Can't ya put a set screw in the chuck to keep it from unscrewing? Just
a thought..

Now to the original question from Jim, room is an issue, I would say
the footprint of the lathe can't be greater than 6'x3' or so. Real
issue is getting something too damn heavin into my shop, the BP was put
in prior to the basement being finished through a 6' slider (we have a
walkout basement). The way I figure it, even with a Clausing or other
1200 pounder, I would take it apart, bring it to shop, clean and
reasemble. If the footprint gets bigger than I will have to rearrange
my shop cabinets and BP, not the end of the world. Here is a few shots
of the shop for S&G's:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...d/IMG_0571.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...d/IMG_0563.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...d/IMG_0567.jpg

The microwave is actually a GE Advantium (damn thing cost like 650
bucks) I use for heat treating metal and preheating aluminum (etc)
prior to tig welding..we had a house fire Halloween morning (talk about
BOO!!) salvaged the cabinets and oven for the shop..proverbial silver
lining I guess :-)

As you can see, kind of cramped...but, hey I am not a production guy,
just a wanabee prototyper/inventor.

By the way, here is a shot of a shaper I just made (for cutting
keyways, and making round holed square...got the idea from HSM, works
well on aluminum...question how well it will work of CRS.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...d/IMG_0570.jpg
again, totally off topic, just thought I would share.

Back to thread, talked wife into basically whatever, cap = 4k, if I
spend $4001, I am a dead man. New dilemma is finding something before
a new emergency comes up that takes away SWMBO approved funds...this
has happened before...the ol, "The new engine for you 78 Trans Am was
fine until 2 of our kids needed braces in the same 6 months". then, the
T/A got pushed back...that vs jumping on the first thing that comes by.
I bet I sound like a lot of you guys :-)

Sorry for the ramble....


John