Shortening an MT2 arbor

I ordered a JT6-MT2 arbor from Arc to use my 13mm chuck on the minilathe (the one that came with it is only 8mm), but the MT2 end is too long for the tailstock by about 20mm.

I was going to send it back, but couldnt find anyone that stocks a short MT2/JT6 so decided this morning to lop 20mm off it... that turned out to be harder than I imagined!

Eventually the only solution I made work was to chuck it up in the 4-jaw chuck (holding the tang) and using a centre in the tailstock to hold the JT6 end and then I bodged a clamp to hold my small angle grinder to the toolpost and ground a slot in the MT2 end till it came apart. Then turned it round in the chuck with some paper to protect the JT6 taper and used the angle grinder freehand to put a bevel on the edge.

I covered what I could with a cloth and put a piece of 6mm thick ply on the lathe bed to stop grit getting on the bed and to protect it in case the grinder got away. Even so the grinding dust gets everywhere so a good clean down was needed afterwards.

But at least now I can drill holes bigger than 8mm!

Shortening an arbor is indeed a tough job. Congrats on your success!

Although we don't have a 2MT-6JT arbor, others faced with shortening a 2MT arbor can look to LittleMachineShop.com for a solution. We have arbors for 2MT short to 2JT, 33JT, and 3/8-24 thread.

Details here: http://littlemachineshop.com/product...rbor+2mt+short

Cheers,
Carl
LittleMachineShop.com

Why didn't you buy the short arbor without the tang ?

http://www.arceurotrade.co.uk/Catalo...l-Chuck-Arbors

.

a) because I didn't think
b) the drawbar version isn't that much shorter, I would still have had to remove 10mm or so, the tang made it easier.

typed on smart phone as can't access site via virgin media :(
phew back online now... using the forum from a mobile is hard work!