"Jim Wilkins" wrote in message
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"Bob La Londe" wrote in message
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Overall I am pretty happy with my Chinese made Precision mathews
PM1440LBE lathe. However there are some little things that just make me
go, "Hmmmmm...."

The 1440 mostly gets used for quick and dirty single setup one off
projects. This means most of the time the 3 jaw scroll chuck is the most
efficent. Sometimes I have to dial stuff in to the exisitng part and the
4 jaw gets swapped on. So far I haven't needed the faceplae, but I can
envision several types of jobs where I would use it.

Recently my success and happiness with the little 3C hand wheel closer on
the small 8.5x18 HF lathe got me thinking that there would be jobs that
would be handy to do with a 5C closer on the 1440.

I recently picked of a lever style collet closer. The price was cheap
enough I don't mind using it as a learning tool, or even scrapping it
after learning how to make one if necessary. Now to figure out how to
setup a spindle adapter. I've found MT5 to 5C adapters. The factory
claims the spindle bore is MT6, but it also came with a "MT6" to MT4
adapter so I can turn between centers if I so choose. I figured a cheap
import MT6 to MT5 adapter would atleast get me in the right ballpark to
start figuring stuff out.

I didn't even have to put the import adapter in the spindle to see it
didn't match up. Its a different taper angle than the adapter that came
with the lathe. So...

I dropped Precision Mathews an email and asked what the heck the spindle
bore really is. This is their reply.

************
"Hi Bob, They are listed from the factory as MT6. But our other
machines are listed the same way, and its actually an MT 5-1/2 So that
might be it."
************

Ok.... I had not heard of half sizes before and a cursory search doesn't
bring them up.

.... grumble grumble grumble ....

Now for the fun part. The lever closer did come with a 5C adapter. I
don't know what the outside is, but... It doesn't fit in a MT4 or an MT5
sleeve. Is it an MT4-1/2?

Please don't throw away anything that might fit a South Bend Heavy 10.

Since you have examples of the required tapers you could set the compound
to their angles with an indicator and make a sleeve.

When I tried this to make taper adapters for my surface grinder spindle I
found out how worn the compound on my 1965-vintage lathe was.
-jsw

I need to check dimensions, but I asked Matt over at PM two follow up
questions.

Does the MT adapter that comes with the lathes fit well?

Can I get more of them if I screw this one up?

He said, "yes and yes" and the replacement price was pretty reasonable as
well. That gives me other machining options. I can machine one of those
adapters out to 5C (or maybe 16C (or maybe make one of each)) and go from
there.