Hi,

I have an old Craftsman lathe (from around 1950). The spindle has no
threads, only a flat onto which the faceplate is attached with a set
screw. This poses a problem when I want to use a bowl turning chuck,
all of which seem to screw on to the spindle. My question is, does a
morse taper exist, which comes out to a threaded section, onto which I
could screw a chuck? Should I take the spindle to a machine shop, and
have threads put on it? Is there another way for me to get a bowl
chuck onto this lathe?

Thanks

Curt Blood

"dustyone" wrote in message
ups.com...
Hi,

I have an old Craftsman lathe (from around 1950). The spindle has no
threads, only a flat onto which the faceplate is attached with a set
screw. This poses a problem when I want to use a bowl turning chuck,
all of which seem to screw on to the spindle. My question is, does a
morse taper exist, which comes out to a threaded section, onto which I
could screw a chuck? Should I take the spindle to a machine shop, and
have threads put on it? Is there another way for me to get a bowl
chuck onto this lathe?

Seems the Shopsmith solution might work. Buy the plain insert, have it
bored to fit the shaft and crossbored/tapped for a setscrew.

Heck, if you have a 5/8 shaft, just get the insert for Shopsmith.

Maybe thone of these?

http://www.pennstateind.com/store/chkspinconv.html

J.


dustyone wrote:
Hi,

I have an old Craftsman lathe (from around 1950). The spindle has no
threads, only a flat onto which the faceplate is attached with a set
screw. This poses a problem when I want to use a bowl turning chuck,
all of which seem to screw on to the spindle. My question is, does a
morse taper exist, which comes out to a threaded section, onto which I
could screw a chuck? Should I take the spindle to a machine shop, and
have threads put on it? Is there another way for me to get a bowl
chuck onto this lathe?

Thanks

Curt Blood

On Thu, 05 Jan 2006 15:08:39 -0800, dustyone wrote:

Hi,

I have an old Craftsman lathe (from around 1950). The spindle has no
threads, only a flat onto which the faceplate is attached with a set
screw. This poses a problem when I want to use a bowl turning chuck,
all of which seem to screw on to the spindle. My question is, does a
morse taper exist, which comes out to a threaded section, onto which I
could screw a chuck? Should I take the spindle to a machine shop, and
have threads put on it? Is there another way for me to get a bowl
chuck onto this lathe?

Thanks

Curt Blood

Go to someplace like Kitts, J & L or Production Tool and get a MT 2 arbor.
Machine shops use shanks like this frequently.

Bill

"dustyone" wrote: (clip)does a morse taper exist, which comes out to a
threaded section, onto which I could screw a chuck? (clip)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
It would be risky to try that. The weight of a chuck, plus the wood would
put a side load on the Morse taper that would probably make it loosen. Add
to that the possibility of a catch twisting the taper.

The "Shopsmith" solution is probably your best bet. Don't invest too much
in this. My guess is you will be upgrading to a better lathe within a year.
So, if you buy a chuck, make sure it has a replaceable insert.

MT arbours are available ready threaded for a chuck at one end, but also
threaded for a draw bar which then goes through the head stock to a
retaining nut on the other side of it from the chuck. They are in the region
of £5 - £10 on EbayUK, which is about $9 - $18, plus the cost of a bit of
allthread and a nut for the drawbar. This would stop the chuck and arbour
working loose from the MT socket. Look in the general lathe secion, rather
than the woodturning one though.

Tony Wells.


"Leo Lichtman" wrote in message
...

"dustyone" wrote: (clip)does a morse taper exist, which comes out to a
threaded section, onto which I could screw a chuck? (clip)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
It would be risky to try that. The weight of a chuck, plus the wood would
put a side load on the Morse taper that would probably make it loosen.
Add to that the possibility of a catch twisting the taper.

The "Shopsmith" solution is probably your best bet. Don't invest too much
in this. My guess is you will be upgrading to a better lathe within a
year. So, if you buy a chuck, make sure it has a replaceable insert.

I agree with Leo.

This might a good place to suggest an old dodge re headstocks & Morse
tapers. Some cheaper lathe 1X8 spindles with
#2MT don't have much meat to prevent being deformed by a catch on a
heavy blank. Like the old ad that "motor oil is motor oil" being risky,
so is the proposition that "spindle steel is spindle steel".

As usual, I digress and meant to suggest inserting a #2MT plug to
strengthen the spindle when turning a heavy blank on a faceplate. The
plug can be cobbled from a worn out drill bit with MT shaft, usually
free for the asking, if accompanied with a small turning, at local
machine shops.

HTH (hope this helps)


Turn to Safety, Arch
Fortiter



http://community.webtv.net/almcc/MacsMusings

Sears sells an MT2 that is threaded 1/2" x 20unf (abt $12) but you'll
need a sleeve or helicoil or something similar to add a regular face
plate. I bought it to add a Jacobs 1/2" drill chuck to. Got the chuck
at Harbor Freight for $5.
John

dustyone wrote:
Hi,

I have an old Craftsman lathe (from around 1950). The spindle has no
threads, only a flat onto which the faceplate is attached with a set
screw. This poses a problem when I want to use a bowl turning chuck,
all of which seem to screw on to the spindle. My question is, does a
morse taper exist, which comes out to a threaded section, onto which I
could screw a chuck? Should I take the spindle to a machine shop, and
have threads put on it? Is there another way for me to get a bowl
chuck onto this lathe?

Thanks

Curt Blood