Little mods making things better. (And other Stuff!)

[LX Kid]

With the backing plate, my chuck is twice the depth and weight of original chucks. Could buy another chuck from Shar's but it's $200! I'd still have to use a backing place "butt" it may correct some of my cutting run out problems. This lathe has been like a "black hole" that I have just thrown a lot of money at and still have no real precision. Chuck and spindle bushings have to be the problem.

I had a irritant for several years with my mill and did a little lathing project that to correct. The hex wrench that pulls the collet tight would always fall off onto the floor when spinning it with my finger to tighten. I made a bushing with a smaller 3/8" hole to hold the hex wrench vertical and not flopping around in a large 1/2" hole. Worked out great.

 

[jwmay]

Sorry. I guess you already knew that nugget about the chuck and backing plate.

 

[LX Kid]

I gave myself a little Xmas present yesterday. It is a Husky 46" roll-around tool cabinet! I had so many tools scattered all around the shop and now have co-located everything in one place next to the lathe. I got it from Home Depot for $498 and thought it was really a great bargain.

 

[Larry$]

I like those types of boxes. Different brands have different drawer configurations. So your next one might need to be a different brand.
Won't be long and you'll need another!

 

[LX Kid]

I need to find a chuck that is same size as original chuck. Old chuck is 1.5"x4" and the new chuck is 2.5" and 3" with the back plate. That's twice the size of the original factory chuck! The new chuck is 6 lbs and back plate is 2.88 lbs. So all in all I have 8.88 pounds hanging off the end of the spindle nose. I may be stuck with buying a used chuck with center jaws as I already have the outside jaws.

 

[LX Kid]

After looking on Amazon and Ebay for a lighter and narrower chuck it doesn't look like another chuck is in the near future. I did go ahead and ordered new bushings and will see if that has any positive effects.

 

[jwmay]

Bushings for what?

 

[LX Kid]

jwmay: Did you notice in the description it says if has a removable back plate. That is the same chuck I already have bought and using for $53 and the back plate, 1"x 8tpi, was about $40 if I remember correctly. So you still talking 8.88 lbs hanging off the end of the nose spindle. I've searched Amazon and Ebay till my eyes didn't want to work anymore and are of the opinion that the only thing I can do is find an original used chuck which they seem to be scarce. I've got the 4-jaw with center jaws but no outside jaws. The jaws are not interchangeable.

 

[LX Kid]

Got tired of chucking up a countersink so I ordered a soft blank MT1 and drilled it out and tapped it for 8-32 set screw.

 

[LX Kid]

Bushings for what?

My Craftsman lathe is an early model 101.07301 which has spindle bushings instead of roller bearings. When I restored the last last year I had some problems with the spindle bushings and may have damaged them while taking them in and out several times so I'll replace them just to make sure all is well with the spindle. With no load on the chuck my run out is .001" but when cutting there is a .0035" difference from the chuck and tailstock cut. But of course I don't own a cross slide / compound follower that might help with that.