Thread: Drive centre for vertical lathe

Originally Posted by jmk89

I don't have a lathe but make some handles and things using the vertical lathe device for a Drill press that you can get from McJing (with some very cheap turning chisels from the same source).

To date I have stuck a dowel into the end and chucked it in the dp chuck as the drive. That means that I have to wait for the glue to dry before turning and there is foreign matter in the turned article.

Could I use a Morse Taper drive spur in my chuck?No, because you are only gripping on a minute bit of the taper and it probably won't run true.

Or should I remove the chuck first to engage the Morse Taper? Yes but make sure it is seated properly.

Or should I just grind the edge of the taper to make some surfaces for the chuck to grip on? See above.

TIA

HTH

Thanks

I will see how hard it is to remove the chuck

Jeremy, your drive spur needs to be the same taper as your chuck, also. My Chuck for my Drill Press is a Jacobs taper, and the Drive spur for my lathe is a Morse #2. You may have a problem using the drive spur...

Hi Jeremy

A cheap alternative would be to buy a GMC lathe. They are good enough to make tool handles with. If you were a bit closer I have one you could have for free. It even has a four jaw chuck with it.

Great offer,Barry. It would almost be worth the petrol to drive up to Tamworth to pick it up!!

I've looked at the manual for the DP - its MT2 so I'll see about getting the check off n then get a drive centre with a matching taper

Hi Jeremy If the book doesn't tell you If you lower your chuck as in drilling there should be a spot where you drive a tapered wedge to remove the chuck and its taper and then just insert the drive and ensure that it seats . good luck with it and yes the system works and its a bloody lot better than a pole lathe or bow lathe .I just get a pain in the neck cheers for now WW. Wally

Before I had a real lathe, I used my drill press for a few small turnings. I made a two-prong spur drive from a surplus spade bit. I cut the shank shorter to reduce flex and increase the "bed" length. A quick visit to the grinder produced satisfactory "spurs." This might be simpler than mucking about with possibly mis-matched tapers and other dodgements.

Joe

Why didn't I think of that!!!

Great idea and just the kind of solution I was looking for!!! I have so many old spade bits lying around that I wouldn't notice the loss of one or two for the vertical lathe

Many than