VN 10 dividing head spindle questions

Hello all,

I’ve had a VN 10 divding head in storage for some years now. Today dusted it off for use and discovered it has a much larger spindle adaptor than my 5c collets.

The Manual says it’s likely a #2 collet size. However the spindle head piece looks nothing like a 50 taper collet- it’s ground to resemble a #5 MT. And the spindle head piece looks like a MT shape- ecxept the dimensions are different.

Does anyone recognize what this spindle might actually be?

If it indeed takes 50v collets, does anybody have any extra for sale?

Here’s some pics and dims:








The shank dimensions of the tapered spindle head piece are:

Large end: 1.297”
Small end: 1.135”
Overall length: 6”
Taper length: 4.25”

Also, the spindle thread is: 2.0” x 3tpi. Are,there any chuck backing plates around anywhere that fit this size?

Thanks much,
Glenn

Looks like an older VN head, so likely a Brown & Sharpe taper.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

I have some 50V (Hardinge designation) aka #2 (Van Norman) collets, and they don't look like that narrow taper at all. (Sorry, no extras, took a long time to get the ones I've got.) So Andy is probably right about B&S taper. Another non-Morse possibility would be Jarno taper, all of which have exactly the same included angle in all sizes: 1:20 on diameter.

50V collet photo from the web:

OK, just confirmed the taper in my early 1930’s model VN 10” DH is indeed a #10 Brown and Sharpe straight taper. Another member on another machining forum loaned me his B&S #10 and #11 reamers. They fit perfectly in the spindle.

So for anyone chasing unknown taper size in VN 10” dividing heads- mine is a #10 Brown and Sharpe.

Regards,
Glenn