Too many drive pins!

chipperd

chipperd

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Here is another problem I have run into. My lathe came with a few of the standard drive pins. 5/16-18-14,3/8-10,etc. I ordered more drive pins at $35 a pop, and i still needed more. I even bought joint protectors for some shafts. Amazingly I still get shafts, i don't have a drive pin for. Mcdermott has a shaft with a type of uniloc that nothing fits. There must be a hundred or more type of joints. What does anybody recommend????
 
chipperd said:
Here is another problem I have run into. My lathe came with a few of the standard drive pins. 5/16-18-14,3/8-10,etc. I ordered more drive pins at $35 a pop, and i still needed more. I even bought joint protectors for some shafts. Amazingly I still get shafts, i don't have a drive pin for. Mcdermott has a shaft with a type of uniloc that nothing fits. There must be a hundred or more type of joints. What does anybody recommend????
Click to expand...

It aggravates me also but all you can do is just measure them and make a copy on your lathe.

Dick
 
Please don't take this the wrong way cause I don't mean to sound like a smart ass BUT, Any kind of maintenance and or mechanic work in any industry requires you buy tools. I wish I had the money in cash that I invested just to work on cues. Just in taps and dyes alone, I could take a vacation. In your situation on McDermotts quick release, you can make your own very easy, use Aluminum screws, mount them into phenolic, turn the front of the shank down leaving only 2.5 to 3 threads, maybe less, if you have one of their cues there just copy what they did, I did this years ago before I got the original pieces from them. They still work fine. They have two quick release screws that they used, Now I think their down to one, They were 3/8X10 and 3/8X16.
 
The solution is a pointed hard rubber dead center that goes into the insert and after tailstock pressure is applied gives you enough grab to clean shafts easily. It will allow a little heavier sanding, but is really not best for that. The cost is $30 and is what I use for all the odd ball shafts. I hate making these things so I don't advertise them.
 
I bet I have at least 30 sets of drives. If one comes along that I do not have, I make a new one.

The quick release McDermott will have either a 3/8-10 or 3/8-16, as Mike said. The earlier models had the 10 thread. If I remember correctly, there was a patent dispute between McD and Uniloc so they switched to the 16 thread.
 
In an emergency you can wrap masking tape around the joint end and then chuck it up that way. It'll serve the purpose for a cleaning. Just be careful to wrap a few layers of tape and don't torque it don't too tight.
 
drive sets

chipperd said:
Here is another problem I have run into. My lathe came with a few of the standard drive pins. 5/16-18-14,3/8-10,etc. I ordered more drive pins at $35 a pop, and i still needed more. I even bought joint protectors for some shafts. Amazingly I still get shafts, i don't have a drive pin for. Mcdermott has a shaft with a type of uniloc that nothing fits. There must be a hundred or more type of joints. What does anybody recommend????
Click to expand...

If you find one you don't have or can't make give me a call. Or check this out.
http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=132438

John
 
chipperd said:
Here is another problem I have run into. My lathe came with a few of the standard drive pins. 5/16-18-14,3/8-10,etc. I ordered more drive pins at $35 a pop, and i still needed more. I even bought joint protectors for some shafts. Amazingly I still get shafts, i don't have a drive pin for. Mcdermott has a shaft with a type of uniloc that nothing fits. There must be a hundred or more type of joints. What does anybody recommend????
Click to expand...

I have some thick walled flexable tubing, that I bought at the hardware store. I cut a 1 1/2" piece off & slit one side lengthwise. If something comes in that I don't have a pin for, I just slip the piece of tubing on the joint end & chuck it up in the lathe...JER
 
Flex tubing

BLACKHEARTCUES said:
I have some thick walled flexable tubing, that I bought at the hardware store. I cut a 1 1/2" piece off & slit one side lengthwise. If something comes in that I don't have a pin for, I just slip the piece of tubing on the joint end & chuck it up in the lathe...JER
Click to expand...

I did the same exact thing, the only thing I am worried about is putting to much pressure on the female part of the shaft. If I don't clamp it tight enough, the shaft can actually work its way back into the chuck. Just don't wont to mess up a $250 shaft.
 
oddball drive pins

When I get a cue with an oddball pin, I ask for the butt, put them together and slide it into the lathe whole ( Hightower deluxe) and clean her up.

problem solved

Regards
Walter
 
chipperd said:
I did the same exact thing, the only thing I am worried about is putting to much pressure on the female part of the shaft. If I don't clamp it tight enough, the shaft can actually work its way back into the chuck. Just don't wont to mess up a $250 shaft.
Click to expand...

What kind of repair are you doing to these shafts?...JER
 
Soft collet

A nylon Collet works for me. It's soft enough not to damage the shaft and firm enough to grip quite well.
 

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