# Lathe Spindle Part Stop



## Bill C. (Feb 13, 2014)

My experience with CAD is limited so using emachineshop program.  I have been thinking about new lathe owners.  Below are three views of a simple stop.  I hope it helps.  Use whatever material is available to you. What is not showing is a threaded connecting rod. Either use all-thread or thread a rod to suit.  The part is thread through its length.  I designed it to be about 1 inch long.  The small diameter is a slip fit of the spindle inside diameter.  The larger diameter is the outside diameter of the spindle and about 1/4 inch thick. The large diameter can knurled if one wants to. Make two parts so one can be used as a nut on the end of the spindle.  The groove or neck is optional, so that the shoulder will be flush with the spindle face.






One more note: Break all edges with a file for handling safety. Thanks


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## Terrywerm (Feb 15, 2014)

Thanks for posting that, Bill. It should be helpful for some of our newer users that have not used or seen one before.


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## francist (Feb 15, 2014)

Like me I guess -- what does one use this for? I'm getting the drawing fine but not grasping the purpose yet. Thanks.

-frank


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## Bill Gruby (Feb 16, 2014)

francist said:


> Like me I guess -- what does one use this for? I'm getting the drawing fine but not grasping the purpose yet. Thanks.
> 
> -frank



 Frank ---- It is placed in the spindle and a threaded rod added. This allows you to make like parts the same length. Just push each part in till it hits the stop.  Hope this helps.

 "Billy G"


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## xalky (Feb 16, 2014)

francist said:


> Like me I guess -- what does one use this for? I'm getting the drawing fine but not grasping the purpose yet. Thanks.
> 
> -frank


 You weren't the only one. Bills description filled in the blanks for me. I could see how this would be very useful when making multiple parts of the same length.

I never thought of doing it that way. 

I usually set up my stop on the crossfeed using some part of the tool holder and butt the rod to the tool holder. I use my DRO, or a carrige stop, for a set distance from the chuck.

Marcel


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## Terrywerm (Feb 16, 2014)

Sorry for not pointing out how it is used fellas.  For some reason I never gave it a thought, :whacky:  probably because I already knew how it was used. 

One other thing I should point out about using such a stop:  Make sure you take it out of the spindle before you chuck up something that does not use the stop. With nothing against it to hold it in the spindle, in some cases it can come out and rattle around inside the chuck while it is spinning.  Probably won't hurt the chuck too much, but might bang up your stop to the point that it no longer fits in the spindle, or might damage the stock in the chuck, especially if it is a softer material like brass or aluminum.


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## Bill C. (Feb 16, 2014)

Bill C. said:


> My experience with CAD is limited so using emachineshop program.  I have been thinking about new lathe owners.  Below are three views of a simple stop.  I hope it helps.  Use whatever material is available to you. What is not showing is a threaded connecting rod. Either use all-thread or thread a rod to suit.  The part is thread through its length.  I designed it to be about 1 inch long.  The small diameter is a slip fit of the spindle inside diameter.  The larger diameter is the outside diameter of the spindle and about 1/4 inch thick. The large diameter can knurled if one wants to. Make two parts so one can be used as a nut on the end of the spindle.  The groove or neck is optional, so that the shoulder will be flush with the spindle face.
> 
> View attachment 69866
> View attachment 69867
> ...



Thanks everyone for your comments. 

One shop I worked in had a collect that was thread on the inside for a simple stop. I would set it then lock the carriage. Then using the compound feed to make fine adjustments.

I had looked at Harbor Freight brand small lathes. On the specification page they list the inside diameters in fractional dimension.  I knew that wasn't good. Makes me wonder if they vary from one production run to the next.

Feel free to improve on the design.


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## francist (Feb 16, 2014)

Got it, thanks for de-fuddling me!

i was thinking it might also serve to keep chips from migrating through spindle to change gears, but I'll take Terry's caution to mind and rethink that. I was assuming the threaded connector rod would keep things from getting loose but maybe not. 

At any rate, a nice little project for a weekend and thanks for helping me understand it.

-frank


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## cdndewey (Feb 16, 2014)

I'm still missing how it's supposed to work. After re-reading, I think part of my problem is not knowing what is being refered to as the spindle. I guess I need to learn some more terminology.


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## chuckorlando (Feb 16, 2014)

We are woring on something like that in school. It was my first single point threading. Our's are 5c collet stops. They screw in the back of the collet. Then a threaded rod, bolt, what ever, with a jam nut goes in the center hole. 

You could face a part, put the faced end in the collet. So every time you put a new piece in, you now you have the same length in the collet every time. Then you could set the stop on your carriage or use a dro or indicator to repeat lengths over and over.

Best I understand it.


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## Terrywerm (Feb 16, 2014)

cdndewey said:


> I'm still missing how it's supposed to work. After re-reading, I think part of my problem is not knowing what is being refered to as the spindle. I guess I need to learn some more terminology.



The lathe spindle is the main shaft in the head of the lathe. They typically are hollow, and on older lathes are usually threaded for attachment of a chuck or faceplate.

Let's assume you were going to use the stop to make a run of identical parts in the lathe. First, you would mount the chuck to the spindle. Next, open the jaws far enough that you can place the stop into the end of the spindle. The stop will also have a piece of threaded rod in it, locked in place with a jamb nut. You place a piece of stock into the chuck until it hits the stop, then tighten the chuck. 

Next, you make your first part, let's say you are just cutting simple pieces of round rod, all the same length, and not doing anything else to them during this operation. Once the saddle is set to the correct spot to cut the first piece to the correct length, the saddle is locked in place. Now, each piece you cut off in the chuck will be the same length.

I hope that clears it up a bit.  If not, let us know and we'll add pics or something so that you can get a good idea of how this works.


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## barrels (Mar 27, 2016)

I would drill and tap so you can put different links bolts in it we use these at work


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## n3480h (Apr 17, 2016)

Handy for those of us cutting .223 brass down to 300 Blackout.  

Tom


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## bradyhylla (Jul 25, 2021)

cool


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