Anyone got a DXF file for a mini lathe chuck mount?

While I wait for a cheap chuck appear on Ebay, I'd like to crack on & do a couple of smaller erhmmm 'creative' tasks with my lathe.

One of these is to cut alnico magents ...these have to be one of the hardest metals know to mankind (well, me at least) ....they're real buggers to cut. It took me about 20 minutes with a diamond cutting disk bestowed dremel last time...(just to cut a 5mm dia piece) the problem being as you get deeper into the rod, the drag on the dremel cutting disk beomes excessive...I really need the cutting disk to progress around the outside edge - enter my new (still broken as I type)...mini lathe!

Now then (& don't laugh) I was thinking of fashioning a way of mounting my Dremel horizontally onto my lathe's toolpost & then holding the alnico rod (only 6mm in diameter), in the likes of a bog standard 10mm Drill chuck. But in order to do this, I'd need to make an adapter plate to go onto the lathe's spindle mount - to hold a bog standard drill chuck.

So I was wondering if anyone here has DXF files for a mini lathe mount (it's a bog standard Sieg, Grizzly type - I'm at work at the moment so can't take a piccie) as that will save me a wad of time trying to get the dimensions right myself!

Just stick the tailstock chuck with morse taper in the headstock ??? or am i missing something ?

John s.

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Just stick the tailstock chuck with morse taper in the headstock ??? or am i missing something ?

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Sounds like your best option at the mo.

I maybe corrected by the propoer engineers:tongue: but I would would seriously recomend you look for a 4 jaw indipendant chuck. I paid £60 for my 150mm 4 jaw ( which was as much as the lathe cost me) but I wouldnt go back to a 3 jaw....And I'm an only an amature.lol

Given the small diameter, run out is going to be a major issue, With a 4 jaw, DTI and a bit of patience you can get it running perfectly. Not to mention the abillity to "mill", "face" square or rectangular stock.

Sorry if this is off post. If you have the spec / dimensions for the chuck mount I can produce the DXF for you.

Thank guys...re slapping the tailstock chuck into the headstock ....I'll have a bash later but I figured the taper specs being different means that thisisn't doable? (headstock is MT3 & tailstock is MT2). Now I'm clueless about these things so you're probably laughing right now!

Ross...it's my intention to buy an independant 4 jaw....but nobody holds stock (due September) - actually, it may well be that *somebody* does hold stock, but compatibility seems to be a little bit unclear (I'd have thought retailers would have an inkling which lathes their chucks are compatible with - nope). Re making a DXF file....what a kind offer - I've now spent a fair bit of time learning CAD so reckon I can now knock up my own, but I don't have the dimensions ....I do have the mount of course, but it's a tricky shape to measuring accurately - I guess I can have a go then print it out onto paper until it's a good match!

Hi you will need a MORSE TAPER SLEEVE they are readily avalible for around about £6.
Ivan.

Well, you live & learn ....I didn't even know these things existed! It certainly saves me dicking about trying to know up my own mounting/adapter plate!


Many thanks to all.

Just a quick thought - would slapping a low quality MT2 drill chuck into the MT3 headstock (with aforementioned morse taper) & then boring out the chuck's jaws at the diameter of the workpiece intended to be 'held', be a quick/dirty/cheap solution for rapid workpiece throughput?

What's the gotcha? Are all drill chuck jaws hardened making this a tricky task?

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Originally Posted by HankMcSpank

Well, you live & learn ....I didn't even know these things existed!

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I knew they existed, having used them, but not their name.

Normally, they're called "you bastard", as in "why won't you release the drill bit, you bastard?" :smile:

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Just a quick thought - would slapping a low quality MT2 drill chuck into the MT3 headstock (with aforementioned morse taper) & then boring out the chuck's jaws at the diameter of the workpiece intended to be 'held', be a quick/dirty/cheap solution for rapid workpiece throughput?

What's the gotcha? Are all drill chuck jaws hardened making this a tricky task?

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Hi Hank
I'm by no means an expert on this, but I have seen it done on other sites. I wouldnt use a drill bit though, too flexable. I ones I,ve seen use a small die grinder in a dremel mounted on the tool post. You have to place wedges between the jaws so they in compression against the scrolls. Once ground the chuck will perfectly hold material at that radius. so if you use a small 3mm grinding stone then you should be able to get the 5mm dia. your after.

I would suggest you google "regrinding lathe chuck jaws" or something similar, Unfortunaley the links I have are on my work PC,( I try to find they again if i get time)

With regard to the jaws you can get hardened and soft, dont now how to tell them apart tho. Maybe u can get new soft jaws so you dont ruin the originals.

Like I said at the begining I'm not an expert and there are people who will frown on this proceedure. If u research then u can make ur own mind up.

Let me know if u need help with the DXF. I use CAD everyday so shouldt take long, or even if you get stuck.

just seen a link in the similar treads box. Take a look at Irvings tread "truing chuck jaws" from last year. That was one of the sites I saw.

Sorry dont know how to link to other treads.

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Originally Posted by Ross77

just seen a link in the similar treads box. Take a look at Irvings tread "truing chuck jaws" from last year. That was one of the sites I saw.

Sorry dont know how to link to other treads.

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You mean [ame="http://www.mycncuk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=474"]this [/ame]one