Modifying Lathe Jaws

[Btroj]

The 3 jaw chuck I got with my PM 1236 is not set up for soft jaws. No 2 part jaws.

Is it possible to either get new jaws set up for use with soft jaws or modify the existing jaws for soft jaws? Not having a mill, yet, I think modifying the existing jaws is beyond my current abilities.

I have a feeling a new chuck would be easier.

 

[Tony Wells]

Standard lathe jaws are usually quite hard, so the prospect of converting them to 2 piece jaws is not practical. Depending on the make of the chuck, it's sometimes possible to locate 2 piece jaws made to fit it, but it's difficult.

I would explore a replacement chuck if I were you, and make sure it has what you want. Then you could make or buy all the soft top jaws you wanted. It's a good way to go, IMO.

 

[Tersti]

I've seen a lot of videos where some kind of packing material is used between the jaws and the workpiece to protect it from marring, thick brass or aluminium sheet usually. As an interim measure you can try that, but don't expect it to be accurate.

If a replacement chuck is out of reach then you could investigate some kind of accessory which clips on to the jaws without modifying the jaws themselves. There are a lot of soft-jaws for vices about which just sit on top of the vice jaws and those have lots of ways of staying in place, so you can borrow that concept and apply it to chuck jaws. My home-made soft vice jaws have no way of staying in place and while they do drive me crazy they are incredibly useful. If you can make something which fits on the vice jaws with thick enough faces and are also self-supporting you could skim them down with a boring bar to make them fairly true - almost as if regrinding regular chuck jaws, there are plenty of videos about regrinding chuck jaws out there which you could use to get an idea of how it works if you need. It would be a fun but time-consuming project.

 

[12bolts]

Keep your current chuck as it is, you will always find a job that it suits. And as Tony suggested, get another chuck that suits your needs

Cheers Phil

 

[Btroj]

After thinking about it more it is obvious that the best option is a new chuck.

Now I got some research to do.