Turning between centers on a PM-1030V

erikmannie

erikmannie

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I want to turn between centers on my PM-1030V. On the headstock end, I have an MT4 dead center which PM sent me with the lathe. I also have both live & dead centers for the tailstock.

When I tried to install the dead center in the spindle with the 3 jaw chuck in there, it seems like the dead center is sticking out too far.

I have a full set of lathe dogs from Grizzly, and the bent arm is not long enough to reach the jaw of the chuck, even with the dog installed as close as I can get it.

The chuck prevents the dead center from going in farther.

I have seen YouTube videos where it shows the dead center deeper in the chuck. I wonder what I am doing wrong. The same problem exists when I use the 4J chuck.

All of my lathe dogs have a bent tail. I hope to solve this problem using the lathe dogs that I have.
 
I typically take the chuck off completely when using a center in the spindle. I will often use the faceplate to keep the spindle rotating retaining plate thing from bouncing around. Depending on what you are doing, you can come up with a way of using the spindle itself for the dog, or the faceplate. I think the faceplate would be easier and no reason not to use it.
 
I remove the chuck when turning between centers. I'm not sure the center would be sticking out from the chuck if I could install it at all. I put the face plate on to drive the dog.

This is on a PM1127, so a little different, but I think the same setup would work.
 
ttabbal said:
I remove the chuck when turning between centers. I'm not sure the center would be sticking out from the chuck if I could install it at all. I put the face plate on to drive the dog.

This is on a PM1127, so a little different, but I think the same setup would work.
Click to expand...

Seeing that the center holes in both the 3J and 4J chuck obstruct the MT4 dead center from going in as deep as I would like, I attempted to remove my chuck in order to “see what was under there”. I failed to get the chuck off, probably because I have not completed reading the manual yet (I will do that now).

I am new to working on a lathe, so I’m not entirely clear what I have here for a face plate. The machine came with a 3J installed which is presumably fitted to its backing plate. Also, I received a 4J and a backing plate which I will assume are fitted to work together.

Let’s see what I find out after I finish reading the manual. I hope to soon learn the difference between a face plate and a backing plate!
 
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shooter123456 said:
I typically take the chuck off completely when using a center in the spindle. I will often use the faceplate to keep the spindle rotating retaining plate thing from bouncing around. Depending on what you are doing, you can come up with a way of using the spindle itself for the dog, or the faceplate. I think the faceplate would be easier and no reason not to use it.
Click to expand...

Just the fact that the dead center doesn’t pass through the chuck leads me to believe that I should take off the chuck completely, as well.

As I posted above, I have yet to identify my face plate.
 
is that lath one of the types that the back plate is attached with bolts from behind?

I used to have a lath with this type of attachment and would often use a stub of steel with a cone turned on one end which I would hold in the chuck as the drive end centre.

It can be skimmed each use to achieve good concentricity and can be made from some cold roll steel round.

Stu

edit - i just had a look at the PM site and it says you have a quick change chuck mount , so use the dead center in the spindle :)
 
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If you indeed have one, the faceplate is a round thing, usually with slots in the face of it for attaching workpieces, it fits on the spindle in place of either chucks. A really proper plate for driving lathe dogs is usually about the same diameter as the chucks (smaller than the faceplate), and usually has an open slot and three closed slots. The open slot runs nearly to the spindle, so that small diameter dogs can reach the slot. A faceplate can be used even if the dog will not reach the slots, by bolting a driver onto the faceplate, extending its reach. If higher speeds are used, it is a good idea to use two drivers at 180 deg. from each other to maintain balance.
Another thing that can be done is to shorten the dead center so that the dogs can reach the slots, if it is machinable. Most lathes used to come with a sleeve that fits the spindle taper, and the center itself fitting a taper on the inside of the sleeve. Dead centers were generally left soft so that they could be trued with a turning tool, rather than having to be ground in place. Once trued, they can generally be returned to the same place in the spindle and sleeve, by making match marks on the spindle and sleeve and center to line up visually.
 
erikmannie said:
I am new to working on a lathe, so I’m not entirely clear what I have here for a face plate.
Click to expand...
In the linked picture, the face plate is the round thing directly above the chuck keys.

The "backing plate" is attached to the chuck and lets you interface the chuck with the spindle face. I have also heard it referred to as a "Chuck mounting plate" or an "adapter plate".

In this picture, the backing plate is seen attached to the chuck. It is the part with the black round threaded studs attached and is between the spindle face and the chuck.
 
From PM's website:

1580932706202.png

The faceplate is the big round thing in the middle of the picture, 8" diameter.

Tom
 
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