I'd been looking for a drill chuck for my lathe, so when I found a nice one at
an estate sale last week I bought it. Unfortunately, it had no chuck key and
I've been unable to find one.

The engraving on the chuck says:

NO 14 S JACOBS SPIRAL GEAR CHUCK PAT FEB 17 '25

I've contacted Jacobs and they don't have parts for anything over 25 years
old.

If anyone has a key to fit this chuck that they don't need, please let me
know. The key shaft is 5/32" and as the chuck label states, the teeth are
curved.

I've tried using a key with straight teeth and it just doesn't work.


--
It's turtles, all the way down

"Larry Blanchard" wrote: (clip)the teeth are
curved. I've tried using a key with straight teeth and it just doesn't
work.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Must be pretty rare--I've never even seen such a thing. But--I do have a
suggestion. Sometimes, when I am desperate, I have been able to improvise
by using the shank of a drill bit and a screwdriver. It's clumsy, but it
works. So, if I had your problem, I would weld a piece of roundstock to a
good-sized screwdriver, and maybe heat, hammer and grind the blade to fit.
What? Don't have acetylene? Where are you--maybe someone in your
neighborhood will offer to help. Maybe it will be me, if you're in the SF
Bay Area.

"Larry Blanchard" wrote: (clip) no chuck key and I've been unable to find
one.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Also, post to rec.crafts.metalworking--very knowlegeable and helpful group.

1. There are only a small number (probably 4 sizes) of Jacobs Chuck Keys. If
you contact Jacobs just ask what size Chuck Key you need for your model
chuck. It might be helpful if you tell them the maximum size drill it takes.

"Larry Blanchard" wrote in message
...
I'd been looking for a drill chuck for my lathe, so when I found a nice
one at
an estate sale last week I bought it. Unfortunately, it had no chuck key
and
I've been unable to find one.

The engraving on the chuck says:

NO 14 S JACOBS SPIRAL GEAR CHUCK PAT FEB 17 '25

I've contacted Jacobs and they don't have parts for anything over 25 years
old.

If anyone has a key to fit this chuck that they don't need, please let me
know. The key shaft is 5/32" and as the chuck label states, the teeth are
curved.

I've tried using a key with straight teeth and it just doesn't work.


--
It's turtles, all the way down

Hi Larry, Like Leo, I've never seen a spiral Jacobs chuck. I guess the
gear on the sleeve is a bevelled spiral with the key (pinion) to match?
I think Leo's fix is about the best that you can expect to do given the
likelihood of finding this rare key, but you never know and I'm often
wrong.

Is the mount intact and is it a Morse taper that fits your lathe
spindles or is it an open bore headstock chuck? Seems strange to use
spiral gears for a small general purpose chuck. Wonder what it was
designed for? I assume the estate sale was a bargain or you wanted to
collect an unusual chuck, since key or keyless Jacobs chucks usuable for
wood lathes range from about $10.00 H.F. to $45.00 C.S.

Anyway thanks, you sure put my little gray ones to work, Larry. BTW
Leo, I took a look at RCM. If you guys here think I'm wordy and full of
it, take a peek over there.


Turn to Safety, Arch
Fortiter


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

Arch wrote:

Is the mount intact and is it a Morse taper that fits your lathe
spindles or is it an open bore headstock chuck?**Seems*strange*to*use
spiral gears for a small general purpose chuck. Wonder what it was
designed for?**I*assume*the*estate*sale*was*a*bargain*or*yo u*wanted*to
collect an unusual chuck, since key or keyless Jacobs chucks usuable for
wood lathes range from about $10.00 H.F. to $45.00 C.S.


It's a #2 Morse taper, which fits both my lathe and my drill press. And it's
not a "small" chuck. Goes up to 1/2" instead of the 3/8" common today. And
yes, I got a deal - $2.

At least it'll be a deal if I can find a key :-).

--
It's turtles, all the way down

Frank Arthur wrote:

1. There are only a small number (probably 4 sizes) of Jacobs Chuck Keys. If
you contact Jacobs just ask what size Chuck Key you need for your model
chuck. It might be helpful if you tell them the maximum size drill it takes.

Read my post again, Frank. It's got "spiral" teeth. All of todays chucks
have straight cut teeth. And, as I also said, I did talk to Jacobs.

--
It's turtles, all the way down

Leo Lichtman wrote:


"Larry Blanchard" wrote: (clip) no chuck key and I've been unable to find
one.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Also, post to rec.crafts.metalworking--very knowlegeable and helpful group.



Aha! I'll try that. Thanks.

--
It's turtles, all the way down

On Tue, 01 Aug 2006 09:13:48 -0700, Larry Blanchard wrote:

I'd been looking for a drill chuck for my lathe, so when I found a nice one at
an estate sale last week I bought it. Unfortunately, it had no chuck key and
I've been unable to find one.

The engraving on the chuck says:

NO 14 S JACOBS SPIRAL GEAR CHUCK PAT FEB 17 '25

I've contacted Jacobs and they don't have parts for anything over 25 years
old.

If anyone has a key to fit this chuck that they don't need, please let me
know. The key shaft is 5/32" and as the chuck label states, the teeth are
curved.

I've tried using a key with straight teeth and it just doesn't work.

How about "mickey mousing" it?

I couldn't find one in a quick scan of their site, but Harbor Freight sells a
rubber sleeve that sort of converts it to a poor man's keyless chuck..


Mac

https://home.comcast.net/~mac.davis
https://home.comcast.net/~mac.davis/wood_stuff.htm