# little chuck...



## rambin (Feb 5, 2018)

when I bought my lathe this little chuck was tossed in I never played with it too much until the other day when I got the idea it might be great for small pieces and as I only have a 4 jaw on the lathe this would be great as I could take pieces out to measure and not have to redial the work steady... well I took off the 4jaw and popped this thing in... its mt3..  well I put the dial on it and it was out .050"  wow...   so I didn't end up using it... looks like its seen some use and abuse is there any fixing these or are they any good to start with?


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## bluechips (Feb 5, 2018)

Check to see that the jaws are in the right location.


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## rambin (Feb 5, 2018)

that's the first thing I thought so I closed it all the way and they all touched...if one was out I was thinking it would be backed off a little....  next time im out I will take them apart and check the #'s though


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## higgite (Feb 5, 2018)

Not sure but it looks like the MT3 taper is mounted to the chuck with a backplate. You didn’t say how little the little chuck is, but would it be feasible to remove the taper and/or backplate and mount it in your 4 jaw where you could dial it in?

Tom


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## middle.road (Feb 5, 2018)

And if you don't want to mess with it, you're more than welcome to send it 'Down South' if you want to!
Maybe it wants to be in a warmer climate! We'll provide it a good home. -hehe.

Can you post a picture of your lathe? and some specs?

Tom is probably correct and the mount and backside have to be re-worked.


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## rambin (Feb 5, 2018)

to be honest I ve never even measured to see how big it opens up... im thinking it probably came with a spanner wrench at one time and it kinda looks like someone didn't have it and beet on the hole where the spanner should have grabbed..i will have to take it apart and have a look at it and see what I can do... eventually i'll buy a real 3 jaw but something like this would prbly still be great for shorter pieces that get lost in behind full size chuck jaws... 


oh and dan   my lathe is a wards/logan 700 she aint too pretty yet but come spring I will finish painting her... this is a pic when I first brought it home in late spring its half painted now but I cant find a pic... finish painting when spring comes and I can spray bomb it outside...  don't worry the green is almost gone!


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## middle.road (Feb 5, 2018)

rambin said:


> to be honest I ve never even measured to see how big it opens up... im thinking it probably came with a spanner wrench at one time and it kinda looks like someone didn't have it and beet on the hole where the spanner should have grabbed..i will have to take it apart and have a look at it and see what I can do... eventually i'll buy a real 3 jaw but something like this would prbly still be great for shorter pieces that get lost in behind full size chuck jaws...
> 
> 
> oh and dan   my lathe is a wards/logan 700 she aint too pretty yet but come spring I will finish painting her... this is a pic when I first brought it home in late spring its half painted now but I cant find a pic... finish painting when spring comes and I can spray bomb it outside...  don't worry the green is almost gone!


Looks almost identical to my Logan 210., except for the top cover - maybe a little shorter overall.
It's not a spanner but two pins to open and close the chuck.


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## dlane (Feb 5, 2018)

Here is my tommy bar chuck it has a 1” straight arbor that is permanent, your arbor looks threaded into the chuck and looks to need a spanner and a tommy bar to operate it. Shallow holes


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## Chipper5783 (Feb 6, 2018)

rambin said:


> View attachment 256940



That's cool.  I haven't seen any other Union chucks.  I've got a larger brother - 14" 4J


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## rambin (Feb 6, 2018)

middle.road said:


> Looks almost identical to my Logan 210., except for the top cover - maybe a little shorter overall.
> It's not a spanner but two pins to open and close the chuck.




yes the 200 series logan is the closest model to the 700 which was branded as wards at the time...


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## rambin (Feb 6, 2018)

dlane said:


> Here is my tommy bar chuck it has a 1” straight arbor that is permanent, your arbor looks threaded into the chuck and looks to need a spanner and a tommy bar to operate it. Shallow holes
> View attachment 256975


and how does that work? mine uses the spindle taper (m3)  yours looks like just a pipe?
and what exactly is a tommy bar? ive never heard that one?


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## dlane (Feb 6, 2018)

Tommy bars are hardened dowels that fit in the holes of the chuck then turn to tighten or loosen the chuck.
The “ pipe “is a straight arbor to mount into what ever I want to, lathe ,mill, DH , RT,
Your arbor looks like it may be threaded into the chuck , although I could be wrong.
Don’t know if ied want to put that into the spindle without a drawbar ,


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## rambin (Feb 6, 2018)

are you thinking it could pop out?  im new to all this I just thought it was a great option over my 4 jaw.. until it didn't run out worth a s@#$  havnt had time to mess with it I see #s stamped beside the jaws but cant find any stamps on the jaws themselves... when its all  the way closed all jaws touch tight so im kinda at a loss for now


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## Chuck K (Feb 6, 2018)

rambin said:


> to be honest I ve never even measured to see how big it opens up... im thinking it probably came with a spanner wrench at one time and it kinda looks like someone didn't have it and beet on the hole where the spanner should have grabbed..i will have to take it apart and have a look at it and see what I can do... eventually i'll buy a real 3 jaw but something like this would prbly still be great for shorter pieces that get lost in behind full size chuck jaws...
> 
> 
> oh and dan   my lathe is a wards/logan 700 she aint too pretty yet but come spring I will finish painting her... this is a pic when I first brought it home in late spring its half painted now but I cant find a pic... finish painting when spring comes and I can spray bomb it outside...  don't worry the green is almost gone!
> ...


Looks pretty nice to me!


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## kd4gij (Feb 6, 2018)

I have 2 one is union and the other is craftsman but made by union. It is a light duty chuck. The OP's chuck looks to be screwed on. Mine are 1 1/2-8 thread his is probably 1" 10 or 8 thread. I would take it off the MT arbor. make a straight arbor and chuck it in the 4 jaw and use it that way.


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## rambin (Feb 8, 2018)

a little update I tried to disassemble as much of the chuck as I could...took the jaws out.. the m3 arbour doesn't seem to be a threaded coupling like someone stated it just turns and turns im thinking its a taper like on a chuck ??  I couldn't get it, I know theres special little wedges but I don't have those!  anyhow its all soaking in the cleaner bucket i'll get back to it on the weekend I hope... and hopefully I can fig out why its running so far out.


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## middle.road (Feb 8, 2018)

I'm telling ya, it just needs a warmer climate is all. . .

Anyway, I'm thinking maybe the mounting setup is like that on a drill chuck. Perhaps it has a JT or other taper at the chuck end.
Maybe it's been deformed in it's travels.
You've supported the chuck and tried knocking out the arbor with a brass drift, or eq. I assume.


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## dlane (Feb 8, 2018)

The arbor turns and turns in the chuck ? If so it’s a tailstock chuck


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## middle.road (Feb 8, 2018)

dlane said:


> The arbor turns and turns in the chuck ? If so it’s a tailstock chuck


hmmm... there could be a bearing in there couldn't there?
The plot thickens.


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## kd4gij (Feb 8, 2018)

Post a pic of the back of the chuck. A video of what is turning would help also.


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## rambin (Feb 9, 2018)

middle.road said:


> hmmm... there could be a bearing in there couldn't there?
> The plot thickens.


no im thinking its like a jacobs taper....the one that holds your drill chuck to its arbour...its not supposed to actually turn when in use...it was turning as I had a wrench on it well it was in the vise ( I thought it was  a threaded connection)  I have  no reason to take it apart other then a cleaning and investigation into the runout problem


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## rambin (Feb 11, 2018)

well I got it cleaned up and back together didn't get a chance to put it back on the lathe and check the runout again.. Its defintaly a taper such as a Jacobs that holds it on.  prbly be a few days b4 I can pull the 4jaw off and put this lil one back on to play with it again.


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## dlane (Feb 11, 2018)

“it was turning as I had a wrench on it well it was in the vise“
What’s it ?


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## rambin (Feb 11, 2018)

the chuck was turning on the spindle....I had the m3 end in the vise  and a wrench on the chuck jaws....  I had thought it was threaded onto the spindle but apparently its a taper fit


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## rambin (Feb 19, 2018)

well I cleaned it up some and tried it in the spindle again...still reading about 12 thou runout. no way to fix that as far as I can see?  guess this is not much good to me either..  jaws appear to be all in right as they close tight and on center.


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## middle.road (Feb 20, 2018)

.012"? dang. Something must be messed with how a PO mounted the arbor into it.
Perhaps they try to turn the mating taper to mount the arbor and didn't have it trued properly.


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## dlane (Feb 20, 2018)

It looks kinda BTH.


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## rambin (Feb 20, 2018)

it is beat up pretty good...... came with the lathe was hoping to get some use out of it for small pieces instead of dialing in the 4  jaw chuck all the time...but no luck...


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## Kernbigo (Feb 20, 2018)

so grind the jaws in


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## Waterlooboy2hp (Feb 22, 2018)

kd4gij said:


> I have 2 one is union and the other is craftsman but made by union. It is a light duty chuck. The OP's chuck looks to be screwed on. Mine are 1 1/2-8 thread his is probably 1" 10 or 8 thread. I would take it off the MT arbor. make a straight arbor and chuck it in the 4 jaw and use it that way.


==============================================================
That`s pretty much what I did. Had these 2 for over 60 years. Made by Cushman in CT. and have a patent date on them of 1872. Very handy for small work and making washer like spacers. Bore the ID in one chuck and turn the OD in the other. ---- John


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## middle.road (Feb 22, 2018)

Waterlooboy2hp said:


> ==============================================================
> That`s pretty much what I did. Had these 2 for over 60 years. Made by Cushman in CT. and have a patent date on them of 1872. Very handy for small work line making washer like spacers. Bore the ID in one chuck and turn the OD in the other. ---- John


D*mn - those are fine!


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## rambin (Feb 23, 2018)

wow those look sweet...I guess that tool is what keeps them so nice, my holes are all bashed from someone forcing a round bar or something in them...  anyhow putting mine in the backburner box till I get the time and machining skills built up to try and make them usefull...


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## KBeitz (Apr 26, 2018)

You said your lathe only had a 4 jaw chuck... Why cant you center the small chuck with the 4 jaw?
Is the run out on the outside of the chuck or after you center something up? Either way you shoud
be able to center what you milling using the 4 jaw.


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## rambin (Apr 26, 2018)

I could... its a m3 taper I believe but that could be removed and put to a solid round which the 4 jaw would grab better... kinda thru the idea on the back burner for the time being.


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## KBeitz (Apr 27, 2018)

If your going to remove the taper....Put a GOOD chunk of 4"long round stock in the small chuck.  Then chuck it up in your lathe chuck and center it up off the round stock. Then cut your taper down. The chuck should then be centered.


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