Chuck to Rotary Table Options

[eac67gt]

Randy we have a 4 jaw chuck that I need to mount to the rotary table and I like your idea. I will have to look at ours closer and consider very closely going your way.

Ed

 

[RandyM]

Randy we have a 4 jaw chuck that I need to mount to the rotary table and I like your idea. I will have to look at ours closer and consider very closely going your way.

Ed

Thanks Ed, I am mounting an 8 inch chuck to an 8 inch indexer. As you can see things got a little tight, but work. I too need to get a 4 jaw chuck and do the same. If I recall correctly I started out with a 1.125 think x 8.00 x 8.00 aluminum. The 8.00 x 8.00 was slightly over size as ordered. Good luck.

 

[negativentropy]

I am confused as to how you'd mount the chuck directly to the indexer, I mean I how'd you tighten the studs?:think1:

Here is what I did, an adapter plate.

Yeah in hind sight I would probably do it your way. I like that it allows you to move the t-nuts further in on the RT - whereas on mine they are right on the very edge and needed modification.

 

[negativentropy]

So I went back to the local machine shop and they had a left over 6" disc of free machining steel. I decided to give this another try adding some of the things you guys have done and being more precise this time.

First I turned down a MT2 (which fits in my RT) so that it has a non-tapered section. This was the hardest part, I think I rubbed the material off more than actually cutting it... Anyway, this allows me to quickly locate the adapter and chuck to center. Decided against the set-in-with-spanner-access style, as it would have left to little space for a 3 hole circle and 4 hole circle on the same adapter. The down side is I had to make custom T-nuts to clear the RT clampdowns. Never worked with free machining steel - wow, cuts super easy! Anyway, pictures:

 

[Todd]

if youre table has a morse taper center you can do as i did on my 6" table. i used the center morse taper by making a long taper with a large flange above it to bolt to the table, above the flange is the threaded portion 2- 1/4" that my chuck is. this adapter was to many different diameters to be practical to make out of one solid peice, although it could be done. i used 3 separate peices, 4140 for the taper section, 2233 for the flange and 12l15 for the threaded "spindle nose" . all these peices were press fit together with some very tight tolerances so they would not come apart. had to get a 20 ton press to press em as my 2 ton just wouldnt do it. i dont have any pictures at the moment but i will take some. doing it this way allows me to not have to indicate my chuck in once i get it off the lathe to the RT. i just indicate the part in the 4 jaw on the lathe, do the turning then i will move the whole chuck over to the rotary and do the milling, no indicating needed

 

[AmericanMachinist]

I have a 6" four-jaw chuck with through-bolts from the front. I had been planning to make a 7" adapter plate, to which the chuck bolts (from the front of the chuck), and then using four through-holes in the outside flange of the adapter plate, secure to the rotary table with T-nuts. After more thought, it seems that I could forgo an adapter plate; instead use just a round directly for alignment, and use the through bolts in the chuck to secure via T-nuts. The benefit that is forgone in this approach is the relative ease of lining up T-nuts that are 1/4" or so from the outside of the adapter.... the chuck bolts are 1-1/2" or so inside the OD of the chuck, so more difficult to align the T-nuts. Am I missing anything otherwise?

 

[Alcap]

I don’t see why you would need the adapter plate either , if aligning the tee slot nuts seem an issue, maybe a pencil type magnet would help or make your own nuts that are long . I’ve see store bought ones but might not have your t slot size. Edit: I think some people use a chuck that they could take right off their lathe and put on the rotary table adapter