# Opinions Please - Royal Products Lathe Chuck Stops?



## coolidge (Nov 26, 2015)

Does anyone have experience with these Royal Products chuck stops? With the 25% off Enco sale going on I can get the set of 5 for $277 which is still pretty expensive but I could choke that down.

Machining soft jaws makes no sense as an alternative, not to machine 1 or 2 parts. I'm looking for something quick and easy for my PBA 8" chuck.


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## TommyD (Nov 26, 2015)

I guess they'd be fine as long as your chuck doesn't run out.

Were I apprenticed at we bored soft jaws for our work. It was surprising how many times there was a bored dia.  from a previous job that would hold another part of a similar dia. Our jaws were bored almost to the bottom and out to the ends so we always had a lot of different bored dias, almost like a staircase

We also always used the same chuck key hole, the one above the makers badge.


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## Tony Wells (Nov 26, 2015)

My only question would be "For one or two parts, why do you need the stop anyway?" It's a nice item to have for repetitive work, or work that you have to remove and replace multiple times, but I myself don't see the need for a couple of parts. Or maybe I could just think of better uses for the money.


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## joshua43214 (Nov 26, 2015)

Dunno...
4" round aluminum is something like $7.00/inch.
Three holes, some band saw work, mill to height...
Tom over at Ox Tools uses some shop made ones in his videos that I think are twice the tool for no other reason than that his have adjustable feet.


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## hman (Nov 26, 2015)

You might well get by with using rare earth magnets for spacers, as shown in the photos.  They're not all exactly the same height [Royal are good to .001 or better, IIRC], but they're usually sold in large lots and you can measure them to find a set or two that match.  And of course, you should be careful running at high speeds!


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## oldboy1950 (Nov 26, 2015)

could someone explain why and how these are used as for the life of me i can't figure out myself  what this is for.
Dan


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## TommyD (Nov 26, 2015)

From what I see....

The mags hold it to the chuckface only.
The thickness of the stop allows mat'l to rest on it for depth repeatability while
The 3 jaws clamp on the dia if the mat'l being machined.


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## RJSakowski (Nov 26, 2015)

Tom Lipton of OxTool videos did on on his version the stop.  His was adjustable in height so you could  work on different thickness.  

I made a similar version for my 5" chuck.  Mine fits the jaws fairly closely so I didn't need the magnets.The threaded holes permit the height to be adjusted in the event you are working on a thin piece and need to get close.  Mine is 1/4" thick and doing it over, I would make it 3/8" or 1/2" to increase the travel of the adjustment screws. I have a set of standoff screws made for different applications.  

Bob


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## TommyD (Nov 26, 2015)

Nice idea


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## coolidge (Nov 26, 2015)

Tony Wells said:


> My only question would be "For one or two parts, why do you need the stop anyway?" It's a nice item to have for repetitive work, or work that you have to remove and replace multiple times, but I myself don't see the need for a couple of parts. Or maybe I could just think of better uses for the money.



Tony money is a non-issue for me its time that's in short supply due to my job. Then there's the damn bad hip which further limits my time at the machines. So I typically will buy vs build to save time. Its 2nd ops when I flip a part around to turn the other end after parting off where these would come in handy. I frequently make 2 to 4 of something I want to be the exact same length which I can hit with my DRO if I can consistently chuck them depth wise. But for 2 to 4 parts its not worth my time machining soft jaws, swapping jaws and doing the setup. If that makes sense.


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## RJSakowski (Nov 26, 2015)

coolidge said:


> Its 2nd ops when I flip a part around to turn the other end after parting off where these would come in handy. I frequently make 2 to 4 of something I want to be the exact same length which I can hit with my DRO if I can consistently chuck them depth wise. But for 2 to 4 parts its not worth my time machining soft jaws, swapping jaws and doing the setup. If that makes sense.



When I want to machine multiple parts to a consistent length, I have a depth stop through the spindle. 

http://www.hobby-machinist.com/threads/lathe-headstock-work-stop-g0602.32809/

Bob


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## David S (Nov 26, 2015)

Thought I would share mine for my Atlas 618  independent 4 jaw.




I have a bunch of accurate spacers I machined.

I use it for holding thin pieces in the chuck.

David


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## maker of things (Nov 26, 2015)

How often do you need more than 1 measurement?  I made like Bob patterned off OX's but I only intended to use mine to grab really close to the edge of the part while keeping the part on axis.  If you want the best of both worlds, I would be happy to modify my drawing(if required) for you to send to a laser shop to cut, then you only need to thread 3 holes and true up the screw heads.


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## coolidge (Nov 26, 2015)

The 5 piece chuck stop set is....INBOUND!! Yeah, merry Christmas to me!


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## coolidge (Nov 26, 2015)

Plus...

Two of these Teco vise hold down kits



A Mitutoyo indicator to replace my China indicator



Finally a heat gun, I can't tell you how frequently I need one of these and curse having got rid of my old one.



Similarly I had one of these years ago and curse having got rid of it every other week.



Two of these Palmgren cast iron stands for use on my horizontal band saw, I'm tired of propping up the end of stock with a plastic tote and shims of whatever to get the right height.



And finally 6 of these for the stands. They come with the studs and nuts.


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## TommyD (Nov 26, 2015)

Show off.....


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## Franko (Nov 26, 2015)

I've never seen the Palmgren cast iron stands. Great thing to have.
I made a support for mine with a modified keyboard bench and a lab jack stand.
I got tired of the scissor jack on the milk crate tumping over.




What is that red thing? (3rd from the bottom)


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## coolidge (Nov 26, 2015)

That clamps on your spindle and holds an indicator.


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## Franko (Nov 27, 2015)

ok, thanks, Coolidge


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## T Bredehoft (Nov 27, 2015)

Opinion on Royal Chuck lathe Stop.  

Waste of shelf space (and money) As hobbyists, it is our bounden duty to make things we need. Our $$ are short, we don't give it to people who are in the business of taking it away. 

If you need a chuck stop and don't want to take the time to make one, put a 1/4 inch HSS tool bit across between two of the chuck jaws and seat  your project on it. BE SURE TO REMOVE THE TOOL BIT BEFORE STARTING THE LATHE. If the 1/4" is too small use a small parallel or a larger tool bit. Experiment!


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## coolidge (Nov 27, 2015)

Tom did you hand craft your own lathe chuck and dial calipers?


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## wawoodman (Nov 27, 2015)

Franko said:


> I've never seen the Palmgren cast iron stands. Great thing to have.
> I made a support for mine with a modified keyboard bench and a lab jack stand.
> I got tired of the scissor jack on the milk crate tumping over.



That's even higher class than mine: 5 gallon bucket, and whatever scraps of wood that haven't made it to the dumpster, yet.


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## coolidge (Nov 27, 2015)

wawoodman said:


> That's even higher class than mine: 5 gallon bucket, and whatever scraps of wood that haven't made it to the dumpster, yet.



Its funny how many of us are using buckets and totes and shims as stands. I'm going to raise up my band saw at least 8 inches with a mobile stand. The problem is my saw is so low to the ground it was lower than any stand I could find. Plus the wheels don't swivel so I have to scrape the hard plastic wheels sideways across the floor to turn it which sounds like fingernails on a chalkboard.


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## T Bredehoft (Nov 27, 2015)

coolidge said:


> Tom did you hand craft your own lathe chuck and dial calipers?



No, they're beyond my skill level.


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## omni_dilletante (Nov 27, 2015)

Looks like Travers has a set for $99.99.  

http://www.travers.com/3-piece-chuck-stop-set/p/69-500-520/


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## David S (Nov 27, 2015)

Just for my clarification are these also called Spiders?  It seems that there are a couple of different types of spiders that operate in completely different ways.

David


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## coolidge (Nov 27, 2015)

David no spiders as I understand them are 90 degree to axial bolts, typically 4 like a 4 jaw chuck that you use to hold for example a rifle barrel. Most typically to support the end of the barrel on the outer end of your spindle but I have heard people using them on both ends of the spindle.


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## coolidge (Nov 27, 2015)

omni_dilletante said:


> Looks like Travers has a set for $99.99.
> 
> http://www.travers.com/3-piece-chuck-stop-set/p/69-500-520/



Omni great find it looks like those would work on a 6 jaw chuck where the Royal Products will not thanks!


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## David S (Nov 27, 2015)

Coolidge that is the one that I saw and have made one of those as well.   However I have seen another type that is called spider and it looks very much like the chuck stop we are talking about.

David


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## coolidge (Nov 27, 2015)

Got it David thanks.


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## kd4gij (Nov 27, 2015)

David S said:


> Coolidge that is the one that I saw and have made one of those as well.   However I have seen another type that is called spider and it looks very much like the chuck stop we are talking about.
> 
> David




I remember seeing a set of chuck stops that where called spiders also. I can't remember who made them off hand.

http://neme-s.org/Spider.htm


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## middle.road (Nov 27, 2015)

I should have made one when I was doing up the front shackles for the Jeep®.
I faced the four of them both sides on the lathe cause the Ol' Index wasn't up to the task.
7th face, I didn't get it seated down on the parallels all the way. *SIGH*
And now I see (following the link just above) the spring trick.


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