Needle in a stack of needles

[MontanaLon]

So when I bought my SB10 it came with a 3 and 4 jaw chuck but the outside jaws were missing from the 3 jaw. I knew finding a set of jaws to fit it would be a nightmare but decided if worse came to worse I would just get a new chuck. Well, there was a problem with that plan. Apparently 1-7/8"-8 spindles were a very unusual size so finding a backing plate was troublesome. But I kept my eyes open for jaws wherever I went except the one machinery dealer I regularly visit. Today I was going to be in the area and decided to drag the chuck along to see what I could come up with. When I got there and asked for chuck jaws I was pointed in the right direction to about 8 feet of shelf quite literally full from front to back with chuck jaws in every conceivable size and configuration. He told me to "have fun". So I retrieved my chuck and started going through the pile.

Now, the uninitiated may think that there would be some sort of standard to chuck jaws, there isn't. I started by checking the scroll engagement using one of the existing jaws. I figured if that fit I could check to see if the jaws would fit into the body of the chuck. So about 5 minutes later I found the first set that matched the scroll. But on trying to fit it into the chuck body it wouldn't go. I eyeballed it and it had to be darn close to the right size as I couldn't see any difference between them. I figured last resort they could probably be ground a little to fit but that seemed like less than ideal. So I kept searching. I found another few that fit the scroll but they did not even come close to fitting into the body or the dropped right through to the bore.

I went through every set of jaws in the place, TWICE and it just wasn't going to happen. I was going on 30 minutes of searching when the person that helped me checked back with me. He shared my frustration and said he himself had spent hours searching for jaws for chucks that came in and struck out more often than not. He pointed me to a new import chuck which was tempting and as he said, "It's an import but it is probably better than a worn out US made chuck, plus it comes with both sets of jaws". He had a point. But Christmas and everything has money tight. As we walked over to the aisle where the new chuck was I had noticed a set of jaws sitting on the end of a shelf and as I went to dig through the used lathe tool bit boxes I stopped to check it.

I put the scroll of the old up to this set and they fit. Then I tried to slide a jaw into the body of the chuck. They were snug but the scroll pulled them in with no trouble. I lined them up with the numbers matching the slots, 1 went in perfect, 2 went in perfect and 3 just wouldn't go. But with a couple light taps of the chuck key handle it went into place. When I tightened it down it was smooth, no play side to side in the slots at all and they all met in the center of the bore! A Christmas Miracle!!!

Hallelujah!!!!! I now have a set of external jaws. Now I can expand my horizons to some bigger work and not have to fuss around with the 4j. I am a happy camper.

I also dug through the used lathe bits and picked up a half dozen or so different bits. A brazed carbide parting tool, a couple of brazed carbide threading tools and some HSS blanks.

 

[MrWhoopee]

Wow! Better go buy a lottery ticket.

 

[projectnut]

So when I bought my SB10 it came with a 3 and 4 jaw chuck but the outside jaws were missing from the 3 jaw. I knew finding a set of jaws to fit it would be a nightmare but decided if worse came to worse I would just get a new chuck. Well, there was a problem with that plan. Apparently 1-7/8"-8 spindles were a very unusual size so finding a backing plate was troublesome. But I kept my eyes open for jaws wherever I went except the one machinery dealer I regularly visit. Today I was going to be in the area and decided to drag the chuck along to see what I could come up with. When I got there and asked for chuck jaws I was pointed in the right direction to about 8 feet of shelf quite literally full from front to back with chuck jaws in every conceivable size and configuration. He told me to "have fun". So I retrieved my chuck and started going through the pile.

Now, the uninitiated may think that there would be some sort of standard to chuck jaws, there isn't. I started by checking the scroll engagement using one of the existing jaws. I figured if that fit I could check to see if the jaws would fit into the body of the chuck. So about 5 minutes later I found the first set that matched the scroll. But on trying to fit it into the chuck body it wouldn't go. I eyeballed it and it had to be darn close to the right size as I couldn't see any difference between them. I figured last resort they could probably be ground a little to fit but that seemed like less than ideal. So I kept searching. I found another few that fit the scroll but they did not even come close to fitting into the body or the dropped right through to the bore.

I went through every set of jaws in the place, TWICE and it just wasn't going to happen. I was going on 30 minutes of searching when the person that helped me checked back with me. He shared my frustration and said he himself had spent hours searching for jaws for chucks that came in and struck out more often than not. He pointed me to a new import chuck which was tempting and as he said, "It's an import but it is probably better than a worn out US made chuck, plus it comes with both sets of jaws". He had a point. But Christmas and everything has money tight. As we walked over to the aisle where the new chuck was I had noticed a set of jaws sitting on the end of a shelf and as I went to dig through the used lathe tool bit boxes I stopped to check it.

I put the scroll of the old up to this set and they fit. Then I tried to slide a jaw into the body of the chuck. They were snug but the scroll pulled them in with no trouble. I lined them up with the numbers matching the slots, 1 went in perfect, 2 went in perfect and 3 just wouldn't go. But with a couple light taps of the chuck key handle it went into place. When I tightened it down it was smooth, no play side to side in the slots at all and they all met in the center of the bore! A Christmas Miracle!!!

Hallelujah!!!!! I now have a set of external jaws. Now I can expand my horizons to some bigger work and not have to fuss around with the 4j. I am a happy camper.

I also dug through the used lathe bits and picked up a half dozen or so different bits. A brazed carbide parting tool, a couple of brazed carbide threading tools and some HSS blanks.

I was in the same position nearly 20 years ago. In my case it was inside jaws. I did originally have the jaws for a chuck, but put them in a "special place" so I wouldn't inadvertently throw them into the trash. As you might guess I quickly forgot where the "special place" was and couldn't find the jaws when I needed them. I tried for about a year to find them and finally gave up. I then went to a local used equipment dealer and purchased a nearly identical chuck. Unfortunately this one had the inside jaws only. No outside jaws.

I switched the chucks back and forth for another couple years and finally got tired of it. I went to several dealers with the newer chuck in hand, and to this date have yet to find the outside jaws for that chuck. I got frustrated to the point I decided to make a set of jaws for the original chuck. I opened a drawer in my tooling cabinet to get a pair of calipers, and was shocked at what I saw. Right there in the middle of the drawer were the inside jaws for the original chuck. I must have opened that drawer a thousand times getting out different tooling, but never thought to look to see if the jaws were in there.

I once again have both sets of jaws for the original chuck, and a second chuck with inside jaws only. Nearly every time I go to a machinery dealer I search for jaws for the second chuck. Now rather than take the chuck with me I made a sketch of the jaws I'm looking for complete with dimensions. I'm almost certain I'll never find the jaws I need. Now days it's just a form of entertainment looking through the shelves and shelves full of jaws that will in all probability never be matched with a chuck again.

For the record I don't buy lottery tickets. Many years ago I was told by a fellow co worker I had an equal chance of winning the lottery whether I bought a ticket or not. With the odds being that close I decided I'd spend the money on something else.

 

[brino]

I once again have both sets of jaws for the original chuck, and a second chuck with inside jaws only. Nearly every time I go to a machinery dealer I search for jaws for the second chuck. ........... I'm almost certain I'll never find the jaws I need.

Did you check the next drawer down?

I sometimes have to ask my wife to come out to the shop and help me find something that I just had in my hand.
(after checking my pockets, the bench I'm at, the next bench, the drill-press table, the drawer I got the last tool from, and yes, checking my hands again!)
I'll give her a description of the tool/part and walk thru all the steps I just made before she came out.

I'm starting to think that there's some magic in the ritual, as I will then often find it in a spot I know I just checked.

-brino

 

[Asm109]

Brino you have experienced the Time Painters. They are little creatures with a devilish sense of humour. They are responsible for Painting the future and erasing the past. Sometimes they erase your tool and "neglect" to paint it back into the next moment.
You have found the only solution to this problem. You must declare in a public way that you are an idiot and have lost your X. The time painters will then relent and paint it back into existence usually in a place you just looked and your wife is just approaching.