# Morse taper with tang ??



## WesPete66 (Dec 22, 2013)

I just wanted to clear this up in my newbie mind.. I have an Atlas TH54 lathe, which (far as I know) uses #2 Morse taper in tail stock. I can see there is no provision for a tang in the taper. But.. it came with several drill bits with 2MT and tang. Also I believe I've seen drill chucks listed as #2MT with tang.  Does it matter on my lathe? Can I use the tanged tools without problem?
Thanks,
Wes


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## Terrywerm (Dec 23, 2013)

Yes, Wes, you should be able to use them without a problem. In fact, they will make things easier when used in the tailstock, as the tang should pop the tool out of the tailstock quill when you fully retract it.


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## cathead (Apr 27, 2016)

In a recent drill bit acquisition, I found some large drill bits with the tangs removed and machined to 3/4 on the ends.  Sometimes
I get into heavy drilling so welded the tangs back on for easy removal as Terry says and also so the bits wouldn't rotate under
heavy load in the tail stock.  My #4MT tail stock is still pretty nice so no use in galling it up unnecessarily.


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## RJSakowski (Apr 27, 2016)

There was an enthusiastic discussion concerning the purpose of a tang on a Morse taper on this forum last year. Drill press spindles designed to use Morse taper drills have a slot where a key can be inserted to free the drill.  Lathes do not have the slot so the tang's only purpose would be to pop the Morse taper loose when the tailstock is retracted.  On small lathes, at least, the tang cuts in to the available tailstock travel distance so I grind the tang off, leaving just enough to ensure that the Morse taper is popped loose before the tailstock is fully retracted.  Doing so buys me almost an extra 1/2" on the M! taper on the Atlas 618 and almost an extra 1" on the M3 on the Grizzly 602.


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## cathead (Apr 27, 2016)

RJSakowski said:


> There was an enthusiastic discussion concerning the purpose of a tang on a Morse taper on this forum last year. Drill press spindles designed to use Morse taper drills have a slot where a key can be inserted to free the drill.  Lathes do not have the slot so the tang's only purpose would be to pop the Morse taper loose when the tailstock is retracted.  On small lathes, at least, the tang cuts in to the available tailstock travel distance so I grind the tang off, leaving just enough to ensure that the Morse taper is popped loose before the tailstock is fully retracted.  Doing so buys me almost an extra 1/2" on the M! taper on the Atlas 618 and almost an extra 1" on the M3 on the Grizzly 602.



My lathe has a slot for pressing out the tang and it gets used periodically.  I havn't checked my drill press spindle so will have to take a look
and see.....      I find the tangs very useful.  I certainly wouldn't remove them in my shop.


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## Tony Wells (Apr 27, 2016)

Although many lathes, if not most, have a removal slot, I always cringe when I see someone rear back and hit the drift key with a 4# hammer. That can't do the set-over adjustment any good. I prefer to run the quill back until the screw pops the bit out. That said, the screws really ought to be turned down on the end so the threads wouldn't be damaged by this, but I don't recall seeing that done on any I have torn down.


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## timvercoe (Apr 30, 2016)

Had a Frejoth lathe where the tail stock quill would accept the tang, the taper wouldn't tighten up.  So I ground notches in the tang so it would interfere with the griping power.   Because I use the taper in other machines I would avoid cutting off the tang.


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## coolidge (May 1, 2016)

RJSakowski said:


> There was an enthusiastic discussion concerning the purpose of a tang on a Morse taper on this forum last year. Drill press spindles designed to use Morse taper drills have a slot where a key can be inserted to free the drill.  Lathes do not have the slot so the tang's only purpose would be to pop the Morse taper loose when the tailstock is retracted.  On small lathes, at least, the tang cuts in to the available tailstock travel distance so I grind the tang off, leaving just enough to ensure that the Morse taper is popped loose before the tailstock is fully retracted.  Doing so buys me almost an extra 1/2" on the M! taper on the Atlas 618 and almost an extra 1" on the M3 on the Grizzly 602.



I shortened the MT3 arbor for this drill chuck which recouped a whopping 1.3 inches of quill travel on my Grizzly G4003G tailstock. Now I have the advertised 4 inches of quill travel vs 2.7 inches plus its more rigid.

While I'm at it the lame keyless integral shank Grizzly brand drill chuck is now in the scrap bin. That thing was ground bad, it took almost no effort to unseat it from the tailstock and frequently unseated itself. This Phase II arbor seats in tight with quite the pop when it unseats.

That's an Albrecht 5/8 inch chuck by the way. Tip, you can buy this chuck with both a Phase II MT3 and R8 arbor 3 piece set from Enco for less than just buying the chuck alone. I checked the run out on the Phase II MT3 arbor, man its dead nuts the needle on my .0001 Mitutoyo indicator didn't even move.


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