Newb with tooling questions on Index Model 40

New to this forum, and using machine tools. I recently purchased a harbor freight 7x10" mini lathe to try and learn how to use a metal lathe. Shortly after purchase it broke, so I returned it and that same day a southbound heavy 10 with a 48" bed popped up on craigslist for little more than I'd just spent for a HF mini lathe. When I went to pick the lathe up the seller also had an index model 40 that he sold me for a few hundred more. While I have limited lathe time, I've never even used a mill (even though I'd been wanting to for some time). With that being said, I'm having a hard time figuring out tooling. From everything I've read, the Index has a B&S #9 taper. I know index will regrind the spindle to an R8 taper but that's almost three times what I spent on the mill and I'd like to learn what I can with what I have right now. I've also found collets from the link below but not sure how they work with what I've got?

http://www.penntoolco.com/brown-shar...iABEgLzD_D_BwE

This is what I have:




I don't see how the collets would work with this? The hole is 3/8 so there's no way I could put a 3/4" collet in there. Can someone point me in the right direction?

The best way to probably start would be to either get some B&S 9 stuff off eBay, or I think you can find one for like ER32 collets. Not ideal, but would make life easier to get started. I'm not sure what type of collet that is in the picture, but it may or may not be common. Looks like the holder is in the spindle in the picture. I'd just take that out and toss it. You can get B&S tooling.

So With out better photos it looks like you have a collet chuck in the spindle. The collet chuck would be a male B&S #9 (in the spindle if thats what you have) to a female Universal Engineering double taper collet. The Universal engineering collets are common both new and used and were used on a lot of older machines.
Universal Devlieg - Double Taper Collets Universal Engineering
Take some measurements of the collet that is on the table to get the type. There are 6 different types from smallest to largest OW,WW,Y,Z,ZZ,XZ. Looks like the one you have might be a Z that one runs from 3/8" to 3/4". I don't know why Kazix suggests "toss it". Not the best collet system but it's something to start with. If you don't want to use the Universal Engineering collet chuck for some reason you should sell it. Most with a #9 B&S spindle machine would love to have it.

Andy

Here's a used 3/4" Z collet on eBay.

Universal Style Z Collet 3/4" Fits Kwik Switch | eBay

Andy

One last thing. I had an old catalog here at work so I looked it up. The #9 B&S collet chuck came in three types from Universal Engineering y,Z and ZZ. So it should be one of those.

Andy

Just sold a Index 55 that had that same collet chuck, from same company. The biggest collet in that set was 1/2" and from the looks of it that was as big as the chuck would take. Size Z I do believe.Only bad thing about that style collet they are not self releasing when loosened.