Installing a rear chuck on your lathe

S

Strange_Days

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Hi Everyone,

Well, I sold my cuesmith deluxe and picked up a chinese 13X40 lathe a couple weeks ago, and decided NOT to try to lug it downstairs (actually convinced my wife to let me insulate the garage and turn it into my shop :D )

Its been interesting so far getting everything I need, cleaning the lathe top to bottom, realizing I need special oil for the headstock and ways, etc... and for anyone thinking of getting into cue repair/building, I'm quite happy that I did get the cuesmith first because it allowed me to get a much better understanding of what I was doing quickly but I think the bigger lathe will be better for me at this stage of the game.

My couple questions for you guys

1) how do I install a rear chuck on a lathe? I am just going to use delrin or UHMW collets for the time being but I'd like a better way.

2) How clean is clean for the lathe, should I be removing the carriage or headstock cover and really cleaning all the cosmoline and stuff from everything?

And as a final note I'd really like to thank Roy Mason (MASE), Don Broose, and Peter Mcguire for all the help, it would have been very tough without it.

Thanks,

Matt LeClerc
 
Strange_Days said:
Hi Everyone,



1) how do I install a rear chuck on a lathe? I am just going to use delrin or UHMW collets for the time being but I'd like a better way.


Thanks,

Matt LeClerc
Click to expand...

I measured the od of the back end of my spindle as it is smooth for the last 2" or so before the threads start. I had my machinist friend make me an aluminum part that would press-fit over this and was threaded on the od for the large-bore chuck from Hightower.

It also has 4 set screws to keep it from spinning off the spindle. I learned later that I should drill thru the spindle so that the set screws thread thru into the spindle for this reason as well.
When I went to press the arbor on, it was too tight so I put a few ice cubes inside the spindle and it shrunk it enough for the arbor to slip on..tightly though. Now it is pressed on good! I used my indicator on the od of the arbor to check to see if it locates good and it does.

Works fine! I can indicate the cue pretty close when chucking it between centers. Somebody here may tell us both how to do it with a large chuck but mine works just fine. I would someday though like to put an adjustable set-tru chuck back there...maybe it isn't necessary though?

Hope this helps?!

Chris
 
Strange D, can you tell us what you mean by drill through? That size lathe should have at least 1.5" through spindle hole. As long as your are adding a rear chuck then you are going to want to make something that will support your work in the center of the spindle tube in case you are working on something that doesn't reach to both chucks. If it was me, I would have held onto the deluxe as well. You can never have too many lathes. You will now need to fiure out how you are going to do tapers and pro tapers for shafts. Don't get me wrong. I would rather have the big lathe but the Hightower has hudge advantages over them is certain areas. As for cleaning the lathe. I would only clean areas that you can get to. If you have no experience taking machines apart, then I wouldn't.

Jimbo.
 
Strange_Days said:
Thanks for both your replies, good ideas. How thick is the spindle to drill through?
Click to expand...
I haven't as of yet drilled thru the wall thickness of the spindle. With my arbor beeing pressed on so tight..I haven't had a problem (yet) with it spinning off.

I should mention this as well...if you have one made like I did, ALL of the machining should be done BEFORE the part is taken out of the chuck. We turned, bored and threaded the arbor with it in the same spot in the chuck for holding tolerance and accuracy.

As far as machining shorts, do a search as this topic has been discussed here in the last month or so. DZ Cues posted some nice pics of his bearing- steady rest that he uses ( much like the large i.d. steady rest Chris sells- the one for the big machinist lathes are adjustable using 3 pins along with a large bearing) with a nice description on what he uses it for.

There is no real way of indicating the end of the part if it is hidden inside the barrel of your spindle..IMO..and the inside of most spindles of Chinese lathes that I have seen- have a sort of riffleing -rough sprial- so there is no real way to mic it to know what od to make your collets. I have a Grizzly.

How smooth is the id of your spindle?

Hope this helps.

Chris
 
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