Hi all:

I have a Rockwell Beaver 3400 36 inch Lathe. It has a 7/8 14 THD S.A.E.
STD thread in the headstock and I am looking for a Jacobs chuck to go on
that. I have a chuck which goes into the tailstock but that requires me
to push the spinning wood into the stationary drill bit and I would like
to do it the other way around if possible. Is there a way to convert
(adapt) my current chuck to go into the headstock or does anyone know
where I can buy another one that will work?

Thanks in advance.

Richard Shelson

Hi Richard

I don't think there is much of a difference, turning the wood or the
drill, however it could be a problem holding the wood on the tailstock.
As for getting a Drill chuck with the 7/8 X 14 thread that will be a
problem, the biggest I can find is 5/8 X 16, and a 3/4 X 16, no 7/8 X
14, those chucks run $150.- US.
You can have a machine chop make you an adapter so you can use a 1/2"
chuck 5/8 x 16 they cost a lot less, approx. $70.- US.

Have fun and take care
Leo Van Der Loo

Dorothy and Richard Shelson wrote:

Hi all:

I have a Rockwell Beaver 3400 36 inch Lathe. It has a 7/8 14 THD S.A.E.
STD thread in the headstock and I am looking for a Jacobs chuck to go on
that. I have a chuck which goes into the tailstock but that requires me
to push the spinning wood into the stationary drill bit and I would like
to do it the other way around if possible. Is there a way to convert
(adapt) my current chuck to go into the headstock or does anyone know
where I can buy another one that will work?

Thanks in advance.

Richard Shelson

In article ,
Leo Van Der Loo wrote:

I don't think there is much of a difference, turning the wood or the
drill, however it could be a problem holding the wood on the tailstock.

It seems I just recently read that a drill will wander less if the drill
is stationary and the wood turns rather than the drill turns. I don't
recall the source for that or if it really makes any difference but I
thought I'd throw it out there to hear the comments.

--
"Sure we'll have fascism in America, but it'll come disguised
as 100% Americanism." -- Huey P. Long

Leo Van Der Loo wrote:

Hi Richard

I don't think there is much of a difference, turning the wood or the
drill, however it could be a problem holding the wood on the tailstock.

That depends on what you are drilling. A pen blank held in a chuck can be
aligned lots more easily than the other way around. The chuck centers one end
while the free end is aligned with the drill bit or live center in the
tailstock. But if you just want to use the lathe as drill press to hold a
sanding disk, or buffer then the Jacobs chuck needs to be in the headstock.,
or for an occasional freehand drilling job (definitely not recommended).

"Dorothy and Richard Shelson" wrote in message
news:SXiPd.365673$8l.322706@pd7tw1no...
Hi all:

I have a Rockwell Beaver 3400 36 inch Lathe. It has a 7/8 14 THD S.A.E.
STD thread in the headstock and I am looking for a Jacobs chuck to go on
that. I have a chuck which goes into the tailstock but that requires me
to push the spinning wood into the stationary drill bit and I would like
to do it the other way around if possible. Is there a way to convert
(adapt) my current chuck to go into the headstock or does anyone know
where I can buy another one that will work?



Can't find that number on the Rockwell/Beaver lathe page at
http://www.acetoolrepair.com/DeltaHt...WoodLathes.htm
Does it have a morse taper in the headstock for use with the driven center?
If so, standard chucks can be purchased for use with the MT. Sounds like a
#1 MT would be the one.
http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.a...330,49238&ap=1

Hi Owen

The problem with the twist drills we use is that they cut not only on
the front edge, but will also remove material like wood, on their side
Also the drill has not a lot of mass to keep itself stiff and straight,
it is made to get rid of the swarf, now if speed was not a problem with
heat etc., than a very fast turning drill would tend to stay rigid more
so than a slow turning one, turning the wood, rather than the drill, I
don't see as making a difference.
For drilling a straight hole a so called D drill works but takes forever
to drill deep, you have to back out the bit very often, Dan Bollinger I
think it was, showed an old drill that would drill long straight holes,
it looks a bit like a pipe sawn in half lengthwise and a forstner like
cutting end, I never seen one or how they stack up but I can see that it
might work well.

Have fun and take care
Leo Van Der Loo

Owen Lowe wrote:

In article ,
Leo Van Der Loo wrote:


I don't think there is much of a difference, turning the wood or the
drill, however it could be a problem holding the wood on the tailstock.


It seems I just recently read that a drill will wander less if the drill
is stationary and the wood turns rather than the drill turns. I don't
recall the source for that or if it really makes any difference but I
thought I'd throw it out there to hear the comments.

Hi George:

Thanks for your message. The Lathe is old, probably mid 1970's so it is
not likely to be listed on any active page. It IS listed on the Old
Woodworking Machines page at the following URL

http://www.owwm.com/PhotoIndex/detail.asp?id=102

It does not have a Morse taper in the Headstock, only the Thread mount I
mentioned. It has a #2 Morse Taper in the Tailstock which is where I
currently mount the Jacobs Chuck when I need to use it.

Richard Shelson

P.S. You have yourself well hidden. I tried to reply to you through the
backchannels so I did not visit this specific information on everyone
but the message bounced so I am sending it this way.

George wrote:
"Dorothy and Richard Shelson" wrote in message
news:SXiPd.365673$8l.322706@pd7tw1no...

Hi all:

I have a Rockwell Beaver 3400 36 inch Lathe. It has a 7/8 14 THD S.A.E.
STD thread in the headstock and I am looking for a Jacobs chuck to go on
that. I have a chuck which goes into the tailstock but that requires me
to push the spinning wood into the stationary drill bit and I would like
to do it the other way around if possible. Is there a way to convert
(adapt) my current chuck to go into the headstock or does anyone know
where I can buy another one that will work?




Can't find that number on the Rockwell/Beaver lathe page at
http://www.acetoolrepair.com/DeltaHt...WoodLathes.htm
Does it have a morse taper in the headstock for use with the driven center?
If so, standard chucks can be purchased for use with the MT. Sounds like a
#1 MT would be the one.
http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.a...330,49238&ap=1

"Dorothy and Richard Shelson" wrote in message
news:cfeQd.394009$6l.42765@pd7tw2no...
Thanks for your message. The Lathe is old, probably mid 1970's so it is
not likely to be listed on any active page. It IS listed on the Old
Woodworking Machines page at the following URL

http://www.owwm.com/PhotoIndex/detail.asp?id=102

It does not have a Morse taper in the Headstock, only the Thread mount I
mentioned. It has a #2 Morse Taper in the Tailstock which is where I
currently mount the Jacobs Chuck when I need to use it.


Sounds like that's the only place you'll be using it. The Rockwell
Beaver/Homecraft lines were a step down from their shop quality machines,
which puts them at least one step above the current crop. They made some
compromises to keep the price down, one of which, the drive spindle, you
have discovered. The only suggestion I have remaining is to get an adapter
made by a machinist, similar to
http://www.packardwoodworks.com/Merc...-acc-spndladpt

I had a local do a 1 1/4x 8 TPI to 1" pin chuck for me for $25 bucks.