extra cross bar on big chuck, what is it for?

I see a 18" lathe chuck on ebay. I see a cross bar bolted to the main body crossing the center hole. Is this for lifting it somehow? I do not think a 18" chuck is going to be hand placed onto the spindle I am sure it weighs a few hundred pounds.
Bill D.

18" 4 Jaw 4" Spindle Bore D1-11 Made in Sweden Unknown Brand | eBay

Yes, I'm sure it is for handling the chuck. Not an original feature. Shop-made.

If they had shown a picture of the whole thing it would probably be obvious. I suspect the end of the bar that is not shown has a means of attaching a hook or sling.

Larry

L Vanice said:

...If they had shown a picture of the whole thing it would probably be obvious. I suspect the end of the bar that is not shown has a means of attaching a hook or sling...

Click to expand...

And quite possibly an offset so the centre of lift is over the centre of gravity. Personally I prefer a bar that chucks in
the lathe with an offset lift point--no bolts to worry about...

Don't know about the bar, but asking $1500 for a used four jaw?! Seem's a little high, but does make the 21" I picked up look like a hell of a bargain...

Bill D said:

I see a 18" lathe chuck on ebay. I see a cross bar bolted to the main body crossing the center hole. Is this for lifting it somehow? I do not think a 18" chuck is going to be hand placed onto the spindle I am sure it weighs a few hundred pounds.
Bill D.

18" 4 Jaw 4" Spindle Bore D1-11 Made in Sweden Unknown Brand | eBay

Click to expand...

Bar is for lifting, yes. Uses the Tee-slots.

Otherwise, it MIGHT be an SCA, but I do not think so. Much skimpier from the backside photo.
Search eBay on SCA lathe chuck and compare markings and back appearance. SCA was bought by a distributor quite some time ago, that firm now sells Bison/Toolmex, so it used or NOS, no longer being made, new.

My two - smaller ones about 7+" inch, are heavier built and marked with maker, model, serial number.

Decent looking condition, but this one is NOT all that heavy. Rather TOO lightly built for its size in my view.

See what Small Tools has in inventory. They weren't exactly giving them away as door prizes, but I was very pleased with the value for NOS SCA because NEW, still in preservatives they most assuredly were.

I guess for lifting as well...
Or they could have been doing a repetitive part and that is a counterweight on the opposite side of a feature on the part that sets it off balance.

The turners I worked with had a similar bar to that one bolted to the chuck as an end stop. It enabled you to work a series of shaft to the same set of figures on the DRO etc. It prevented the work from being driven back into the chuck with heavy cutting forces. It also protected the chuck face from over enthusiastic overhead crane drivers swinging the shafts into the headstock. Obviously I'm talking about big lathes here. It goes without saying that their bars didn't project beyond the rim of the chuck !

Regards Tyrone.