Thread: No chuck or morse taper ?

What thread size is the head stock spindle. You could use a collet chuck that fits on your head stock spindle, also useful for closed end pens and other small items such as finials and the like.

See here for what I am talking about

http://vermec.tripod.com/PDFs/colletadaptor.pdf

If you buy the ER25 adapter only the ER25 collets can be bought as a set of 15 (2mm-16mm) off Ebay for around the $50 mark.

Thanks.

The head stock has two threads.
5/8 internal thread (drive centre screws into).
The outside is 1 9/64 at 10 tpi which seems a weird size to me.

Liam

That's simple then, take a 5/8 bolt that matches the internal thread of the head stock, screw it in to the head stock, place a drill stock in the tail stock, drill a 1/4" hole in it to take the mandrel, drill and tap a hole for a grub screw in the side of the bolt, insert A size mandrel, tighten grub screw.

Voila, cheap and simple pen mandrel chuck

That is an idea i think i will pursue.

Although from memory drilling into bolts is a little tricky
because of the hardness of the finished bolt. That
may just be that I was usually drilling into high tensile
machine bolts.



Thanks.
Liam

Turn between centers, perhaps?

Seems to be all the rage for pen turning in some circles and no mandrel necessary!

Cheers,
Alan

Originally Posted by bigfish

Turn between centers, perhaps?

Seems to be all the rage for pen turning in some circles and no mandrel necessary!

Cheers,
Alan

But for that one needs a dead centre in the head stock spindle and that means a Morse Taper (#1 or #2) usually, haven't seen too many dead centres with a 5/8" thread for mounting.

Hey Liam,

Fred's on the right track, do you know anyone with a metal Lathe, get a 60 degree taper turned on the end of the bolt after you cut the head off.


HazzaB

Thanks Guys.

Food for thought.
Think i will go with the bolt fix for now.
Then I am going to look for someone with a
metal lathe.
Being a toolmaker by trade i should be able to
machine up several different adaptors etc.

Thanks

Liam

Okay this is my first solution.
5/8" x 24 tpi threaded bar.
Cut to length and lock in place with a nut.
Drill the ream to 1/4" snug size for the mandrel.

Drill and tap a 6mm hole for a grub screw to
secure the mandrel.

However getting this done without runout
considering the crappy tail stock was
a challenge.

It did work but with a little to much runout
for my liking.
Had no luck finding off the shelf mandrels,
chucks, faceplates or spur drives to fit.

I am no expert on my metal lathe a 1967 Hercus but I made for my Taig Lathe a live centre for the Tail Stock end, looking at your pics the worst feature is to use the live centre you have it fits badly in the mandrel. The Taig people have a Collett Set if you made an adaptor from your internal thread in brass or from the external thread in brass to accomodate a Collett Holder.
Now to go further I have a million ideas how to but quite puzzled as to that external thread size 1 9/64 inch 10 thread. Years ago I had a guy cut me an adaptor threaded piece and used a small Hercus Chuck three jaw self centring to hold a machine bolt the right size for a mandrel sleeved at the tailstock into a removeable centre in the live centre.
All of my suggestions or ideas cost something are you going to persevere with this lathe? if so which way will you travel? I should also say I only turn half a pen at a time.
What accessories were made for your existing lathe to use it at all? You have a face plate with the right thread where it came from there must be more, one more could be fashioned into something to start from.
Every step raises more questions. Yourself being a Toolmaker by trade if you look up my ways of setting up for making pens in my old postings my ramblings would make sense.
Have success Peter.

http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/store/Chucks___Teknatool___Teknatool_Threaded_Insert___tekna_inserts?Args=
Check with these guys via email and see if they have a 1/964 X 10 tpi insert, although the size you state as the OD thread is rather a odd one, how did you come up with that?
The plain insert has a smooth bore center, with I believe a 5/8” bore, you could thread a rod to fit the ID of your head stock, then turn the OD of one end down to fit the insert, it has a set screw already…with the insert, just about any Nova Chuck or Teknatool chuck will fit.

Now, please don’t take me wrong, but why would you want to invest much in that lathe?
I understand that money is tight everywhere, and over there the supply of good lathes is limited, those that are for sale are expensive, but lathe in your photos is not much more than a hobby lathe.
This is lust a personal opinion, not intended to insult or embarrass…if it was me, I would invest in a name brand mini or midi lathe simply because the accessories, like chucks, live and dead centers, chuck jaws and such are readily available and nominal cost, instead of having to adapt or fabricate home made items.
Your work will go easier, and you will be more satisfied with the end product.
Now, if this is a starter wood lathe for you, and one you want to learn on, then sure, but I think you will soon tire of having to jury rig things…you already have tried a home mead mandrel and found it off center, so consider how much effort, time and money you will have to invest in this one and compare it against the cost of a new or used name brand one and see if the trade off is worth it to you.

Surprisingly enough ,pen making is actually precision turning ,and no matter what you do to get that machine set up to make pens ,you will be less than happy with the results,hence so many posts on out of round and such problems . I also started with a less than accurate type machine ( a pressed metal headstock support that bent when the centre was tightened) a similar type of screw tailstock and a centre that was just pushed onto a bearing which never ran true. I made adaptors to make the setup usable , and made probably a hundred pens or so ,before getting a small lathe that was far more suitable for pens and small turnings .Try putting a dial indicater on the tailstock centre and check runout even a few thousandths there will show up in ovality .Bottom line is the machine you have is probably an excellant wood turner but not really the best for high quality pens . Certainly perservere with it and get a feel for things ,you can turn pens on a drilling machine if pushed hehe. Cheers ~ John (as a thought ,see if there is a 1 1/8 X 10 TPI , Probably fit with a bit of filing )

I agree totally.
I don't want to and won't invest $ in this lathe.
As it is a pretty crapy machine.
I got the lathe very cheaply and thought
It would be ok to start out with.
I bought it as much for the sander attachment
and chisels as any thing, (cost me less than the price
of the chisels). The idea being to get a feel for
woodturning before getting too carried away,
In the end I will have a good sander / buffing machine.
I could get adaptors etc. made up but
from my research it would be cheaper and
better to buy another standard type lathe.
In the mean time I have joined the local
turning guild and doing the bulk of my turning there,
with some pen turning practice on the lathe at home.



You live you learn.