Time to make a back plate for a 6" chuck using the WRONG material.

[MyLilMule]

I acquired a 6" six-jaw tru-adjust Buck Chuck with a back plate that will work on my currently disassembled 1960 13" South Bend, but I would like to use it on my currently daily-driver 1942 South Bend. I have a chunk of 4150 - which is really the wrong material for this, but it was free, and free is a term that works well within the budgetary constraints of the shop fund. So why not, what could possibly go wrong?

 

[MyLilMule]

 

[markba633csi]

Steel against steel can be problematic as it can seize and gall. That's why cast iron is often used for backplates as the high carbon content
acts as a kind of built-in lubricant
If you do it, be sure to lubricate the spindle threads well- grease them even

 

[mattthemuppet2]

You’ll probably be fine, just clean and oil the spindle threads before use each time you mount it, which you probably do anyway. I’ve made a couple from steel and haven’t had any issues with them

 

[MyLilMule]

Steel against steel can be problematic as it can seize and gall. That's why cast iron is often used for backplates as the high carbon content
acts as a kind of built-in lubricant
If you do it, be sure to lubricate the spindle threads well- grease them even

Cast iron absorbs some vibration as well, I am told.

 

[ericc]

I've had to deal with a lot of stuck chucks that others have left me. It is a real drag. This never happens to me, even though I use steel backplates for some of my chucks. I just follow a few simple rules. Don't turn the lathe on when a chuck is not completely screwed on. Every few weeks if you haven't changed the chuck, just unscrew it to check. Add a few drops of oil to the spindle threads every time you screw on something. Check the thread for chips, and remove all of them. I guess crashing the lathe can get the chuck stuck, but try to avoid that.

 

[verbotenwhisky]

If you are in fear of galling use Teflon tape or Teflon past on the threads, either will provide acquitted protection. I am building a chuck adapter for an 8" 3 jaw out of 1045 but it is a D1-4 setup so no threads to fiddle with at the actual lathe interface.