Mini-lathe chucks suck...need bigger

[Swagerman]

Need a bigger chuck on my mini-lathe 7X12 HF *** that will hold at least a one inch diameter object through its center. Bigger if possible.

But they tell me that if you put a larger chuck on a mini-lathe it gets out of balance...is that true.

Is there any kind of clamping attachment that can be put on the existing chuck to hold larger diameter objects.


Jim

[Texasflyboy]

Is there any kind of clamping attachment that can be put on the existing chuck to hold larger diameter objects.

The answer appears to be yes, chucks as large as 4" can be adapted to the HF 7x10 lathe.

The place you need to ask that question is on the Yahoo! Groups 7x10 mini lathe list.

The list can be accessed at Yahoo! Groups:

http://groups.yahoo.com/

In the search bar put the terms:

7x10

and it should be your first search result.

Once you are within the group (you need to register with Yahoo! Groups and join the 7x10 list before you can search the archive). search the archives for terms like "larger chuck".

Hope this helps...

[floodgate]

Swagerman:

Micro-Mark <www.micromark.com> offers a larger 3-jaw chuck as a replacement, their No. 83266, with a 7/8" bore and holds stock to 3-1/2" with the jaws reversed. There should be NO balance problem with this chuck. You can also do it the "old-fashioned way" with their 6-1/4" face-plate #82502 and some ingenuity in fixturing, but there, balance IS important. Their 4-jaw chucks #82505 and #83371 are also useful; the second one is a self-centering chuck and is useful for quick setups starting with square stock, like keystock, if you don't want to have to fiddle with indicating the part to center.

floodgate

[Swagerman]

Texasflyboy, thanks for the Yahoo link but I don't like signing up with them Yahoos, get too much junk mail as is...they are nortorious for spaming.

Floodgate, I checked with LittleMachineShop.com they recomend a five inch #2345 chuck for my little lathe. The length of that would be horrendous after a mounting plate is attached. Not sure I want to go there for a hundred clams. :confused:

A four inch might not be as bad, but would like to see one up close before making the plunge...want to make sure the center hole is open enough and its not too long.

Now I'm wondering if I could open up my existing PA chuck that is mounted on the HF.

I think I really need a bigger lathe, but space and weight plus the purchase money is a deturent on a retired dudes income.

[454PB]

How about turning between centers?

[leftiye]

Swaggerman, Look at Enco, and MSC etc. for Bison brand chucks. Made in Poland, I've got a couple. Good product and good price.

[Swagerman]

Leftiye, tried to hook up with the Bison chuck to check it out...but, still in the dark on the darn center hole? The prices are sky high, but the quality looks like its there.

I was hoping someone on this forum had some direct experience with the mini-lathe putting on a larger 4" or 5" chuck. Did it take a new backing plate to install it.

Does it work satisfactory, or is it lacking in speed or precission. Does it labor the electric motor.

I see where micro has tail-stock chuck, but it looks pretty small.

Jim

[floodgate]

Swagerman:

See my earlier post, and check out Micro-Mark - their larger chucks all bolt on the the 7" x 10", x 12" and their own x 14" lathe using the same holes and the existing flange, but I think their biggest chuck has only a 7/8" center bore. You can get tailstock drill chucks to fit the No. 2 Morse taper in sizes up to 5/8" and even 3/4", if you need one that big. You can even get a "live" tailstock chuck that rotates with the work, as a sorta substitute for a steady rest.

Bison chucks are a good buy and well-made, but you will have to fiddle around to find a matching backplate; maybe make one from the plain faceplate that fits these lathes.

floodgate

[Swagerman]

Thanks, floodgate. Still crusing the websites on chucks.

Jim

[Buckshot]

..............What is it you're needing to get accomplished? BTW, what is the Morse Taper of the spindle, MT2 or 3?

So far as chuck balance goes, a chuck is (or better be) balanced to itself. Just like a car tire and wheel that's balanced to itself. They will run in balance regardless what car they're put on. Meaning the chuck will run in balance on ANY lathe it's put on. YOUR issue will be weight and it's thickness. An extra 1/2" of thickness may or may not be an issue to you?

Weight (within reason) shouldn't be a big deal as you can check motor & spindle bearing heat once in awhile. if it appears it might be a problem.

As 454PB mentioned, depending on what needs to be done, running it between centers could be the answer.

.............Buckshot

[Swagerman]

I wanted to ream out the internal diameter of this Lee Classic press top part of its shellholder after having cutting the top off.

Shown is picture of shellholder with threads on the bottom of it, which doesn't take kindly to being clamped in a lathe chuck like a Harbor Freight.

I managed to cut this one shorter because I had a threaded piece of aluminum that covered the threads...but have since lost the aluminum sleave.

The second Lee Classic shellholder is being cut back for use with a Herter's type shellholder...which seem to work better for bullet swaging.

Jim


http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e321/44and45/PC050006cropped650X.jpg


Herter type shellholders hold better concintricity
http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e321/44and45/P2280024punchescropped.jpg

[lathesmith]

Swagerman, here is a site on mini-lathes, check it out:
http://www.mini-lathe.com/Mini_lathe/Features/features.htm

You could spend hours here, this is a great site to learn what can and cannot be done with the 7x machines. The short answer to your question is: Yes, you can install either a 4- or 5- inch 3 jaw chuck on your 7x, and it will work fine. You will, however, have to use an adapter plate. One other possibility for the larger thru hole is to install a 4 jaw 4-inch chuck. This also requires an adapter. As BS said, balance is not an issue, guys use these size chucks on these lathes all the time without problems.
Lathesmith

[Swagerman]

Lathesmith, you are the man. Thank you for your timely link to my question on a bigger chuck to fit my HF 7X10 mini-lathe.

The 5 inch fozzyber with a one and one eight through hole looks like what I want.

Here's a picture of it. But one is warned about its inherient dangers to the operator as to the clearance between the chuck and the lathe bed.

Thanks again, very nice to acquire this information by your link. :drinks:

Jim

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e321/44and45/ch04fozzyberfiveinchchuck.jpg

[Buckshot]

"Shown is picture of shellholder with threads on the bottom of it, which doesn't take kindly to being clamped in a lathe chuck like a Harbor Freight.

I managed to cut this one shorter because I had a threaded piece of aluminum that covered the threads...but have since lost the aluminum sleave."

.................Ah, Swagerman. You have a lathe. It will cut threads. Make a new aluminum, or steel, or brass thread protector. Problem solved :-)

"Here's a picture of it. But one is warned about its inherient dangers to the operator as to the clearance between the chuck and the lathe bed."

...............Anytime the chuck jaws extend past the body, or the carriage is close to the chuck or faceplate, you should always rotate the complete setup by hand a couple itmes, before powering up.

..............Buckshot

[Bret4207]

[QUOTE=Swagerman;191195]Texasflyboy, thanks for the Yahoo link but I don't like signing up with them Yahoos, get too much junk mail as is...they are nortorious for spaming.

When you sign up for a Yahoo club go through the whole page and check the box that says something like "Do not receive emails, check site on web" or something like that. Also check the boxes that pertain to emails, etc. I'm on at least 15 clubs and never get any email or anything else from them.

[Swagerman]

.................Ah, Swagerman. You have a lathe. It will cut threads. Make a new aluminum, or steel, or brass thread protector. Problem solved
.................................................. .................................................. .....

I would like to have done just that, but I'm not experienced enough with the skill to cut threads...never dood it before. An old geezer like me can't get it out of a book. Too many things I'm in doubt about working the machine.

Jim

[lathesmith]

Swagerman, I'm glad you found that site useful. I know it really helped me sort through a few things last year when I was in the market for a small lathe. He also has a lot of great info on the mini-mills, I found that useful as well.
I ended up going with one of the 8x machines from HF. This machine has loads of power, and I discovered I could install a 6 inch chuck on it. This thing is massive! The most important thing, though, is the 1.56 inch thru hole, which makes working with certain parts much easier. You will find the larger thru hole will give your little lathe more versatility; it is a very worthwhile upgrade. For that 7x machine you can buy an adapter plate already made, and just bolt a bigger chuck right on.
I like BuckShot's advice of giving a setup a couple of turns by hand before hitting the power switch. I also developed this habit long ago, and it has saved me from disaster on more than one occasion. If you can't turn a small setup by hand, you better check it out before hitting the power switch, or you will probably be sorry!
Lathesmith

[Buckshot]

I would like to have done just that, but I'm not experienced enough with the skill to cut threads...never dood it before. An old geezer like me can't get it out of a book. Too many things I'm in doubt about working the machine.

Jim

...........Well I can appreciate that. When I got my 11" Logan I was so excited I could hardly breath. At the same time I was a bit intimidated by it. For some reason I had to really think about cutting some threads just for practice. I was afraid, but of what? :-) That I might mess up $1.29 worth of metal?

And I DID screw up just because I was nervous. I missplaced one of the QC box levers and instead of 1/2-13 threads like I wanted, I created a new coarse thread of 1/2-10 :-). As I was cutting them I thought, "My those threads sure look DEEP!" One look at the QC box setting and there was the answer. I got bit by a 'Setup Issue'.

Heck, cut some handy bits of 1/2" water pipe, or some similar cheap stuff to practice on. Before you know it, it'll be like falling off a log.

http://www.fototime.com/CEDC98E134CF0F2/standard.jpg

INTERNAL threading. No internal shoulders or obstruction, but the tool & thread is easier to see being on the backside, so the tool is coming out toward the tailstock, spindle in reverse.

http://www.fototime.com/BA6361C20C96D6A/standard.jpg

EXTERNAL threading. Since there is a shoulder, we're again threading from the backside, spindle in reverse to be going away from it. Since you want to be neat and have the thread start in the same groove, clamp a carriage stop to the bed. When the tool runs off the end of the work, unclamp the half nuts and wind the crossfeed back a turn or so, then wind the carriage back toward the headstock and stop it against the carriage stop.

You CAN thread toward a shoulder (shudder) but you'd better keep one hand on the halfnut lever, the other on the crossfeed dial and your wits about you, or you'll have a nifty crash :-)

.....................Buckshot

[Swagerman]

Well, yesterday I was reading up on threading, and maybe I'll give it a whack (try) and see what happens.

Buckshot, what are you doing in that picture of a Redding turret press, making it adapt to Hornady Lock-N-Load bushings? Or are just redoing the 7/8X14 threads for someone who managed to screw up the originals. :-D

Like your pictures. Also, very informative is your information as usual.

Jim

[Buckshot]

Well, yesterday I was reading up on threading, and maybe I'll give it a whack (try) and see what happens.

Buckshot, what are you doing in that picture of a Redding turret press, making it adapt to Hornady Lock-N-Load bushings? Or are just redoing the 7/8X14 threads for someone who managed to screw up the originals. :-D
Jim

That one turret hole was bored out and then re-threaded for some shotgun shell reloading dies for a member here. I don't recall the threads tho', something like 1-1/4-12 or somesuch.

Your 7" lathe has loose change gears for threading. Or at least all the import 7" lathes I've seen have'em. You may have 3 in train. An idler, one on a stud and then one on your leadescrew. You should have a chart that shows the number of teeth on the gears and the positions they go in for each thread the machine is capable of cutting.

...............Buckshot

[44man]

Makes me laugh a little. When I first got my Smithy, I wanted to make a lube squeezer for lube ribbons to use with my BPCR. I negected to cut from the backside in reverse and turned a beautiful left hand thread. (I never used a lathe before.) Took some head scratching but I also turned the other part with a left hand and it all fit together. If I can do it, anyone can!