Embarrassingly basic question - chucks

[Bodgy]

I'm been considering getting a bit more ambitious with my lathe. I've scoured all the vendors sites for scroll chucks, ordinary chucks etc and become confused.

I want to accomplish two things, firstly to be able to stick a drill in it and drill perfectly centred holes, and secondly to be able to turn things that don't readily lend themselves to getting wedged between the head and the pointy bit on the tailstock.

This may be stupid, but how do you drill? Presumably stick the work in the scroll chuck and stick a drill in a chuck that is now where the pointy bit was and crunch it up? I seem to remember thats how we did it on metal lathes.

OK, so if thats correct, once I figure out the TPI and diameter of the thread at the drive end, I can buy a scroll chuck. Problem is the other pointy end doesnt seem to be able to take amother chuck for the drill. Is this normal, am I missing something or just hopelessly confused?

It is a no-name, cheapo brand about 8 years old, but to date, an absolute ripper. The pointy bit has an 'active tailstock' (??) that seems to be non removable. I think the brand is "Expert Line' or something similarly pretentious.

I don't think it's fair to ask the 'boutique' woodturning suppliers these questions cause I can source the chucks etc at a far better price elsewhere.

Could someone both tolerant and patient try and explain how to proceed?

[Christopha]

Bodgster, sorry for the bad news all of the time mate but ideally you need to quit your el cheapo lathe and purchase a somewhat better machine which has hollow spindles head and tail and also morse tapers..... that way you can easily fit a Jacobs chuck which is equipped with a morse taper at either end for drilling and boring, you can also spend some more money on a tail centre system that will allow you to bore through your tail stock for long holes... lamps etc. Also if your head stock has a morse taper you will have a much greater choice of drive dogs you can spend even more bucks on!
Don't worry, be happy..... till the credit card melts!

[Bodgy]

Chris, I'll put the $20 I saved on the chisels towards a new one. Naturally one can't rush in to these things. A period of extensive research must ensue.

Maybe I'll just get a scroll chuck for $150 ish. That'll get me half way there. I also already have a good quality drill chuck which I may be able to mung around to fit the existing tailstock assembly. Thats another 1/4 of the way. Close enough is good enough versus $2k plus.

[macca2]

Bodgy,
If you intend to upgrade to a better lathe in the future, then any chuck you buy now may not be the same thread as the headstock of your future lathe.
Just one more thing to ponder over.
Macca

[Snowy]

Bodgy

Have gone through a similar experience with my "el cheapo" Hafco Lathe.

It was given to me and I couldnt figure out the tailstock end at all as the spur centre looked like it was part of the tailstock. Someone kindly showed me a "drift" to knock out the morse taper of the centre which then allowed me to use a jacobs chuck. The same person also had a thread gauge to measure the thread on the headstock which was a 3/4 10tpi. This then enabled me to purchas e the correct insert for a Nova Scroll chuck.

I hope this helps

regards Snowy

[bsrlee]

Like Snowy said - the centre probably pops out of the tail stock - look for a hole down the middle of the handle end - if its there, stick a length of steel rod down there & give it a thump when it stops - the centre should pop out.

Secondly - get a decent chuck for the lathe - a SuperNova2 or a Vicmarc - the $150 are not worth the effort - some forum members have suggested its worth less than $30 - and will wear out in a few months. A good chuck can be used on a new lathe if you get one, or sold readily if you decide its not something you want to keep on with.

[Bodgy]

Advice noted Gentlemen, thank you. I'll take the lump hammer, or sledge, to the thing this weekend and see if the tailstock is really fixed.

Re the scroll chuck, what would you recommend? My needs are very modest, and I could not countenance a Festool model & $23,456.99

Whats the very least I could get away with? Times are tough, Mc Duff!

[RETIRED]

Supernova2.

[keith53]

I did a bit of research before the Brisbane wood show on scroll chucks & decided on a Vicmarc for my Record lathe. Its a very useful bit of kit and given Vicmarc's superior quality, I'll probably have it for life. At a bit over $200 (can't remember exactly) I thought it was a good buy.

[arose62]

Uhhh, it might be worth thinking about what your eyes/head/hands are worth, when buying a chuck!!

If you're going to be relying on it to securely hold a lump of wood spinning rapidly, it's worth getting a trustworthy chuck (read: well-known and recommended, ie: SuperNova or Vicmarc).

These chucks can also be taken to another lathe with a different thread by buying a new insert for all of about $20. Can you do that with a cheapie??

As for the tailstock, try winding it away from the headstock as far as it will go, then trying to wind it further. Many use this to pop the live centre out, leaving a morse taper which you can plonk a drill chuck into.

Cheers,
Andrew

[La truciolara]

As you are in Australia why don't you go for a VICMARC?

[hughie]

Bodgy,
Go to Gasquip Penrith they have a sale on Tecknatool chucks $149, but no inserts to adapt the chuck to your lathe. So visit Hare and Forbes Parramatta as they also have a sale on, ie MC900 Lathe for around $300 and of course inserts around $20.
This might get you out of trouble, except that you cn not put a jacobs drill chuck in the tail stock on the MC lathes. Failing that bit the bullet and buy something abit more up market in the way of a lathe.
hughie

[arose62]

Hughie,

I can (and do!) put a Jacobs drill chuck in the tailstock of my MC1100 from Hare & Forbes.

I just pop the chuck out of the drill press, and plonk it into the lathe.

Cheers,
Andrew

[rsser]

All good advice above Bodgy.

Also do a search of this forum on chucks. There's heaps of user wisdom already here.

And if you can get a SuperNova2 with 50 or 75mm jaws for $149 go for it. Even with another $20 or so on the insert. That's a bargain. And Teknatool accessory jaws work on most of their chucks so you can still use them when you upgrade, unlike Vicmarc.

[Bodgy]

After my sledgehammer and I had a quiet chat with the lathe last night, I discover that the live centre (pointy bit) does, in fact, detach. Alas no sign of an MT. Simply a stub about 10mm long and 10mm diameter at the end of the threaded tail piece traveller that fits into reciprocal on live centre.

I knocked the MT shaft out of a chuck, hoping I might find the said 10x10mm hole. No luck, there is a hole but around 15mm

I think I'm stuffed. Is there any point in buying a scroll chuck ($150 Super Nova ex Pentith - thanks) when you can't mount anything useful at the tail piece end? Probably not, maybe I'll just buy a mini lathe. The big one is perfectly adequate for most turning.

Finally, I tried to work out the TPI and diam I'd need for the scroll chuck fitting. Got confused. Is the diam measured from the untapped rod, or the 'valleys of the thread? When counting TPI do you include the last thread that makes the inch? Maybe I'd be better sending in the drive thing to the supplier if I order a scroll chuck.

[gatiep]

To the not being able to fit a MT2 drill chuck to the MC lathes...........Bull dust.....2 MT fits both the headstock and tailstock spindles on the MC lathes ( Carbatec Blue, Orange, Yellow, Green and all the other Smartie colours )

If you have a face plate that fits the thread on the headstock spindle, just take that to your supplier. If they are worthy suppliers, they'll work it out for you.

Having a lathe without a scroll chuck is about like having a bicycle with no handlebars. Once you start using a chuck you'll wonder why you stuffed around without one. Buy quality like Vicmarc, Nova etc and again get an insert from the supplier to fit your lathe. Once you get into real lathes ( with hollow spindles ) you can replace the insert for between $20 to 30 to enebale the chuck to fit your new lathe. When you upgrade your lathe get one with a M30 x 3.5 spindle thread which is supposed to be the Australian standard.

You are 100% correct on the tailstock not having a MT swallow, as it was a bad feature on those lathes. If you measure the outside diameter of the thread on your lathe spindle it would most probably be 3/4" and chances are that the thread will then be 3/4" by 16 TPI, maybe 10 TPI but that is not as common. Measure 1" on the thread starting with the high point of the thread ( One high point plus 1 valley equates a T ) then count the number of highpoints that is inside your 1" length, remembering that your measurement should include a valley at the end. IE 16 TPI is 16 highs and 16 valleys streching over an inch. If the diam is 1" the thread will be 1" x 10 or 1" by 8 TPI, but I would put a buck on 3/4" x 16.

I trust the above is of use to you

Enjoy the weekend

[hughie]

Bodgy,
I cut my blanks round or as near as damnit on the band saw. Then drill on the drill press, not on the lathe. As to the size of the hole if you have a Supernova chuck it will come with 50mm jaws and a centre screw, drill size I use is 5/16 or 8mm this is the core diameter on the centre screw.
Mount the screw as per instructions from your manual and screw the blank on. Whatever degree of eccentricity have is easily removed as you shape the blank and has not been excessive for me to date.
I am using a el cheapo [MC1100] with a few mods and it works fine.
hughie

[Bodgy]

Thank you all for the advice.

I do have a face plate but I think I can probably work out the TPI and diameter now for a scroll chuck purchase.

The problem is not getting the scroll chuck, the Super Nova at Penrith seems a no-brainer. The problem is at the other end. For what I want to do I need to be able to mount a chuck to take a dril at the passive end. This seems impossible with my lathe.

I can't see any references to alternate tailstock units for cheapo lathes, so I think I'll wait until I get a bigger shed, then buy a mini lathe in addition to the el cheapo - which incidentally I think was great value for $130. It's better than I am!

Thanks again guys.

[hughie]

Finally, I tried to work out the TPI and diam I'd need for the scroll chuck fitting.

Bodgy,

Male threads are meausured on the outsider dia. If you measure female threads it gets abit more complicated as what you have is the core dia, or the dia at the "bottom of the valleys" What you need then is a crew thread chart to determine the actual dia. TPI just hold a rule over the male thread and count off the peaks per inch.

If you require a insert to get it fitted, Teknatool have inserts for all thier chucks. I bought mine from the lathe supplier. In this case Hare&Forbes, incidently they are cheaper than most other outlets.
hughie

[old logger]

A cheap way to see if your thread is 3/4x16 is to go to a plumbing supplier.For a dollar or two ,pick up a 1/2" i.d. union.It will thread on easy if it is the same.Because Pipe thread is tapered it will bind after four or five threads.Do not force.My pos Ryobi lathe has this thread.I bought a tap and went through the threads on pipe flanges and this gives me instant faceplates for around three dollars each.Hey whatever works.Hope this helps.