Lifting heavy chucks is beyond me

[Tim9]

Randy. If you look at my hook, it’s a round 1/2” piece of steel which I welded to 1/2 square steel bar. I welded it at @ a 45 degree angle and then bent the hooked end which attaches to my hoist. I don’t really tighten it too tightly. That way I can rotate my chucks when on the hook to get them in or out of the round bar. That way I can both get the chuck balanced and level. And I can also rotate it to line up with my spindle keyway of the L-00 spindle..
I do also use it to spin my bigger chucks of my South Bend 9” which is 1-1/2” 8tpi.

i have both a real bad back with “drop-foot” in both feet so not only can’t I lift 50 pounds....but I have real bad balance. I need a hoist. It’s not a luxury...it’s a necessity. It is what it is.
But, the point is I have no hesitation changing chucks. It’s totally effortless plus it’s quick. I also made a 4 point stand so I just move the hoist over since it goes everywhere in the shop....unload a chuck and load back on without hardly any lifting.
i made that little dolly/rack which holds four chucks. Just a 2x2 square steel pipe/ tube which has some round tube welded to it. Four wheels made of more steel tube let’s me roll it out when needed for chuck swaps. And it fits out of the way in my space challenged shop. But it works. It’s all good.

 

[Tim9]

What a great set up.

I am sure you are making some great stuff in that workshop.
I particularly like the use of your doors as handing space.

Mal

By the way Mal.
I’ve been wanting to post this for a while now, so I went out and took some pictures of my BXA tooling racks. When you mentioned the tools mounted on my door, I wanted to show everyone the racks. Believe it or not, the racks are an aluminum pocket door Track. Came out of moms house after Katrina renovations. But I tell you. They work excellently. And can be easily bent to make more secure. The lip works perfectly for grabbing the tooling. I just love it when my pack ratting OCD pays off. I just couldn’t throw those tracks away.
I actually had some 3-D BXA tool holders but they took up way too much space. These work perfectly.

 

[Janderso]

Tim,
I like your Super strut idea for the roller.
I changed the three jaw to the 10" 4 jaw last night. It's getting to the point I look for excuses to not change the chuck.
I'm 63 with a bad back. I'm not getting any younger, I need to come up with something like yours.

 

[Tim9]

Jeff, I promise you... You'll never regret it and the Strut trolly isn't an expensive thing to do. Even a single length trolly over the lathe which then moves over a bench. Its such an easy set up. The trolly rollers are only around 25.00
The Big Box import 10' struts are only 22.00 from Lowes. If you get then from Lowe's just need to be inspected. Make sure that the lips are the same on each inner side. I had 2 which were very poorly formed. But the other 4 were fine. Amazon has the hangers and they are about 15.00 each. For a light weight system.... able to support 200 pounds...I'm pretty sure you only need 3 supports per 10' length . So for under 100.00 bucks you can set up a 10" trolly over you lathe. You'll never regret putting it top and its a simple system.

 

[malmac]

By the way Mal.
I’ve been wanting to post this for a while now, so I went out and took some pictures of my BXA tooling racks. When you mentioned the tools mounted on my door, I wanted to show everyone the racks. Believe it or not, the racks are an aluminum pocket door Track. Came out of moms house after Katrina renovations. But I tell you. They work excellently. And can be easily bent to make more secure. The lip works perfectly for grabbing the tooling. I just love it when my pack ratting OCD pays off. I just couldn’t throw those tracks away.
I actually had some 3-D BXA tool holders but they took up way too much space. These work perfectly.

It is obviously working for you. I have a box with a lift up lid for my QC tool holders and a roll around tool chest which I use next to my lathe.

Mal

 

[malmac]

That's exactly the same issue I had Rick. I purchased six 12'-lengths from Lowes. Two were really crap. I used them in the center but had to do a lot of work to clean them up with an angle grinder. The trollies were binding. Its working okay, but I always have a little problem when I move it from one end of the shop to the other. It binds just a bit. But its okay for now. My advice... For a trolly system....GET THE REAL DEAL ...UNISTRUT which is made in USA. My ceiling is 7'-6" All in all...Every time I need to lift something...I love the Unistrut trolly system. AWSOME in my opinion .
By the way Rick, I see you used the proper hangers which are made for the job. I made my own. I kind of wish I would have bought the right ones but at the time I did my trolley I was also building the workshop and money was real tight. Oh well...it is what it is.

MAL....One more thing I just noticed. You have an eye-bolt to lift your chuck. Look at my first pic. I made that lift hook for my chucks. It lifts the chucks so they slide right up to the spindle. It might make your set up easier.

Hi Tim

The ideas I have seen have certainly given me ideas. The hook idea has merit. I have a box on wheels for my 4 jaw which holds the chuck laying flat on its back. So the central eye I use allows me to lower the chuck straight into it's box and then just pop on the lid.

But you are right it makes it harder to put onto the lathe spindle. I think I will change my process. lift the chuck out of its box, change to a hook like yours and then lift it up onto the lathe. I have put your suggestion onto my to do list.


Mal

 

[Tim9]

Mal... if I make sure to tighten the jaws first, that hook I made for my chuck allows me to rotate the chuck to the flat position like you describe. I just rotate the chuck while it’s in the air and can easily move chuck from vertical to horizontal. The 45 degree angle at the round piece keeps the chuck in horizontal until I rotate back to vertical. I done it many times because I tend to disassemble them a couple of times a year for reg maintenance.

 

[Suzuki4evr]

I

Two cures for heavy chucks; first, the Sky Hook, fits onto the tool post, rated 500 Lbs, I think. Second, I had a barn door track (the U shaped kind) with the rollers, hung it up to the ceiling joists, fastened a HF electric winch to it, stretched a heavy wire alongside to suspend the cord with key rings. I keep the chucks in a cradle on the floor at the headstock end of the lathe, also made cradles for them to make changing chucks easier with the screw on spindle, and have drilled and tapped chucks at their balance points to use eye bolts for lifting

I wish I could afford a sky hook,but they are way too expensive for my budget.

 

[hman]

I wish I could afford a sky hook,but they are way too expensive for my budget.

Here's one I made pretty cheaply, originally for my lab at U of Texas back in the early '70s, now in my shop here in Phoenix

(Sorry ... just couldn't resist)

 

[Suzuki4evr]

That is funny,I had a good laugh now. But you had me for a moment, I almost got excited.