# Drill chuck for N-14 Jacobs chuck key



## cathead (Jan 18, 2019)

My first thought was to order a K-3 Jacobs Chuck Key on E-bay so looked over the goods a bit and found out that the key has 11 teeth.  It seemed like
a good morning to try and make one since it is -16F outside and 70F in the shop and no other projects pressing.  It was somewhat of a measure on the
chuck and take my best guess at the angle of the gear teeth.  I set up my 90-1 rotary table and used the 44 tooth hole count so each tooth would come
out to 8 turns plus 8 holes on the RT.  All in all, not too bad for not knowing anything more than the tooth count I guess.  As long as I am set up, I might
as well make another one since I was given two of these N-14 chucks with no key from a friend who pulled them out of the scrap bin at work.  That was
another project as the chucks were needing disassembly and cleaning which I had done previously.  Here's a couple of photos from the morning's POTD.
	

		
			
		

		
	



Just centering the key body in this photo.................



Here I am milling the teeth, used a gear cutter that looked about right for the job..........
I used my digital readout for even tooth depth using the Y axis and just eyeballed
what looked to be a reasonable depth...




   Although probably not as precise as the original key, it works fine so was happy with the outcome.
   I used a piece of 5/16 inch H-13 steel for the T-bar.  Now I have two N-14 Jacobs ball bearing chucks.
   One was fitted with an R-8 arbor and the other I set  up with MT#3 for lathe use.


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## microshop dinker (Jan 18, 2019)

GOOOD SHOW!!!     Sammy


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## Cooter Brown (Jan 18, 2019)

H-13 is expensive stuff, have you heat treated it yet? Awesome work!


I'm still trying to find a key for this chuck.....


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## cathead (Jan 18, 2019)

Cooter Brown said:


> H-13 is expensive stuff, have you heat treated it yet? Awesome work!
> 
> 
> I'm still trying to find a key for this chuck.....
> ...



The pins have a very hard surface and softer inside.  I cut them in pieces with a grinder.... nothing else will cut it....


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## Z2V (Jan 18, 2019)

Nice work on the chuck key..
But GEEEEZ, -16*F that’s cold, where are you at?


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## cathead (Jan 18, 2019)

Z2V said:


> Nice work on the chuck key..
> But GEEEEZ, -16*F that’s cold, where are you at?



North of Bemidji, Minnesota

Interestingly, it was 16 below this morning and as the sun came up, it cooled down to 18 below..... It's noon now and -13F.


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## Z2V (Jan 18, 2019)

cathead said:


> North of Bemidji, Minnesota
> 
> Interestingly, it was 16 below this morning and as the sun came up, it cooled down to 18 below..... It's noon now and -13F.



Makes me shiver just thinking about -16*, we are at 60* now looking for 72* or so later today.
Stay worm my friend


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## CluelessNewB (Jan 18, 2019)

Cooter Brown said:


> I'm still trying to find a key for this chuck.....



I have a PDF of a Jacobs data sheet from 1955  it says that the 14 uses a "K3" key.  (The same key used on the 14N).  

K3 at McMaster-Carr: 
https://www.mcmaster.com/3169a15

They also have them at Lowes, Amazon, eBay, MSC, Grainger ...


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## cathead (Jan 18, 2019)

Z2V said:


> Makes me shiver just thinking about -16*, we are at 60* now looking for 72* or so later today.
> Stay worm my friend



Yes, I do intend to stay warm.


Here's a few off topic cold weather car starting tips when it's 50 below zero...


1.  Unroll your extension cord before it gets really cold or it will not unroll or will simply break the plastic if you force it.  
     Get the silicone sheath electric cord to minimize this problem.  

2.  Plug your vehicle heater in the night before you need to start the car.  You need an engine block heater and
     a battery heater is helpful as well if you are serious about starting the engine.  A battery charger can
     help too if brutally cold out there.  Also, be sure to have changed the oil in the fall to the thinner winter viscosity!

3.  Put a blanket over the hood of your vehicle.  This helps keep in some of the heat.  If you park your car
     with a warm engine and plug it in and install the blanket, that is the best.  

4.  Assuming the above things were followed, the car will likely start with little difficulty, that is if there was power to the extension cord...  

5.  You can warm the engine for an hour if you want but that will do nothing for the rest of the vehicle.  I usually start out quite
     slowly to limber things up.  When is is very cold, the tires will not flex and you need to proceed slowly because the tires
     are not round and you can feel the bumps as the tire rotates.  After a half mile or so, the tires flex enough so that it gets smooth again.

6.  Not a car starting tip but it is wise to remember that metals get brittle in the cold and things tend to break at these times. 
     Carry an emergency kit, jumper cables, and a shovel in your vehicle and be careful out there.



And YES, I have seen 50 below F here in northern Minnesota.


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## Boswell (Jan 18, 2019)

6  very interesting tips that I hope I NEVER need to remember


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## Z2V (Jan 18, 2019)

Boswell said:


> 6  very interesting tips that I hope I NEVER need to remember


I think we are safe here Boswell


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## Nogoingback (Jan 18, 2019)

If lived where it's so cold that the tires on the car don't flex, I'd move as soon as they warmed up.


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## Cooter Brown (Jan 18, 2019)

CluelessNewB said:


> I have a PDF of a Jacobs data sheet from 1955  it says that the 14 uses a "K3" key.  (The same key used on the 14N).
> 
> K3 at McMaster-Carr:
> https://www.mcmaster.com/3169a15
> ...



Look again..... This is a Spiral gear chuck.... No14S Patent 1902


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## middle.road (Jan 18, 2019)

Cooter Brown said:


> Look again..... This is a Spiral gear chuck.... No14S Patent 1902
> 
> View attachment 285234
> View attachment 285235


Noticed that 'straight away'...
Might just be time to polish that up and use it a a paperweight on a desk. Heck of a conversation piece.
I've never seen that style on a Jacobs.  Gotta admit - it is cool.


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## CluelessNewB (Jan 19, 2019)

Cooter Brown said:


> This is a Spiral gear chuck....



Ahh the plot thickens.   I did notice a slight curve in the original picture but thought it was some aberration caused by the camera lens. 

I've got nothing. 

I thought you were having a hard time finding a listing for the "14" which doesn't show up in current catalogs, typically just the 14N.


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