# My solution for chuck lifting, moving, storage



## buffdan (Mar 21, 2020)

I installed a section of Unistrut with a wheel trolley, for removing, installing storing my heavy lathe chucks

I can easily remove/install a heavy chuck with this setup and roll it over to a cart which stores my chucks.
I can move the cart, or leave it where it is. 

Prior to this I was using A Sky Hook hoist, which was cumbersome. 

This works quite well. I have to redo the part which attaches to the chuck

Dan


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## benmychree (Mar 21, 2020)

I did pretty much the same thing, but arranged the rail longways over the lathe and store the chucks either on the rear end ways of the lathe or on the floor on a rack just past the headstock end of the lathe, I used a HF electric cable hoist, and all the chucks are drilled and tapped for eye bolts; this is for a 19" swing lathe, so some of the chucks are quite heavy.  I have the same arrangement over my B&S mill to handle the dividing head, etc.   The track I used was from a sliding barn door, also the wheeled brackets came from the door.


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## eugene13 (Mar 21, 2020)

buffdan said:


> I installed a section of Unistrut with a wheel trolley, for removing, installing storing my heavy lathe chucks
> 
> I can easily remove/install a heavy chuck with this setup and roll it over to a cart which stores my chucks.
> I can move the cart, or leave it where it is.
> ...


I like your 'C' hook, when I worked in a steel mill that's how we handled the mill rolls.  I use a little Giant ladder and a HF chain fall to mount my rotary table on the mill.


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## benmychree (Mar 21, 2020)

I made a C hook to handle my milling machine dividing head; instead of pipe, I used solid 1" stock through the div., then used flat bar bent into a L shape with the round bar welded through a hole in one end, and welded a eye bolt to the other end to accept the hoist hook at a point where the div. head is balanced level, the div. head chuck clamps down on the round bar to keep things from rotating.


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## Dhal22 (Mar 22, 2020)

I use Unistrut in my hobby room to hang a television.   It slides and pivots as needed for inside or outside viewing.


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## graham-xrf (Mar 22, 2020)

I love it!
I might be tempted into a version that hangs Unistruts along the length of two joists, to keep the load near the joists support points, and fit a final cross Unistrut as a gantry crane that can reach other places.

Yes - I know - it's a way more expensive thing because you need four roller sets instead of one, and a triangulated brace to keep them square to the beam so it tracks OK. Hmm.. like most of my instant ideas, they don't seem so great when I have thought them through.

I can't contain my curiosity. Does the frame structure ultimately have wheels, or wings?


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## Bamban (Mar 22, 2020)

Thanks for sharing, I like the idea. I may change my plan on how to handle the chucks. I picked up a used Sky Hook for the task. The plan was to build a counter weighted steel cart on rollers, but then I have another unit occupying real estate, the garage is plenty full as it is.


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## buffdan (Mar 22, 2020)

graham-xrf said:


> I love it!
> I might be tempted into a version that hangs Unistruts along the length of two joists, to keep the load near the joists support points, and fit a final cross Unistrut as a gantry crane that can reach other places.
> 
> Yes - I know - it's a way more expensive thing because you need four roller sets instead of one, and a triangulated brace to keep them square to the beam so it tracks OK. Hmm.. like most of my instant ideas, they don't seem so great when I have thought them through.
> ...


Not sure what you mean by frame structure?
These are the items I bought from Amazon.. The unistrut was local. I used 1 hanger on either end. I suppose I could have used one in the middle, but the setup I have is fine with the 2 hangers.


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## Winegrower (Mar 22, 2020)

Exterior Barn Door Hardware
					

From Box Rails to Track & Hangers, we've got you covered. With extensive testing, our hardware works for farm and commercial use with a smooth, quiet operation.




					www.natman.com
				




I used National hardware for some very heavy custom sliding shop doors.   This hardware was the best price, rolls very well, and holds 600 pounds per “trolley”, which would cover about anything we’d put in our lathes, I would think.


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## Mchauck01 (Mar 22, 2020)

Thank you much for this. If I had thought about it, i wouldn’t have sold my 12” rotary table!!

Great idea!!!!


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## f350ca (Mar 22, 2020)

I went a little over board and built two overhead systems that cover the whole shop. Best thing I ever did. The one over the work bay gets used steady. Not just for lifting but a second set of hands to position things. My lathe has a 16 inch 4 jaw and 12 inch 3 jaw, I'd never lift either of those by hand. When I made the C hook for the chucks I made the part that goes into the chuck from 2 pieces of pipe that spin on each other to alow me to align the pins.



Greg


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## scrdmgl (May 22, 2021)

benmychree said:


> I made a C hook to handle my milling machine dividing head; instead of pipe, I used solid 1" stock through the div., then used flat bar bent into a L shape with the round bar welded through a hole in one end, and welded a eye bolt to the other end to accept the hoist hook at a point where the div. head is balanced level, the div. head chuck clamps down on the round bar to keep things from rotating.


Hi Benmy:
 I'm interested in your version of the Lathe Chuck Hook, could you please send me a picture of the unit?

Thanks

Jorge


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## Janderso (May 22, 2021)

I have to wait for one of my boys to visit to use my rotary table.
I need to rig up something.
I like the super strut components


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## NC Rick (May 22, 2021)

I’m using two parallel uni-strut tracks 8 ft long each with “c” hooks on fixed length chains.  I store two of my chucks on here and it’s easy to swing them out or in to pass the other chuck or the carriage.  At least it’s easy with a chuck up to the size of mine (12” dia. 4jaw).


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## benmychree (May 22, 2021)

Here is what I use for my dividing head; for lathe chucks, I have all the heavy ones drilled and tapped for eye bolts.  The hoists are HF winches that run on a barn door track over the mill and lathe.


scrdmgl said:


> Hi Benmy:
> I'm interested in your version of the Lathe Chuck Hook, could you please send me a picture of the unit?
> 
> Thanks
> ...


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## Larry$ (May 22, 2021)

As I get older, things get heavier. Must be a change in gravity, due to climate change. It's even causing my chest to be pulled down to my belt.


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## benmychree (May 22, 2021)

Larry$ said:


> As I get older, things get heavier. Must be a change in gravity, due to climate change. It's even causing my chest to be pulled down to my belt.


Et tu Brutae ----


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## Tim9 (May 22, 2021)

Good move with the National Hardware struts. I ran into a lot of trouble with my strut sections which I purchased at a big box. Cheap Asian versions which were not uniform and that’s a big problem for the roller when you have more than one section. I love my Unistrut. And the rollers are only 25.00 on Amazon. If I had to do it again… I’d go to an electrical supply warehouse which carries something like the National brand.

by the way….I welded up my hanger braces. It’s really easy to make those. I used some square tube I get from an ornamental fence supplier. Fence suppliers tend to have good prices on steel lengths and they don’t have any minimum orders. I think the tube size was 1-1/2” square. And I just slit it with an angle grinder and welded it to some flat 1/4” hot rolled steel. I think a 20’ length of  the flat 1/4” thick HRS 1-1/2” is less than 20.00 from my Ornamental Fence Supplier.

sorry for bad picture but I blew it up and  cropped it from another picture.


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## FOMOGO (May 22, 2021)

This is my solution for now, but have three jib cranes in the works to cover the machine and welding areas. Mike


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## Tim9 (May 22, 2021)

Here’s another idea for a chuck hook. It’s a real cheap and fast hack job. I just envisioned it and went with something I remembered seeing. I used some 1/2 solid HRS steel bar. ( another really cheap item from fence suppliers)
Heated it with torch…and while in the vise and bent it with a hammer. Weld a 3/4” round steel bar. It works great !


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