people particularly liked him, as he was willing to go to great ghastly lengths to scare the Ottomans (particularly Medved) away. I guess the movies got that biography all wrong.
 








 
Back
Top