On May 8, 12:48*am, "DoN. Nichols" wrote:
On 2010-05-08, Searcher7 wrote:
On May 7, 9:27*pm, "DoN. Nichols" wrote:
On 2010-05-07, Searcher7 wrote:
* * * * [ ... ]
* * * * Could you bother saying what the size of the lathe is?
"Mini-Lathe" does not devine it for me.
Sorry. I have a red 7" x 14" Microlux. The newer one is exactly the
same, but gray. (That's "grey" in the U.K.). :-)
http://www.micromark.com/MICROLUX-7X...ATHE,8176.html
* * * * Anyway -- the first one is 4" diameter, and a 3-jaw chuck
normally should not be much larger than 1/2 the swing of the lathe. *At
a guess, your "mini-lathe" could be one of the 7x10" lathes, which would
put a maximum 3-jaw chuck size of 3-1/2". *(4-jaw chucks can be, and
often are, larger.) *This chuck is for at least an 8" swing lathe.
* * * * [ ... ]
The seller may put them back up, but obviously money is better spent
on something more useful for my machine. Thanks.
* * * * Better. *You probably *could* make alternate backplates for
those chucks, but you would have to be *very* careful never to back the
jaws out enough so they could hit the bed under power. *Better to have
the 3-1/2" chucks and be *sure* that they will be clear.
I assume that I'd have to be just as mindful as when and if I get a
regular 5" chuck for this lathe.
Speaking of collet chucks. I can't seem to find much info on the one I
have shown at the top of this page:
http://s290.photobucket.com/albums/l...slander/Tools/
I have to figure out how to use it and if I'm missing any parts.(It
came in the same box which was supposed to contain the 5C collect
chuck).
* * * * I think that this is intended to be held in a larger chuck (or a
in a *very* large collet) to do a makeshift adaptation to 5C collets. *I
can't see clearly whether the black end has a proper taper for closing a
5C collet or not. *The other end certainly does not.
* * * * If the black end has the taper for a 5C collet, you thread the
collet into the separate ring (which I presume has threads on the ID to
match a 5C collet) chuck the silver part in the chuck or very large
collet, and use the tommy bar to rotate the black part to close the
collet.
I added three clearer pics of it taken apart:
http://s290.photobucket.com/albums/l...slander/Tools/
I can see some sort of taper inside the opening at the non-threaded
end of the black part that starts at about 1-7/16" in diameter. It
tapers down for about a 1/2" before the I.D. straightens out the rest
of the way at about 1-1/4" diameter).
* * * * O.K. *So it works the way I expected.
Also,a s you can see there are eight threaded holes that are about
7/16" deep, on the outside circumference of the black part.
* * * * For threading a bar into to closing the collet by unscrewing the
black part a bit.
Ok. So the larger bar in the pic is what I'm supposed to thread in
order to use it.
* * * * The pin in the bore of the silver part is to engage the key in
the collet to prevent it from rotating as you attempt to close or open
the collet with the black ring.
The I.D. of the small ring is threaded. (The two bars don't seem to
serve a purpose).
* * * * The small ring should thread onto the back of a collet. *You say
that you have a set, so try it.
Ok, I'll have to dig those out of storage.
* * * * The larger bar probably threads into the black part to apply
force to it to close or open the collet while it is gripped in the chuck
of a larger lathe.
* * * * The smaller bar I suspect is for turning the small threaded ring
to capture or release the collet when you need to change collets.
You lost me there. There is nothing apparent about how the small bar
might work with the other parts.
* * * * Pick up the parts, and an example collet and play with them to
see how they go together. *This particular design is probably not as
precise in centering (even if tuned on center with a 4-jaw chuck), but
has the advantage that it closes the collet without drawing it back so
the workpiece position does not shaft towards the headstock as it is
closed.
* * * * It is sort of like the square and hex collet blocks for use
with a milling machine. *To see examples of these, see eBay auction:
* * * * 400116973584
Yes, I have both. The square and hex.
* * * * So you know how they work.
Anyway -- I don't see what you have illustrated as being any use in a
lathe which qualifies as "mini". :-)
I'll keep it for light duty stuff, since the work would be pretty far
away from the spindle.
I also have a full set of 5C collets at every 1/32nd for when I was
thinking of milling larger diameter stock than 3C would allow. But
since I now have a mini mill/drill project that I plan to fix I
probably won't need all the MT3 stuff. (Like the endmill holders). Now
I'll need R8 tooling.
* * * * But the collet blocks and the collets can be used with the mill
and a vise to cut square or hex ends on workpieces.
That's the plan. I just have to figure out what to do with tolls like
the MT3 endmill holders.
http://www.harborfreight.com/two-spe...ill-drill-mach...
* * * * You will need a set of R8 collets, or some R8 shanked end mill
holders however. **Don't* try to hold an end mill in the drill chuck.
It is poorly designed for that task.
Yes. that JT33 drill chuck came with the mill/drill.(So now I have
two).
* * * * Enjoy,
* * * * * * * * DoN.
--
*Email: * * | Voice (all times): (703) 938-4564
* * * * (too) near Washington D.C. |http://www.d-and-d.com/dnichols/DoN.html
* * * * * *--- Black Holes are where God is dividing by zero ---
As for the "adjust tru". I guess unless I plan to so a high quantity
of the same size it would be more work(and cost) than it's worth.
Thanks a lot.
Darren Harris
Staten Island, New York.