On 1 Aug 2008 04:23:25 GMT, "DoN. Nichols"
wrote:

On 2008-08-01, Ignoramus25244 wrote:
Don, maybe you are right. Can you point me to an example of a 5C
drawtube system?

big snip
I had to order a new nosepiece and protector from Royal when I
got my L-00 spindle -- but I understand that Royal no longer sells these
for anything but CNC machines these days. (Scott Logan - is that
right?)

The handwheel type is fairly easy to build, if you can get some
tube which will fit loosely in the spindle, and which you can internally
thread to match the collet thread. The lever system is quite a bit more
complex, and it is easier to find and adapt one than to make one from
scratch without one to examine.

Haunt e-Bay with the Morse taper and spindle bore and length
measurements and you will eventually find one.

Maybe others can point you to someone who still makes them for
manual machines.

Enjoy,
DoN.

What DoN said. I made my own handwheel type, including the protector.
I made the handwheel from aluminum plate, used an aircraft torque tube
ball bearing for the thrust bearing, and a tube of almost perfect
dimensions of 4140, just had to thread the ends. However, I didn't
get the performance I wanted (runout) until I replaced the homemade
adapter with one from Royal. Just tell Royal the exact model of your
lathe and they'll tell you what adapter. As a bonus, you'll find out
what your headstock taper is. Mine wound up being a shortened MT5.
Good luck.

Pete Keillor