what if anything is special about a turret lathe chuck?

Been poking around ebay looking at independent 4 jaw chucks. Some are identified as turret lathe chucks. Is there something unique about these or is it just semantics?

marka12161 said:

Been poking around ebay looking at independent 4 jaw chucks. Some are identified as turret lathe chucks. Is there something unique about these or is it just semantics?

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Possibly they are referring to the A type spindle noses on almost all turret lathes - at least post threaded spindle noses

Turret chucks nearly always have removable jaws mounted on slotted & serrated moving parts....The serrations are 16 p/i.....Independant 4 jaw would be unusual too,more likely Tudor type cam operated 4 jaw.with limited movement of the jaws.The HD ones generally had 4 segments bolted to the body with the jaw slots ,so they were able to be surface ground to take up wear.

I have a 1968 Pratt Burnerd catalogue which lists specific chucks for turret lathes.

There are many pages, but here are the three main types listed.

On the first two pages showing "Heavy Duty Geared Scroll Chucks for Turret Lathes", note the "double-ribbed" jaws (orange arrow on lower photo, page 1), also "ductile iron body of massive proportions", forged, hardened, ground high accuracy scrolls, bevel gears made to withstand power-operated wrench etc.

"Tudor Geared Scroll Chucks for Turret Lathes" - the first choice for turret lathes since 1930 (no doubt meaning British machines).

"Pratt all-steel Super Duty 4 Jaw Independent Chucks" for turret lathes and all heavy duty applications. " Massive one piece steel bodies...specifically designed for use on Herbert and Ward Capstan and Turret lathes, but also available for mounting on American and German Turret Lathe spindles.

In light of the above, would it be safe to assume any second-hand turret lathe chuck has been "well used" ?

marka12161 said:

Been poking around ebay looking at independent 4 jaw chucks. Some are identified as turret lathe chucks. Is there something unique about these or is it just semantics?

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They MAY be neither of "independent", full-travel, or even able to be operated "manually" easily - if even at all.

Serious turret lathes were meant for rapid cycle time. Manual cranking of jaws can take more time that six surfaces on one part needs. That sort of waste ain't welcome.

Right common their "chucks" were power-operated, were pre-set to a limited travel even if they had a wide range of it. Could have have the 4-J used instead of 3 because a repetitive run of a part happened to be assymetrical..

All supposition. So far.

More folk that a few haven't a klew what they are listing for sale, mebbe observed that a vanilla 4-J chuck come off a SB 9 with the silly little 2 MT "turret" and called it "from a turret lathe".

Hardinge is another. Had two different spindle mounts of their own, plus a few of the industry-standard ones. 4-J with either of integral Hardinge threaded or Hardinge taper, either one, is not detachable, can be an RBK to adapt to some other mount. DAMHIKT.

And then.. there's 20 to 50 hoss Warner & Swasey and competitors? Also long obsolete CNC to present-day CNC?

Whole different class of work-holding altogether, ANY jaw-count.

Separate master and top jaws? "Serrated?' Yah. Or square. Or other.
Only about two DOZEN ways in the market to do THAT part, some to agreed standards, others proprietary to but one or a very few makers.

"Not enough information"... as-usual.

But fotos could HELP!

And the remaining 2 x pages

Peter S said:

In light of the above, would it be safe to assume any second-hand turret lathe chuck has been "well used" ?

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Safer to ass u me "You bet your sweet ASS it has been "well used" and hope not to volunteer to prove yerself up for the same off the back of a greedy but optimistic BUY!



Now.. find a "NOS" one? Manual if yah need it, POWER if you are into that and so equipped?

That gets you the stronger-end of a given maker's wares.

RTFM.

Match SKU number of what you found JUST NOW to what they claimed BACK THEN on the specifics.

Or you may find you've lost that bet of your sweet ass!

At least economically or in a manner figuratively squeaking.. er scratch that last part.."speaking".

Plus another on ''genuine'' turret lathe chucks being heavy duty, ……...heavy / high output manual production machining*** can be (and often is) brutally hard on machines, ……….proven by the number of chuck keys one saw with bent handles seen around many of the old shops.

*** AKA what we used to call ''Kick bollock n bite metal cutting''

Also plus another on ;- that unless it's NOS, pound to a pinch that chuck will be shagged out.

Limy Sami said:

Also plus another on ;- that unless it's NOS, pound to a pinch that chuck will be shagged out.

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Tell yah.. I had bought ISTR FIVE mere 6" incher manual 4-J "Grand-Old name" off the best I could of zooming fotos and been disappointed 4 outta 5.

My take is all the GOOD low-wear used chucks of the whole dam world have been snatched-up years before I started lookin' and are already in some OTHER gloating fool's shop for years. We won't get to see good used ones even when they clock-out. A next-door neighbor will snatch 'em up before ever they hit the market again!

NOS OTOH? Two brand-new Swedish "SCA", A brand-new Yuasa. A brand-new Bison and an "actually" new Gator 6-J.. Actual brand-new, even if cheap, San Ou economizers came as better value than expected.

Nary a complaint. Grins, rather.

Workholding - chucks, collets, or even vises, any-of, ain't worth cheaping-out on.

Decent goods serve and serve reliably, fast, and well for ages.
.
A long human "lifetime" even. Or more.

Some among us might not have as much left 'o that, but dammit, neither do we have as much patience or f***with time left to waste, EITHER!

Worn-outs start biting chunks outta yerazz, wallet, and wall-clock, on slower working, work-arounds, or ruint work, Day One, Hour One, Minute One and won't quit nibblin' on yah.

2CW

Peter S said:

I have a 1968 Pratt Burnerd catalogue which lists specific chucks for turret lathes.

There are many pages, but here are the three main types listed.

View attachment 272467

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I recently got a 5" pratt burnerd, might be called a "super precision", it is not a setrite,
Does your catalog have info on these?
I called PBA last week and the only thing he could tell me was the chuck I have was made from 1961 to 1981.
Thank you

Getting new old stock make a lot of sense. I'm considering something like this

Buck Chuck 15 Inch 4 Jaw Brand New | eBay

Rob F. said:

I recently got a 5" pratt burnerd, might be called a "super precision", it is not a setrite,
Does your catalog have info on these?
I called PBA last week and the only thing he could tell me was the chuck I have was made from 1961 to 1981.
Thank you

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Hi Rob,

Here are some of the pages for Super Precision type.

Let me know the number on the chuck, if it has one, that will help identify the model.

They also have:

-Standard geared scroll
-All steel geared scroll
-Heavy duty geared scroll
Plus other types for turret lathes, independent, combination etc.

More pages for the Super Precision chucks.

There are several more pages for direct-mount on German Standard Spindles, but I have not included them.

If you would like higher resolution images, send me your e-mail address.

Thank you Peter,
The chuck I have is Catalogue no 1212-21315 (Stamped on the round tag)
And under the tag stamped into the chuck itself is: BP79/11901
Here are some pics of it. It must be a plain back with a D1-4 mounting plate.