# help wanted ID'ing this mystery device ( chuck ? )



## LeakyCanoe (Mar 12, 2014)

hello,  I am hoping someone can tell me what the heck I have here, what it might be used for, and how it is to be used.

This came with my vintage Logan model 200 lathe, along with 5 other decidedly more conventional 3 and 4 jaw chucks of varying size. I am working on sorting out just what all tooling and accessories I am now the proud owner of, and for the most part the books I possess and bevy of online research have fit the bill.  This one, however, has me stumped.  I'm utterly guessing that there must be some kind of "fingers" that fit into the holes on the face of the 2 cams and that these can then be articulated so as to be configured in a myriad of ways to hold eccentric and odd-shaped parts being worked on ???  Having expended all my mental capital now I'll leave it to you experts to sell me straight.    

The Logan also came with a double tool post cross slide accessory and lots of cutting tools, different tool holder posts and mounts, turrets, etc. + a full suite of #3A & 3C collets so I'm guessing there was a lot of custom work done on this machine back in the day.  The tooling and kit sold me on the machine which, well decent enough overall, did not have the quick-change gearbox I was hoping to secure if I went with a Logan ( which are pretty common here in my neck of the woods ). 

Any help would be much appreciated...thanks in advance.   Mark


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## David Kirtley (Mar 12, 2014)

Pin chuck. You put pins in different holes to mount oddly shaped items. 

It is a really nice accessory to have. I have seen more of them for vises used in carving and engraving.

Here is a hand held one:



http://www.traditionalwoodworker.com/Jewellers-Pin-Vise/productinfo/4-191500/


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## darkzero (Mar 13, 2014)

Yup pin vise, I used an import one like the one above when I used to build custom flashlights. Engravers & jewelers use them a lot. Definitely not a machining accessory though.


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## LeakyCanoe (Mar 13, 2014)

thanks guys - well this is intriguing...I'm glad that the pins to be used with this seem relatively generic in nature as I don't have any that came with it.

I'm still baffled by how this thing was actually used and what for.  Definitely not hand-held as it has mass and weighs in at 5-6 pounds easy...3 inch OD on face, 3 and 3/4 inch long overall and has a 3/4 inch round shank.  Had to be in some kind of production operation, imo...


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## David Kirtley (Mar 13, 2014)

Some are used mounted to a large metal ball sitting on a sack of shot. It makes a large ball joint that can be repositioned for working at different angles. Heavy is a virtue when you are carving off pieces of metal and hammering on it.

The post made me think of this video as an example. It is the alternative to this vise using pitch to hold a workpiece. They melt the pitch and stick the work down in it to hold.

[video=youtube_share;wGMj7o6AwnM]http://youtu.be/wGMj7o6AwnM[/video]

[video=youtube_share;pM0VnL30rDc]http://youtu.be/pM0VnL30rDc[/video]


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## LeakyCanoe (Mar 13, 2014)

Aha...something like these perhaps ?  ( first one as found at a certain online auction site...see link below...other images found online by searching with engraving as a keyword... )


http://www.ebay.com/itm/THE-REXCINO...all-Vise-Attachments-Extra-Nice-/321345579110


Now what the heck does that have to do with my new lathe ?  
 I'd need to join yet another bloody forum or 2 and drop a bunch more coin just to seek out that whole new world !

Trades anyone ???

               :thumbzup:  thanks David


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## george wilson (Mar 14, 2014)

A remarkable craftsman!! Since I do work upon somewhat similar lines(though not THIS advanced!!!!),I can begin to appreciate this accomplishment. The man has amazing skill,and approaches the challenge with humility,but pulled it off brilliantly.

I bought a somewhat similar tsuba years at a gun show for my wife. Hopefully with this new information,I might be able to date it. I was told it was 18th. C.,but I have no idea that the seller had a real idea. I am pretty sure I got it for a fraction of its real value.

Thank you for this most interesting post.

As for pitch chucks,I was the tool maker in Williamsburg,and made a pitch chuck for the treadle lathe in the foundry,where they also did nicely finished work. It consisted of a 6" diameter cast iron disc with edges about 1 1/4" high(visualize a cat food can,but larger,and with no lid. Make it about 3/8" thick all over,and leave a stem on the back for clamping in a chuck. 

These pitch chucks were filled with black pitch,rather like tar,but much stiffer when at room temperature. The chuck was removed from the lathe and heated. The object to be held,such as the odd shaped base of a candle stick,was pressed a bit into the pitch. The chuck was put back on the lathe while hot,and the object NUDGED until it ran true. The pitch was tucked a bit over the edges of the candle stick base. The lathe was rotated till the pitch cooled(so the object would not sag out of true). Then,the object was held while it was turned in the lathe while hand held chisels were used to cut lines around it and clean up the casting where ever it was round,drill the hole for the stem,and hold it while the hole was threaded with a tap held against the tailstock center.

The object was then re warmed and removed.

This type of primitive chuck could hold ANY shaped object,odd shaped or not. It is most useful in holding small decorative work. I need to make one for my Hardinge HLVH lathe,since I help my wife make jewelry models that are odd shaped.


About the engraver's chuck: That would also be very useful in the lathe to hold odd shapes,though it is not as versatile as a pitch chuck would be.


These chucks do not hold anywhere near as firmly as a modern chuck,but they just cannot be beat for odd shaped light turning work.


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## David Kirtley (Mar 14, 2014)

george wilson said:


> A remarkable craftsman!! Since I do work upon somewhat similar lines(though not THIS advanced!!!!),I can begin to appreciate this accomplishment. The man has amazing skill,and approaches the challenge with humility,but pulled it off brilliantly.



I am always amazed at what be done by hand work. When I was in the Louvre, they had one section within the museum that was under a "little bit of security" with cases of work of this caliber.  I don't think it would have had the same impact on me had I not just taken a jewelry making class that let me begin to understand the workmanship required.


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