Distractions, distractions...........damn distractions....

[Runs With Scissors]

Ok, there I am again, just minding my own business when apparently the Amazon Fairy drops a package.......

I am in the middle of overhauling my front axle.....(Topic for a new thread eventually)

It's getting late'ish and the day is winding down, my attention span is at the end, and I basically wanted to get one more thing done.......BUT

I see this out of the corner of my eye as I am walking down to "the shop".......

I forgot that I ordered it............until I tried to pick it up, then it hit me.......

My new 8 inch lathe chuck has arrived.

So here is the "back story" on this.......

I had to make some "simple tooling" for the axle project I am working on.

Well, the long and short of it is that my inexperience with "project planning" or "order of operations" forced me to have to reverse the jaws on my chuck a few times.

Now this is not a terribly difficult process, it's basically 6 cap bolts off, flip them, then 6 back on......However it was pissing me off.......

So later that night, I decided that "enough was enough" ............I have "flipped my last 'chuck jaw' damn it".

Now I gotta decide.......get another 6 incher, or move up to an 8"?........I make a "command decision" and go for the 8.....(Mostly because if I decide it's too big , the Big A has a FABULOUS return policy )

After reading some reviews, it was only a few painless clicks later, and it was on it's way....

(I often wonder, "How did people survive before Amazon?"........I do remember a time before the Big A, but strangely, the further away it gets, the "stranger ' I feel about living during those times.......an odd feeling really)

Any whooo........



Now I flip it over and see that the "locking lugs" are not installed from the factory.....Hmmm????

So I took my existing one off and kinda looked at them "side by side"

Well this forces me to make a few observations that until now, I had never noticed.

Those locking lugs are not "tight", they are actually a little "loosey goosey".

Hmmmm....never realized that before.

So in my excitement, I just screwed them all in until they seated, back them off until each one lined up, then whipped out the Chi-Com version of "Blue Lock Tite" and put the 'retaining cap screws" in and BAM!

Well imagine my surprise when I went to install it on the machine, and only 2 of the locking lugs would turn.......DAMN IT ALL TO HELL!!!!!!!!!!

It figures......there must be some sort of "voodoo" that needs to be done to make it work.

So as I am pondering it, it occurs to me that those "locking lugs" must be, some how, "fitted" to match my machine.

So I get my "little square" and start making some observations.

It appears that there are slight variations in the height of those lugs.

That must be it......It's simple make them all the same height.......Right???????

 

[Hugo Habicht]

It is not the height that matters, it is the distance from the mounting plane to the round groove.

And yes, they are loose and I believe they have to be like this. When tightenting the locks on the spindle the little groove has to be in between the arrows to be mounted safely.

Great idea, may have to order another chuck for the same reason



p.s.: how come you have six lugs? I think I have only three ...

 

[Runs With Scissors]

Well after "Monkey F'ing" with it for a short while, I realize that those damn lugs will NEVER actually be the same height.

I conclude that they must somehow be "custom fit".

So after studying my original, it seems there are also height variations.

The 2 following pics represent the "extremist" of the height variations.

So I devise a plan.


About this time, I also take note of something that I have seen before, but never really "realised".....And to be 100% honest, I'm not sure that it's even true.

It appears that if you look at the machine there are some sort of marks that upon closer review and thought, appear to be "Chi-Com arrows" , one pointing down, the other pointing to the right, as well as a little "tick mark" on the square "tightener"

Now I'm not an idiot, but I never really thought about the significance of them until today.

I am thinking that those "Chi-Com arrows" are the Upper and Lower marks for a "properly fitted lug"?


So all the lugs that wont tighten, maybe need to be "customized".

So I start marking them with my paint marker

I try to get them all within those "arrows", and it seems to be working, albeit it is a slow process, and


DAMN......That chuck is A LOT heavier than my little 6 incher.

The above pic is the "worst" one. It appears to be on the "extreme end" of the arrows, but it if you unscrew it one turn, it wont lock at all, so I am gonna probably just gonna "live with it" ....

Now I decide to maeasure the OD runout.

I have no idea if this measurement is of any "significance", but I set up my most accurate dial indicator like so........break out "THE VERDICT"!!!!!

I forgot to take pics of the "before and after" when I was measuring the runout, but I did take a video.

I think thats OK?

Here it is

https://rumble.com/v6x7m9c-chuck-runout-video.html

 

[Runs With Scissors]

p.s.: how come you have six lugs? I think I have only three ...

Because I am an "over-achiever" ?

From what I can tell, there are different "models" of chuck patterns, and mine happens to be a "D1-5" which ironically has 6 lugs....

 

[Runs With Scissors]

Now for the "Big Question".......

"Which chuck would you set up to have the jaws in which orientation?"

Should I set the "big one" to have the "step'd jaws" face in or out?

Or Vice-Versa?

EDIT: I never did get that thing done that I wanted too either.....Hell I can't even remember what it was.

 

[Hugo Habicht]

Now for the "Big Question".......

"Which chuck would you set up to have the jaws in which orientation?"

Should I set the "big one" to have the "step'd jaws" face in or out?

Or Vice-Versa?

If the hole diameter in the 8" chuck is bigger I would leave that the way it is and turn the 6" jaws. Unless you plan to machine huge diameters in the near future.

 

[Yooper]

Here is what I would do: chuck up a piece of round stock with the jaws the standard way and measure run out. Do it with several diameters. Winner of the contest gets to stay the same and the other gets flipped.

 

[Hugo Habicht]

Now I'm not an idiot, but I never really thought about the significance of them until today.

I am thinking that those "Chi-Com arrows" are the Upper and Lower marks for a "properly fitted lug"?

yes, that's what I wrote in my post.

"if anything else fails, read the manual"

 

[Hugo Habicht]

Wrt to runout I always considered a three jaw chuck as not being precise, so the part has to be finished before taking it out. For more accurate re-clamping I use the thing in the picture (don't know the english name). Comes with different inserts, clamping range is only 1mm (1/25").

 

[GeoHorn]

What did that 8-incher cost?

 

[Runs With Scissors]

What did that 8-incher cost?

I paid $458.66 with tax.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01ADBG7MU?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title&th=1


Not the most expensive, but not the cheapest.

 

[Runs With Scissors]

Wrt to runout I always considered a three jaw chuck as not being precise, so the part has to be finished before taking it out. For more accurate re-clamping I use the thing in the picture (don't know the english name). Comes with different inserts, clamping range is only 1mm (1/25").

I'm pretty sure we call that a "collet".

I'm considering one......one day, but I also like to be able to chuck up "odd-ball" sizes too.

 

[Runs With Scissors]

Here is what I would do: chuck up a piece of round stock with the jaws the standard way and measure run out. Do it with several diameters. Winner of the contest gets to stay the same and the other gets flipped.

ooooohhhh....Thats a great idea.

I just got a 2 pieces of O1 drill rod to try and "play with", and if I remember correctly, I think it said they are "precision ground"

Thanks

 

[Hugo Habicht]

I'm pretty sure we call that a "collet".

That's it ! Now I remember it...
Thank you very much for improving my English


p.s.: this is the best forum ever. From Kubota tractor operating and repairs, English language skill, safe cracking etc. there is everything here one will ever need.

 

[Hugo Habicht]

Actually, with respect to your decision which jaws to turn around: I do not think it matters really. According to Murphy's law you will need the jaws that you had turned the opposite way then for the next job