------------------------------------------------------------------ This is just one of some 80 files about machining and metalworking and useful workshop subjects that can be read at: http://www.janellestudio.com/metal/index.html ------------------------------------------------------------------ Here are many tips on metal chucks to be used with the Taig metal lathe or milling machine, whether made by Taig or adapted from other brands. Anyone looking for ideas for using/adapting other brands of chucks for use on a Taig lathe or mill should definitely read the Sherline Chucks file, Chucks General, and Atlas Chucks General. If you got to this file directly from my HOME PAGE, return there by using your browser's back button. BUT if you came to this file as the result of a web search engine, see many additional files on my home page Machining and Metalworking at Home http://www.janellestudio.com/metal/index.html SAFETY WARNING BEWARE: DO NOT ASSUME that any subject matter or procedure or process is safe or correct or appropriate just because it was mentioned in a news/user group or was included in these files or on this site or on any other web site or was published in a magazine or book or video. Working with metals and machinery and chemicals and electrical equipment is inherently dangerous. Wear safety devices and clothing as appropriate. Remove watches, rings, and jewellery -- and secure or remove loose clothing -- before operating any machine. Read, understand and follow the latest operating procedures and safety instructions provided by the manufacturer of your machine or tool or product. 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(c) Copyright 2003 - 2015 Machining and Metalworking at Home The form of the collected work in this text file (including editing, additions, and notes) is copyrighted and this file is not to be reproduced by any means, including electronic, without written permission except for strictly personal use. ======================================================================== Date: Wed, 01 Nov 2000 11:45:40 -0500 From: Stan Stocker Subject: Re: chuck washer Bruce: Assuming you're talking about a Taig three jaw chuck with soft (aluminum) jaws secured to the scroll follower lower jaws, not a steel jawed 3 jaw chuck: The washer supplied with my 3 jaw is a one inch diameter. Press the washer firmly against the face of the chuck body, tighten the jaws normally, and take a fine slow pass down the jaw faces. When done, remove the washer, then remove the little pips where the washer was, either by turning off, removing the jaws from the scroll (NOT the soft jaws via the cap screws, the whole jaw) and filing, or using a washer with a bigger hole or a piece of tube to let a boring bar pass through. Other than using a ring/washer large enough to let the cutting tool get to the faces, you should use a diameter close to where you want maximum accuracy. If you want to add outer steps to the jaws for inside gripping (hollow tubing, certain flywheels, etc) you need to tighten the jaws by opening them against an outer band. Thick nylon wire ties work well for this, as do large hose clamps. If you use hose clamps watch your fingers! Stan ------- Date: Wed, 01 Nov 2000 17:27:48 -0000 From: "Phil Jaster" Subject: Re: chuck washer > If you want to add outer steps to the jaws for inside gripping (hollow tubing, certain flywheels, etc) you need to tighten the jaws by opening them against an outer band. Thick nylon wire ties work well for this, as do large hose clamps. If you use hose clamps watch your fingers! Stan < Stan: I just had a "duuuuhhh" moment reading this part of your post! Thanks for sharing the "obvious" I could not figure out why the darn outer steps I turned did not come out as "nice" as my "washer" turning! phil ------- Date: Sat, 26 May 2001 22:56:18 +0100 From: Tony Jeffree Subject: Re: Re: Chucks on the Taig lathe At 17:28 26/05/2001 -0400, you wrote: >While the topic of chucks has come up. Is there anyone using the >Sherline self-centering 3 jaw with hardened jaws on their Taig >(other than Allen Pinkus ... hi Allen) >http://home.flash.net/~arpinkus/3_jaw_chuck.htm >I use both my 4 jaw and 3 jaw Taig chucks but the 3 jaw for >intents and purposes is pretty poor (IMHO). I would like a >self-centering 3 jaw and am thinking of going with the Sherline one. I have a small Eastern import hardened 3-jaw (about the same size as the Sherline) which I have fitted to the Taig by using a spare faceplate as a backplate. The jaws were not terribly well machined as supplied, so I have ground them "in situ" by fitting a small mounted grinding wheel (Dremel type) to the toolpost. Works very well (now!), a lot cheaper than the Sherline, and you don't have to use a spacer to mount it on the Taig spindle. For those in the UK, the chuck came from Chester. Regards, Tony ------- Date: Sun, 27 May 2001 15:41:23 -0000 From: n2562001x~xxyahoo.com Subject: Re: Chucks on the Taig lathe Small chucks are my favorite subject, or they ought to be since I think I have one of each available. I use the chucks a lot and with everything else there is no free lunch. At PRIME I purchased a Taig 3 Jaw from Nick that I plan to use for cutting glass centers for clock gears. The chuck cost $48.00 and I am happy with it but it is a $48.00 chuck no more no less. I have some of the Imports but the Center holes through the body are small and the jaw travel is limited. At about $60.00 They are again $60.00 chucks. I think I have all of the Sherline chucks and they were in the $100.00 to $110.00 range. With the .750" center hole and full range Jaw travel for most applications they are definitely worth the extra $50.00-$60.00. However keep in mind you will not be getting a $200.00 or $500.00 Chuck. The current Levin and Bergeon chucks are outstanding in all respects if you have a $2000.00-$2500.00 budget. Jerry Kieffer ------- Date: Sun, 27 May 2001 11:46:51 -0600 From: "John Shadle" Subject: Re: Chucks on the Taig lathe I also have a Sherline 3-jaw as well as the Taig 3-jaw. I must say, that for the work I do (clocks) I prefer the Sherline. It's smaller, less apt to damage fingers with the bulky spinning jaws, grips better. Also, unless it's open quite a ways the carriage will slip under it, out of the way, next to the headstock. I do use the Taig 3-jaw sometimes, and it certainly isn't all that bad. I also love it to use with the full-circle jaws which has no Sherline equivalent. The aluminum soft-jaws are made to modify for special projects, which is why I bought it, with a spare set of jaws in addition to the full-circle jaws. I also have the Taig 4-jaw. I use it occasionally for special purposes. Never could afford the Sherline or Unimat 4-jaw. The 4-jaw is just fine. The other Sherline tool I love is the rotary table. John B. Shadle, CMC Online Clockbuilding: http://geocities.com/jshadle.geo/online_clock_building http://geocities.com/jshadle.geo/ ------- From: "Nicholas Carter and Felice Luftschein" Date: Sun Jul 22, 2001 7:05 pm Subject: Re: [taigtools] Chuck questions...(2) > #1, when you buy replacement jaws for the 3J chuck, does the replacemnt jaws come with spare screws? Yes > #2, anyone drilled the chuck so a second tommy bar can be used to "lock up" the chuck? (viz the Sherline system), > anyone know if it can be done without damaging the guts of the chuck? (I'm thinking somewhere around the midpoint between two jaws, and about central on the thickness, perhaps more towards the front... They now ship the 3 jaw chuck with the second holes, or so I'm told. I drilled a second set of holes in one and it is best to disassemble the chuck (keeping which jaw goes in which slot straight!) and see how much meat you have, and where to drill... ------- Date: Tue, 29 Jan 2002 21:34:36 -0000 From: "jumbo75007" Subject: taig 3 jaw chuck Is there any way to get the Taig 3 jaw chuck to grip better? I have done the boring trick a couple of times, but the aluminum jaws can only do so much. Am I destined to buy a Sherline 3 jaw chuck with steel jaws? My Taig 3 jaw does just fine with hex material but smaller round items seem to be just to iffy. Dan Fuller Carrollton, Texas ------- Date: Tue, 29 Jan 2002 16:13:45 -0600 From: "John Walters" Subject: Re: taig 3 jaw chuck In reference to what is a good 3 jaw chuck for the Taig lathe. I have adapted the 3" Bison chuck from MSC 1-800-645-7270, part number 08550030 several times to both the Taig lathe and Sherline lathe with excellent results. This is a keyed chuck with two sets of jaws. The chucks precision and gripping power is great. The actual 80mm diameter is a great fit on the Taig. This is a plain back chuck that will require you to make an adaptor back plate. I made mine from aluminum bar stock. John Walters ------- Date: Wed, 30 Jan 2002 08:14:17 -0600 From: "Bad Brad" Subject: Re: taig 3 jaw chuck [SEE TEXT FILE: Adapters Taig-Sherline] Dan, Sherline makes chucks that will thread right on to the Taigs spindle, are very precise right out of the box, and have great gripping power. The only thing needed is a spacer behind the chuck. The Taigs spindle nose is longer than the Sherline's and isn't under cut behind the threads like the Sherline's. To make the spacer, thread the sherline chuck on to the spindle nose with the jaws open. Stop threading the chuck before the spindle nose reaches the area where the jaws slide into. Operate the jaws to make sure they can be closed. Measure from the back of the chuck to where the spindle chuck seat is, this is the required spacer thickness. Remove the Sherline chuck. Make a spacer to slip on to the spindle. Very important, Be sure to face the spacer in the same set up on the lathe so that both sides are perfectly flat with each other. Forrest ------- Date: Wed, 30 Jan 2002 16:34:59 -0600 From: "John Walters" Subject: Re: Re: Bison chuck question >>Does this chuck have the same threads as the Taig? If not >>what does your adaptor look like? Ken Jenkins kjenkinsx~xxmac.com Hi Ken: I removed the adapter from the back of my Bison chuck for dimensions. This is a plain back chuck which means that is has a universal mount. The back of the chuck is ground flat and parallel to the face with a shallow recessed pilot diameter of 2.204" , .150" deep. The adapter has three holes drilled and counter bored for the supplied 6mm socket head cap screws spaced 120 degrees apart to line up with the chuck. I turned my adapter on a larger lathe and single point cut the 3/4-16 threads. The .750 d. pilot diameter was turned to match the Taig spindle nose. The threads could be tapped if one was careful. Once the thread and pilot were turned, the blank was parted off to .55" thickness. The blank was then mounted on the Taig to turn the 2.204" D. pilot concentric and perpendicular to the spindle. The adapter was then moved to an indexer to drill the three bolt holes. The outsider diameter of the adapter is 3.13". The adapter requires a little work to complete, but the end result is first class greatly enhancing the usefulness of the Quality Taig Lathe. Taig should offer this adapter as an option. John Walters ------- Date: Thu, 14 Mar 2002 23:38:31 -0000 From: "jumbo75007" Subject: Re: Bison 3 jaw chuck for the Taig > easiest way to make a backplate for a chuck is to buy a Taig face-plate > & machine that to fit. No problems with tapping/threading the 3/4"-16 I agree, unfortunately, all the US Taig face plates come with a channel in them for hold downs (I called the factory and asked). Interrupted cuts on steel with our small lathes seemed too cruel to me. So I went with the aluminum disk and a couple hours of work. Dan Fuller Carrollton, Texas ------- Date: Thu, 14 Mar 2002 23:56:31 -0000 From: "jumbo75007" Subject: Re: Bison 3 jaw chuck for the Taig >>> All this talk about the poor gripping of the taig chuck makes me wonder a few things. I have the standard chuck, and I've drilled holes in the body so i can use two tommy bars to help snug things down a bit. I'm wondering if steel jaws (in the place of the alloy jaws) would be of use, or is the weakness in the scroll? Thoughts? <<< There is nothing wrong with the Taig 3 jaw. The beauty of the chuck is the ease of truing up this scroll chuck (not as easy with a steel jawed one). The problem in holding is that aluminum will not keep tight. I certaintly can't give you some wonder disertation on the theory behind it, except that aluminum is much softer than steel and I assume it "mushes" away from what ever it is holding. Steel does not give (at least not on our scale of working). I don't have much work holding problems with hex stock. Dan Fuller Carrollton, Texas ------- Date: Fri, 15 Mar 2002 14:47:37 +0000 From: Tony Jeffree Subject: Re: Re: Bison 3 jaw chuck for the Taig >Interrupted cuts on steel with our small lathes seemed too cruel to >me. So I went with the aluminum disk and a couple hours of work. If you take it gently, the Taig copes well with the interrupted cuts. The steel they use cuts really nicely, which helps a lot. Perhaps we should ask Taig to sell faceplates without the channel too. Regards, Tony ------- From: John Walters To: TAIGTOOLSx~xxYAHOO.COM Sent: Thursday, January 31, 2002 10:22 AM Subject: Taig 3-Jaw Chuck I would like to pass on an application that the Taig three chuck excels at with its replaceable aluminum top jaws. I have built many models using gear blanks from W.M. Berg and PIC. The blanks have the teeth cut and the center hole drilled. In order to lighten the gears by counterboring the sides I needed a means to grip the gear without damaging the teeth. The solution was to modify the aluminum top jaws. To do this accurately a short piece of 3/8 crs was clamped at the inside of the steel master jaws. This would hold the jaws tight and center them up. Next I turned a .150 deep recess in the top jaws that would fit the gear. Now with the crs piece removed I could accurately and securely grip the gear without damaging the teeth. Over the years I have made many custom blanks. When it is time to reload a set I take a skim cut of the jaws to ensure TIR and I am up and running. I just checked out the Taig web site and noticed that a 4 jaw scroll chuck is now offered. This chuck should work even better since this application only clamps a specific size. I hope this information helps someone with their unique chucking applications. John Walters ------- Date: Wed, 27 Mar 2002 09:00:55 -0600 (CST) From: Tom Benedict Subject: Re: Taig drill chucks On Wed, 27 Mar 2002, optimuscoolbeans wrote: > I purcased a drill chuck from taig and it says that the chuck is > threaded 3/8 24. So, me thinking I bought a blank arbor and turned it > down and tapped it 3/8 24. Guess what. It didn't work. My thread set > is so old and some of the numbers are worn off. My thinking is that > the threads I cut were coarse. So, I was going to order the drill > chuck arbor. But then I got to thinkin again. If I just got another > blank arbor with fine pitched 3/8 24 I would then have a working drill > chuck arbor. So, what is my question after that long story. Are the > threads on the drill chucks fine or coarse? I might be messing > something else up and just want to narrow my problems down. I don't know. From memory, it looks like a 24 TPI thread. But I'd have to get out a thread pitch gauge and check it before I could say for sure. I've got one concern with going this route (and I've been thinking about going this route for my mill, because having to raise the mill head 4" just to clear the drill chuck arbor is getting to be a major pain in the rear.) My concern is concentricity. If you're doing single-point threading, this problem goes away entirely. Mount the arbor, turn it down, single-point thread it, maybe finish with a die to get a nice looking thread on it. But at that point you're guaranteed good concentricity. But if you turn it down, and cut the thread with a die, you're not guranteed that your thread will be 100% in line with the spindle. It could be a little off. And since I don't have my lathe set up for single-point threading yet (no Frog, no leadscrew), this isn't an option for me. > The other question that I have deals with using dies. If I was tring > to thread a 3/8 24 bolt or anything. What do I turn my bar down to > before threading. I have previously been machining my stock a little > smaller that 3/8 and the threads worked out fine. But, once again since > I am new to machining I want to kill any bad habits before they bloom. A little while ago I'd have said turn it down to whatever a screw chart says is the major diameter of the thread. (So for a #5 thread, that's 1/8".) I had some recent experiences that taught me otherwise, though. For starters, cutting full-depth threads is tough on the tools, and doesn't buy you a whole lot of extra thread. For example, cutting an 80% thread (where your outside diameter is the major diameter of the thread, minus 20% of the height of the thread) doesn't loose you that much in terms of thread strength, but it cuts down a lot on the force necessary to turn that die. Nevertheless, I was cutting full-depth threads for some of the brass parts I'm making for a clock. I was on the last of the threaded parts when it happened for the third time: The die jammed, and wrenched off part of the brass I was threading. I was using good threading technique. The die was perpendicular to the work, I was backing it to break chips, and I was cutting dry (this is brass). This ruined the last of the stock I had for these parts, so I ordered more material. While I was waiting, I measured some of the threads I'd cut successfully using this method. The screw chart I was using said the major diameter for a #5 thread is 0.125". When I measured the O.D. of the threads I'd cut, it was closer to 0.121" (or so... I'm doing this from memory, and I measured this stuff almost a month ago.) Turns out the die I'm using cuts the threads a little undersized. So starting with material 0.125" in size, it had to mow down 0.004" just to make a full-size thread! The new material is in, and I'm ready to start again. So here's the procedure I'm planning on using (any and all feedback is welcome): I already know what the major diameter is for the die I'm planning to use. I've measured it on the other parts I've cut, and it's consistant. I also know the threads I've cut up 'till now are full-size threads. Under magnification the threads all have pointy tops. So I'm planning on cutting my stock down to the major diameter I measure for this particular die, minus 0.1 of the total thread height, making for a 90% thread. I still get a lot of thread, but it's going to make threading a ton easier. (This is probably more answer than you were after. Sorry, I'm rambly this morning.) Tom ------- Date: Wed, 27 Mar 2002 15:43:11 +0000 From: Tony Jeffree Subject: Re: Taig drill chucks At 09:00 27/03/2002 -0600, you wrote: >I've got one concern with going this route (and I've been thinking about >going this route for my mill, because having to raise the mill head 4" >just to clear the drill chuck arbor is getting to be a major pain in the >rear.) My concern is concentricity. >If you're doing single-point threading, this problem goes away entirely. >Mount the arbor, turn it down, single-point thread it, maybe finish with >a die to get a nice looking thread on it. But at that point you're >guaranteed good concentricity. Hmmm. Maybe. I went this route just as an experiment, using a V-tipped engraving tool held in the CNC Mill & with a blank arbor screwed onto the nose of my 4th axis dividing head. (Usual setup here - drive the rotary axis off the Y axis of the mill...etc.) This cut a very nice 3/8"-24 thread that was guaranteed concentric, and the drill chuck fits it a treat. However, the arbor/chuck in combination somehow fails to deliver the same degree of concentricity that I get with the standard Taig drill chuck arbor. Maybe the really important elements here are: - The accuracy of the register at the back of the blank arbor; and - The accuracy of the register at the base of the drill chuck, rather than the accuracy of the threads Having measured four examples in my workshop, the drill chuck registers are definitely not consistent - the difference in diam between the smallest and the largest in my collection is about 8 thou. This is one of the reasons that I would like an MT headstock/tailstock, so that I could use decent quality Jacobs chucks with tapered (as opposed to threaded) fittings. Regards, Tony ------- Date: Wed, 27 Mar 2002 16:00:32 +0000 From: Tony Jeffree Subject: RE: Taig drill chucks At 10:52 27/03/2002 -0500, you wrote: >Since I have recently seen where someone bored the headstock to .375, why >not push it to .404 and ream it to #1 morse in the same manor that Sherline >does it? If this were possible then your could easily get milling collets >to fit it, and use the ww collet set available from Sherline that >includes a #1 morse adapter. Just a thought. Yep - its a good thought. Been pondering that one for a while. I guess the same concentricity discussion applies here though - very important to keep that reamer on-axis. I guess that a similar approach based on (taper) boring followed by reaming might be best here. I have a slight chicken-and-egg problem to solve though - I have a MT1 reamer, but it is on a MT1 (or possibly MT2, I cant remember offhand) taper shaft... Regards, Tony ------- Date: Wed, 27 Mar 2002 11:37:31 -0500 From: Stan Stocker Subject: Re: Taig drill chucks I think that might be a do-able mod. Do you happen to know the OAL of the Sherline spindle? I don't know if the lengths differ enough to prevent using the Sherline WW collet drawbar. If the Sherline is shorter, no problem just add a spacer, but if it is longer the drawbar would have to be extended or a longer one made. On the Taig, the pulley overhangs the outboard end of the spindle a bit just to add to the fun. The total length from spindle nose to outboard pulley face on my Taig is 4.936" so you have something to work from. The pulley could be couterbored a bit, allowing a spacer to slip into the pulley bore so the clamping force of the drawbar would bear on the outboard end of the spindle rather than be transfered through the aluminum pulley. It probably gets more into the different approaches of the machines more than a technical issue. Taig collets are cheap and self releasing, while MT1 collets (if they exist, I've only seen #2 and #3 collets) are expensive and self locking. Going with the complete Sherline WW adapter set costs about $250 - $275 if memory hasn't rusted too badly, although I think there is a smaller set for a bit under $100 available. If the ability to use higher quality or a wider range of collets if the primary issue, rather than MT1 tooling per se or greater pass through, Taig does offer a WW headstock, seems the price is around $75 or so. Still has the 3/4-16 spindle nose, so for most uses (using a 3 or 4 jaw chuck/adapters) there is no change in the lathe. I've been considering making an adapter to use the small ER series or RubberFlex collets on the Taig, but there hasn't been a project that has made me get past the "That might be a nice thing to do" stage :-) Cheers, Stan ------- Date: Wed, 27 Mar 2002 09:34:15 -0700 From: "Roger V. Petrella Jr." Subject: Re: Taig drill chucks Before you guys get real crazy, let me give you the gist of my conversation with Forrest at Taig about six years ago when I inquired about opening up the spindle bore a little. I had to be one of the leaders in doing this mod. First, he said it would be okay to go to 0.375, but not much more as if you went too much you would interfere with the 15 degree taper at the nose. If you went too much, the taper would no longer hold the collets securely on center. I'd have to check at home to see what the final size reamer I used was, but I believe it was 0.380 or 0.390. If anyone wants to know for sure, let me know, and I will check. Second, when I asked about the lack of Morse taper, Forrest said the reason he didn't use it was simple. The MT is what is considered a "sticking taper" and that you would likely have to knock or drive out the tooling. He said that even as heavy duty as the headstock was made, he didn't think it would be good to be beating on it all the time. I took his opinion as good and left it at that. In all that time, there have only been a couple of occasions where I still would have liked the MT for some special arbor that was available, but I have always worked around it with no problem. It also helps that I have a 6" Atlas lathe as well. In my opinion, if you need to do more than the Taig is capable of, get another lathe. Roger Petrella Franktown, CO ------- Date: Wed, 27 Mar 2002 15:21:18 -0800 From: "Nicholas Carter and Felice Luftschein" Subject: Re: Taig drill chucks The easiest thing (well not easy) is to make a new spindle like Tracy Presnell did, that uses ER collets. http://www.cartertools.com/nfhome.html ------- Date: Tue, 26 Mar 2002 17:09:51 -0800 From: "Nicholas Carter and Felice Luftschein" Subject: Re: Taig drill chucks > I purcased a drill chuck from taig and it says that the chuch is > threaded 3/8 24. So, me thinking I bought a blank arbor and turned > it down and tapped it 3/8 24. Guess what. It didn't work. My thread > set is so old and some of the numbers are worn off. My thinking is > that the threads I cut were coarse. So, I was going to order the > drill chuck arbor. But then I got to thinkin again. If I just got > another blank arbor with fine pitched 3/8 24 I would then have a > working drill chuck arbor. So, what is my question after that long > story. Are the threads on the drill chucks fine or coarse? 3/8"-24 is fine, 3/8"-16 is coarse.Turn it a little undersize, but leave a register portion unthreaded that matches the unthreaded end of the chuck. http://www.cartertools.com/nfhome.html ------- Date: Thu, 28 Mar 2002 17:14:20 -0600 (CST) From: Tom Benedict Subject: Re: Re: Taig drill chucks On Thu, 28 Mar 2002, optimuscoolbeans wrote: > By the way thank you all for your input on this problem. Since I > have bigger fish to fry I do believe I am going to go with the drill > chuck arbor that taig sells. Thanks Even with the drill chuck arbor, I came up with a couple of checks that can help with accuracy: Mount the drill chuck arbor in your spindle and check for runout against the registration face (the flat part the drill chuck will seat up againts when you screw it down.) If this is not flat, you can take a light cut to true it up. The arbor appears to be made out of 12L14, so it cuts really well. The key word here is "light". You're truing it up, not facing it down. Next, remove the drill chuck arbor and as accurately as you can, chuck up a length of drill rod in the 4-jaw or in a collet, and check for run-out. Get this to run as true as you possibly can. Leave about 1/2" protruding from the spindle of the lathe. Make sure the end is clean of burs. Mount your drill chuck backward on this chunk of drill rod, so the chuck jaws face the spindle, and the mounting surface faces the tailstock. Indicate against the flat on the back of the drill chuck, and see how much runout you get. On my 1/4" precision chuck, this was a thou or less (I did tihs over a year ago, so bear with me if I'm wrong on this. I think it was closer to half a thou.) On my larger Jacobs chucks, the runout was considerably larger. Just as an experiment, I took one of the 5/8" chucks and lightly faced off the mounting surface. Once I put the drill chuck arbor back into the spindle and mounted the faced-off drill chuck, the runout went from about 0.005" down to about 0.001". That's without re-grinding any jaws. Tom ------- Date: Tue, 6 May 2003 11:45:27 +0900 From: "Mark Thomas" Subject: RE: Newbie chuck question > I've got a 'dumb newbie question'. I got a Taig 1030 four jaw chuck > the other day, and when I try to remove the jaws, the screw binds and > the jaw won't come out. This happens on all four jaws, just before > they're ready to come out. The chuck has been in the garage, where > it's been 40-50 degrees every night. > I'm not too worried about "breaking" a couple of pounds of steel, but > I don't want to force it for fear of messing it up. > Does anyone have any advice on removing (and re-inserting) the jaws on > a new chuck? Thanks, Mike. Mike, It's not a dumb question at all. I think this happens to most on this chuck. What I've found (and it's a bit difficult to describe) is that if you apply some pressure downwards on the inner top surface of the jaw and gently wiggle the allen key at the same time they will come out. I assume that you have kept the jaws and screw lubricated. However all that said, I got tired of removing the jaws when I needed to reverse them as it did take a fair bit of wiggling, so I got a second one where the jaws stay reversed. I figured the extra 50 bucks or so was worth the aggravation saved . The only time the jaws on both come out now are on monthly maitenance day, which happens fastidiously at least once every three months or so. Cheers, Mark ------- Date: Mon, 12 May 2003 22:26:12 +0000 From: "steve sc" Subject: 4 Jaw chuck binding solved This may be common knowledge for Taig lathe owners, but I had trouble with my four jaw chuck in that the adjust screws were *very* hard to turn when they almost fully engaged in the chuck. Turns out that the very bottom of the threaded holes was not fully tapped. I cleaned out the threads NC 1/2-13 and tapped deeper. Problem solved! I may be the only one with that problem (?) but something for newbies like me to check out. Also something Taig may want to know...bought the lathe a good part of a year ago...may be a random problem. ------- Date: Tue, 13 May 2003 11:32:33 +0900 From: "Mark Thomas" Subject: RE: 4 Jaw chuck binding solved Steve, I had the same problem on one of my chucks as well, used the same solution. Cheers, Mark ------- Date: Thu, 07 Aug 2003 15:45:19 -0000 From: "willys22902" Subject: Cutting steps in 3 jaw chucks I am wondering if someone could explain, in simple language for a beginner, how I can cut steps in the jaw chucks. I need to hold 2.25" round stock and have heard that the 3 jaws will not accomadate the material without first cutting steps in the jaws. Can this be accomplished easily with the boring bar which came with the six tool set? I would like to get set up and running early next week, but am really perplexed how to go about this step cutting. Thanks for any help. Bob Smith Charlottesville VA ------- Date: Thu, 07 Aug 2003 12:19:00 -0400 From: Stan Stocker Subject: Re: Cutting steps in 3 jaw chucks Hi Bob, If you close the jaws on a short piece of drill rod or the washer provided with the chuck for truing the jaws you can then cut the step(s) on the jaws. The boring tool provided will do the job, just cut out from the center to just shy of the target diameter. It will take a number of passes to get to the depth you want (1/4 inch or so, maybe more). Once you have the depth, but are just shy of the desired diameter, do a boring pass towards the headstock to clean up the walls of the bore and bring the recess to the target diameter. If you end up slightly under or over it's no big deal, you just want to be close so the curve cut in the jaws matches the workpiece for secure gripping. Cheers, Stan ------- Date: Thu, 7 Aug 2003 09:20:22 -0700 From: "Nicholas Carter and Felice Luftschein" Subject: Re: Cutting steps in 3 jaw chucks http://www.cartertools.com/picture.html#3JT shows how to true the jaws. It is the same operation for cutting the steps, just make sure you don't cut deeper than the top of the screw heads that retain the jaws. I find that faster speeds are better as it is an interrupted cut, and you really need to make sure the washer is held tightly - sometimes the vibration will cause it to come loose. http://www.cartertools.com/nfhome.html ------- Date: Fri, 08 Aug 2003 11:29:14 -0700 From: Don Rogers Subject: Re: Cutting steps in 3 jaw chucks I used a little different method. I closed the chuck on a piece of rod, and then machined the steps in the OD of the jaws.This gives you a better holding surface than the inside cuts. I cut three steps equally spaced. Except for the outer which needed to be adjusted to compensate for the mounting screw hole. Watch the depth of cut also around the inter mounting screws. Keep the surface slightly higher than the screw top After cutting the steps, I then reversed the jaws and took a fine truing cut . This gives me a slight concave surface with a convex surface on both sides. I can now use the chuck for holding both the inside of tubing, as well as the normal uses of the stepped jaws. It is worth getting a couple extra sets of jaws and machining them for special jobs. One last thing, when turning the jaws around, take up all the slop in the screw holes in the direction you are going to tighten the jaws. Also only remove one jaw at a time so you keep the jaw to carrier relationship the same. If you have more than one set of jaws, number them. Don ------- Date: Thu, 13 Nov 2003 00:45:11 -0000 From: "John Bentley" Subject: Marv, don't chuck it! --- In taigtoolsx~xxyahoogroups.com, Marvin Paisner wrote: > Chucking hex stock could be a valuable tip John. I had pretty well > written off the 3 jaw chuck, most everything I tried to use in it has > been round stock and it seemed to usually slip during cutting. The ease > of setting up the self centering 3 jaw chuck sure makes me want to use > it more often. Maybe time to hunt up some hex bar and give it a try. > thanks, Marv The Taig 3-Jaw is a jewel amongst its breed. Often misunderstood and compared to the common "death-grip" style of 3-jaw work-crunchers, the Taig chuck wasn't designed to win a battle of strength with its cousins - for in that, it would surely loose. It is a different instrument - the first clue is that only soft jaws are offered by the factory. They can be custom carved or simply trued for near perfect accuracy on a special job. The three aluminum jaws can grip an already finished surface with no more than a cigarette paper for protection. And it is fast to load - I'll challenge anyone with a key-type chuck to a race, for they wouldn't stand a chance. And to me, speed and ease of work are among the Taig lathe's greatest assets. A most significant feature of the Taig 3-jaw is one of safety - it has captive jaws. The Taig will open to 1 5/8" (with the jaws suitably trued). Try opening the chuck supplied with an Asian Mini Lathe out to 1 1/4" and everything seems fine. But turn the key a just few degrees farther - and Jaw #3 becomes unhooked from the scroll, and bound for Pluto when the power is turned on! Before I malign these Asian chucks, the one that came with my Craftex mini is well made, quite accurate and has a formidable grip. The question with that type of chuck (and most other 3-jaws) is, how far open is safe? With the Taig there is no question, it's always safe. The 3-jaw made by Taig is short and therefore consumes very little precious bed length. The actual lengths from spindle seat to chuck face are: 1" for the 3-jaw, 1 1/4" for the 4-jaw and a space-wasting full 2" for an Asian mini lathe 3-jaw chuck. Marv, I think it is obvious that the alumunim jaws don't grip round stock as well as well as steel jaws and I agree with Tony that it would be worth making a steel set to try. (notice that the Taig's slides are aluminum on steel, so it is definitely a low-friction combination). In addition, you can always resort to the 4-jaw chuck, turning between centers or using hex stock in the 3-jaw. I also understand the Sherline chuck will grip better with its steel jaws.( but Elton has indicated he would like to get a Taig chuck for his Sherline (on risers) to take advantage of the soft jaws ..... the grass is always greener.....) OK! - I'm off the soapbox and back to my lair, where my beautiful brand new Taig Mill awaits its first cut! Regards, John ------- Date: Sat, 22 Nov 2003 16:09:50 -0500 From: Bradford Chaucer Subject: Re: Digest Number 1356 [POSTED TO SHERLINE GROUP] At 10:49 AM 11/22/2003, you wrote: >Also, anybody here played with the Bison chuck that New England Brass >and Copper (advertising in the Home Shop Machinist magazine) is >selling for the Sherline? It looks more beefier than the Sherline 3 >Jaw, and the one thing I really like about it is that it uses chuck >keys which is easier to crank tighter (for me). I might just buy one >and check it out and post a couple of pics and reviews. Yes I have one, picked it up at the Iron Fever show. It is really nice; great gripping power compared to the Sherline chucks and far easier to tighten and loosen. Two quibbles: there is not a lot of thread engagement before the chuck bottoms out on the spindle nose. I need to look at it closely, I suspect that there is a bit to much non threaded portion, and the chuck does have an open back, possibly leaving it more susceptible to chip clogging of the scroll. However being open should also be easier to clean than a standard chuck which can get clogged through the jaw slots. Decidedly a good buy. Regards, Bradford Chaucer ------- Date: Sun, 23 Nov 2003 11:43:01 -0800 From: "Dave Hylands" Subject: RE: Digest Number 1357 I think you'll find that the deep recess is because the chuck is designed for the Taig and not the Sherline. The Taig accessories all have this recess. What this means is that there are only about 1 to 1-1/2 threads that are actually holding the chuck on. Dave Hylands Vancouver, BC, Canada http://www.DaveHylands.com/ ------- Date: Mon, 24 Nov 2003 00:01:50 -0000 From: "Jim Knighton" Subject: Re: Bison chuck There might be another option here, at least for some of you. Bison makes a slightly larger 3" chuck in a plain back version. This chuck is available from New England Brass & Tool as well as numerous other vendors. I purchased mine from MSC. Turning a mounting plate was not difficult, and I did the mounting holes using a rotary table. All in all, it was about a 30 minute operation to mount the chuck and get it aligned the way I wanted with the dial indicator. In know there are at least a few other forum members who have the 3" chuck as I've had correspondence with some of them. Personally, I really like the 3" version - it has become my primary workholding device. It is slightly longer and heavier than the similarly sized Sherline 4 jaw independant chuck, but not so much so that it presents any difficulty. I replaced my headstock bearings after buying this Bison chuck, but they were wearing out anyway and the new chuck just made it more apparent that this was the case. This chuck is a near ideal match for my lathe with permanent risers. It is very strong and accurate, and I've never had any workpiece slip or slide when mounted therein. The key operation is a vast improvement over the "tommy bar" approach. The jaws stick out a bit more than do those of the 3.1" Sherline 3-jaw and this is potentially a problem when chucking "large" stock. On the other hand, collisions between protruding jaws and the bed are possible with the Sherline chuck. As me how I know this and I'll send you a photo of the scar in my bed from this cause! This happened in ancient history before I installed the risers, FWIW. It's something to think about if you have a lathe without risers, but certainly not a fatal flaw. The 3" plain back version is very nearly the same price as the smaller chuck. As I recall, New England Brass is offering the smaller chuck for about $139 and the 3" model at $150. The same 3" chuck is available from many sources at about the same price, and I purchased mine for a bit less. Regards, Jim Knighton ------- Date: Mon, 24 Nov 2003 20:22:48 -0000 From: "Jim Knighton" Subject: Re: Bison chuck There is no difficulty mounting this chuck securely on a rotary table. I have the Sherline CNC rotary table, and it works nicely with the Bison chuck. I made my mounting plate 1/2" thick, threaded 3/4 x 16 tpi through. The lathe spindle threads engage fully with the mounting plate. It is the same when threaded onto the rotary table. The only possible difficulty I see in the application you describe would arise from the combined height of the rotary table and the Bison chuck under the spindle of the Sherline mill. I have my Sherline 5400 set up for horizontal milling. I've never set it up vertically so I can't comment authoritatively as to how much useful room is left after the rotary table is oriented horizontally and with the Bison chuck mounted. I use a Jet mill/drill for vertical milling and I haven't had any difficulty with clearance with rotary table setups. With my chuck mounting plate in place, the Bison is abt 2 1/8" long, excluding the jaws. I don't recall how tall the rotary table is off the top of my head, but it seems to me that it is between 1 1/2" and 2". The combined height will be approx 4", again excluding the jaws. I've also not had any problems with the Sherline 3-jaw mounted on the rotary table, and it's narrow width seems to give it an advantage in situations where space is tight. Of course, I don't know the specifics of your application. Regards, Jim Knighton ------- Date: Mon, 24 Nov 2003 08:31:31 -1000 (HST) From: Tom Benedict Subject: Re: Rotary Table On Mon, 24 Nov 2003, James Stevens wrote: > I'm using a Sherline rotary table. I'll be ordering a 4 jaw chuck soon > from Nick assuming it fits the Sherline. It fits the Sherline. The one gotcha is that you should still try to clamp it to the table in addition to using the spindle nose insert. I had mine unscrew on me once. Not a fun project. > I've got mine set up on end with the Sherline right angle attachment. > I had to pop 4 new holes in the base plate that came with it to fit the > slots in the table (thanks for the info, Peter!). Other than that, it > works right out of the box. Tom ------- Date: Wed, 25 Feb 2004 03:52:54 -0000 From: "John Wall" Subject: Need help with 3 jaw chuck not running true? I just finished truing up my 3 jaw chuck. To test it, I put some 1/4" brass rod in it and took a couple of thou off. I then lossened the chuck, took the brass rod and turned it 90 degrees and then tightened up the chuck. The brass rod is no longer running true. I can see the wobble. I indicated the outside of the chuck and its running .0005, so its not the chuck. The jaws must still be off. I took quite a bit of material off when I trued it up so I can't figure out why this would happen. I mean its about .006 out. Can someone help me indentify where the error is coming from? Regards John Wall ------- Date: Tue, 24 Feb 2004 20:00:30 -0800 From: "Nicholas Carter and Felice Luftschein" Subject: Re: Need help with 3 jaw chuck not running true? Did you use the washer to preload the jaws? And is the brass rod straight? I have chucked up non straight rod and assumed it was, with bad results generally. ------- Date: Wed, 25 Feb 2004 04:18:08 -0000 From: "Lynn Livingston" Subject: Re: Need help with 3 jaw chuck not running true? Hi John. The inherent design of a 3-jaw chuck precludes perfect alignment. I was reading a tool sale paper recently that had some really expensive 3-jaw chucks advertised and they were guaranteed to be within .003 TIR. Well, if yours is .006, I think all is well. Also, I have found that most round brass stock I have gotten is not perfectly round either. So, when chucked, it can't cut true to the lathe axis. Also I have found, as with drill bits, always rotate your stock in the chuck as you are tightening it. Just roll it between finger tips as you bring the jaws in. This will help to prevent it from locking between just two jaws. I have inadvertently done this; just when I thought I was good enough I didn't have to pay attention anymore! :) The last brass I got was from On-Line Metals. I have always gotten good stock from them. I got hex and round. I put the round in the 4-jaw and tried to indicate it in. It would not indicate in to .0000. Worse, I also purchased some bronze bearing stock, and it was so far off round that you could see the egg shape if you looked from the end. Try putting your stock in the 4-jaw and see how good you can indicate it in. Then turn it around 180deg and I'll bet you'll see some slight wobble on the uncut end. I think this is the way it's supposed to be. Have fun, Lynn Livingston ------- Date: Wed, 25 Feb 2004 13:23:20 -0000 From: "John Wall" Subject: Re: Need help with 3 jaw chuck not running true? Hi Nick: Yes, I used the washer when I trued up the chuck. I checked the brass rod and it appears to be straight and the diameter consistant. But just to be sure, I tried putting a 3/8" end mill in the chuck and indicated the shank (about 1" out from the jaws) as well as some 5/16" drill rod and sure enough it's all about .006 out. Again, you can actually see the wobble. One other thing I just noticed. The error is about half when I indicate right at the jaws. It's as if one jaw is not only asymetrical with the other two but the gripping surface of this particular jaw is not 90% to the chuck face. Should I assume that this is the best one can get in a three jaw chuck. Regards John Wall ------- Date: Wed, 25 Feb 2004 14:00:07 +0000 From: "Leon Heller" Subject: RE: Re: Need help with 3 jaw chuck not running true? Did you tighten the jaws evenly using the three holes? I think that can make a difference. I always do that on Jacobs chucks, as well. Leon Leon Heller, G1HSM Tel: +44 1424 423947 Email: aqzf13 at dsl dot pipex dot com WWW: ------- Date: Wed, 25 Feb 2004 09:51:07 -0500 From: Stan Stocker Subject: Re: Need help with 3 jaw chuck not running true? Hi John, First thing to try is using a drill bit instead of extruded or drawn stock to test, the brass drawn rounds aren't round. Don't know if they are 6 thou out of round, but they aren't round. Indicate on the shank. Next, test with something around the size of the trueing washer, just to see if the problem continues. 6 thou TIR on a new chuck is pretty bad, there may be some swarf or something down in the chuck scroll. Just for grins, have you removed the soft jaws, cleaned the mating surfaces, and put them back on nice and tight? If one jaw is slightly loose the chuck will clamp up differently on something that spans the entire jaws than it will on a washer. The TIR will increase rapidly as you move away from the chuck in this case, the effect is similar to a bell mouthed chuck. And... You did clean off the pips left where the trueing washer was? Sort of obvious, but at least one person has missed this step over the years. Cheers, Stan ------- Date: Wed, 25 Feb 2004 10:13:00 -0800 From: "Nicholas Carter and Felice Luftschein" Subject: Re: Need help with 3 jaw chuck not running true? I agree, that the only thing I can think of is that you didn't clean the pips off, below the surface of the washer. http://www.cartertools.com/picture.html#3JT Shows the whole process. Did you at any time remove the jaws completely? I know you checked runout of the chuck body, but be sure there is no swarf between the chuck and the spindle either. ------- Date: Wed, 25 Feb 2004 21:15:39 -0000 From: "John Wall" Subject: Re: Need help with 3 jaw chuck not running true? I just finished re-truing the jaws and and cleaned the pips off but before that I took them right off the chuck and made sure that the mating surfaces were clean. I also checked the spindle and it is clean as well as the chuck threads on the chuck. I did everything I can think of. I also put on an old set of jaws I cut for a larger diameter and they were out as well. I then re-trued those jaws but to no avail. I did disassemble the chuck awhile back and cleaned it. Could I have done something when re-assembling it. I should also mention that when I use the Tommy bars to rotate the chuck it sticks a little bit in one spot as it rotates thru 360 dergees. I'm not sure why it does that and it did it before I took it apart so I don't consider it related to my problem. Unless there is something else I could try, I'm going to buy a new chuck from Lee Valley and compare it to my present situation. There isn't something else I could be missing? Thanks John Wall ------- Date: Wed, 25 Feb 2004 21:29:38 -0000 From: "gatzkecues" Subject: Re: Need help with 3 jaw chuck not running true? try taking the check apart again and check the end of the scroll. If it seem to be chipped off or broken at the end take a dremel or needle file and carefully debur the end with a slight taper. No promises but have had to do it myself a few times. good luck Mike ------- Date: Wed, 25 Feb 2004 14:51:34 -0800 From: "Nicholas Carter and Felice Luftschein" Subject: Re: Re: Need help with 3 jaw chuck not running true? I have two 3 jaw chucks. The newer (but still about 5 years old) one has about .004-.006 runout depending on the diameter of the (known to be straight) pin chucked up. The old one (8+ years old, and much abused) has between .009-.011 runout. How old is your chuck? Wear on the slots the jaws slide in will cause more runout. Another thing to remember is that while you bored out the jaws at the washer diameter, you didn't bore them out at the diameter of the pin you are chucking. So any variation in the scroll will show up as runout. Another thing is that if you don't take care you can bore the jws tapered due to the boring bar springing along the cut - tapered jaws will not hold well and cause more runout. My Bison 3 jaw I use on my Jet 920 has .003 runout, which is more in keeping with 3 jaw chuck runout, and the tiny Bison chuck I have on my 6" Atlas has about .002 runout. Both were mated to a backplate machined on the lathes in question, even scraped in for full contact with the spindle. For true zero runout you should always use the 1030 4 jaw, and a good indicator. I tend to use the 4 jaw for most work myself and just use the 3 jaw for work which can benefit from the soft jaws. ------- Date: Thu, 26 Feb 2004 00:39:24 -0000 From: "John Wall" Subject: Re: Need help with 3 jaw chuck not running true? My chuck is two years old. I don't think it is a wear problem. Your comment about accidentally tapering the jaws got me thinking. What if the spindle axis is not parallel to the lathe bed. How would you check for that. I noticed that looking down at the headstock, the two parts of the spindle housing are slightly offset. That is, the front face of one side sticks past the other face by about 1/16". Would this cause the spindle to go pointing off to one side and how would that affect my work? BTW, I do have a four jaw chuck and as you mentioned, I use it exclusively for work which requires a good deal of accuracy. Thanks very much for all the input I've been getting. Regards John Wall ------- Date: Sun, 07 Mar 2004 13:55:22 -0000 From: "John Bentley" Subject: Re: Three Blind Holes [in current Taig 4-jaw chuck] > I just received a 4 jaw last week, mine had the holes in the back face. Thanks David, that's what I wanted to know. As far as uses go, I suppose those holes could come in handy for positively locking the chuck when milling from a toolpost spindle or when using the chuck for workholding on the mill and/or rotary table. ------- Date: Tue, 9 Mar 2004 20:45:31 -0600 From: "jwalters" Subject: Re: Need some advice on chucks mmurray701 wrote on Tuesday, March 09, 2004: >>> I've been playing around using my Taig CNC Mill as a lathe with a tool post mounted to the table. Its been working fairly well, but i'm sure it's not as ridgid as a true lathe and I've been getting some light chattering occasionally. Whenever it chatters it starts to vibrate the stock out of the chuck. From what I've read here, the Taig chuck is designed to hold stuff fairly well without messing up the surface, and it does work well for this. But I need something that will dig in and won't let go of whatever it's holding. The part that the jaws are gripping goes right in the scrap bin so it doesn't matter how bad it messes the surface up. I'm trying to hold 1" aluminium round stock in the three jaw. I'm thinking the aluminium jaws on aluminium stock isnt helping things either. If I made a set of steel jaws, would this help? Or should I just buy another chuck? What would be a good choice? Will the sherline chuck work any better for me? How about the one from Littlemachineshop.com? Are there any adapter kits available for the littlemachineshop one? Last question, I have a Taig 4 jaw independant in the mail. I guess it could still be reloaded fairly quickly by loosening just two jaws, would this hold any better than the 3 jaw? Please advise. Thanks! Mark <<< The best small chuck that I have used is the 80mm Bison 3 jaw chuck. This chuck will hold the part tight. Bison now offers a smaller chuck in the 60mm range, I have no experience with this chuck, it should be good. The Taig chuck with the aluminum jaws is best for holding a frail part like a gear by the teeth. MSC and Enco sell the 80mm chuck. New England Brass has advertised the smaller chuck. John Walters ------- Date: Wed, 10 Mar 2004 06:53:43 -0000 From: "vks_generic" Subject: Re: Need some advice on chucks > Last question, I have a Taig 4 jaw independant in the mail. I guess > it could still be reloaded fairly quickly by loosening just two > jaws, would this hold any better than the 3 jaw? Please advise. It certainly holds A WHOLE LOT better, but so far I have failed to achieve a consistent part placement by just loosening two jaws. I tried. Many times. I am usually off by 5 thou or more. I have some guesses why that happens, though I do not know which factors contribute the most. Vlad ------- Date: Tue, 13 Apr 2004 15:56:32 -0700 From: "Nicholas Carter and Felice Luftschein" Subject: Short article on truing work in the 4 jaw chuck I just uploaded a short article on truing round work in the 1030 4 jaw chuck (http://www.cartertools.com/fourjaw.html) Let me know if there are any glaring errors and any suggestions to improve the clarity of the description. And yes, I know, I need a dial indicator without a crystal so I can actually photograph the damn thing without glare! ------- Date: Wed, 14 Apr 2004 02:12:45 -0000 From: "mmurray701" Subject: Re: Short article on truing work in the 4 jaw chuck Nice article. I watched a local machinist dial in something I needed turned before I got my Taig, he did it a little differently. He arranged the indicator as shown, and then spun the chuck a full turn to get an idea of the maximium and minimium points, and of course the midpoint of them. He then proceeded to adjust each jaw very slightly in the order they were rotated. So he adjusted in the order of 1,2,3 and 4 and then over again instead of working in pairs. Tightening a jaw slightly when it gave him a high reading, slightly loosening when it shows a low reading, and just left it alone when it was in the middle. He had it dialed to about half a thou in no time. I have been using the same method so far and it has been working great. Really surprises me how quickly you can dial something in with the 4 jaw. Before using one i dreaded the thought of it, its basically all i use now. I got sick of work coming loose in the 3-jaw in a hurry. The 3-jaw does have its purpose, but 90% of the time I'd prefer more holding power. Mark ------- Date: Sat, 27 Nov 2004 17:18:52 -0000 From: "Daniel Fuller" Subject: Re: Help needed on adapting a 3 jaw chuck... --- In taigtoolsx~xxyahoogroups.com, "steve sc" wrote: > I recently acquired a nice, probably very old 3 jaw chuck that I would > like to fit to the Taig lathe/mill. It was made by the Cushman company > in Hartford, CT and could well be more than 50 years old. My question is > on the threads...It has a 20 threads/inch pitch I made an adapter for a 3", plain back, 3 jaw chuck a couple of years ago out of a 3 inch round of aluminum about 1/2 inch thick. I had another person set up on their lathe to use a 3/4" tap on the aluminum round, although, with a lot of arm power, you could do this yourself. I then screwed it on the Taig lathe and faced off both sides, (with a small register for the Taig spindle done on the first side) drilled holes to match the chuck back, etc. The runout on this combination was about .001 which I think was very good. It was also suggested at the time to use the Taig face plate for a chuck backing. I was told that the taig could handle the interrupted cuts on the Taig face plate because it was mild steel. The only problem is that you did not indicate what was on the back of your chuck. If it is smooth with only the thread that you indicated, I am not sure what to do to get a decent runout. If the chuck has any kind of circular register cut out, then you could do what I described above. If the chuck does not have any register, you might look over the chuck to see if you could cut one on the back of the chuck with your Taig. Others have done this with Taig chucks to put on their 7 x 12 lathes. Obviously, you could have someone make a threaded plug with a female 3/4 thread on one end and a 1.298/20 male plug on the other end. The problem with this is the potential for a poor runout when it is put together and threaded on the Taig spindle. (Two registers with two threads made off of the intended lathe could be hit and miss or could work out reasonably well.) Dan Fuller Carrollton, Texas ------- Date: Sun, 28 Nov 2004 01:14:24 +0000 From: "steve sc" Subject: Thanks for help on 3 jaw chuck... Thanks for your help on adapting the 3 jaw chuck to the Taig lathe. While I was staring at the chuck, I noticed that the threaded back end was actually a separate adaptor plate that was bolted onto the chuck. I removed the plate and made one for the Taig using a 1/2" thick disc of brass. For the threads, I used a blank arbor (standard Taig issue) that has the requisite 3/4-16 threads. I turned a slight "lip" on the arbor and bored a receiving hole in the brass disk (with ledge for the lip to seat on). I silver soldered the arbor into the brass disk, mounted it on the lathe and faced off the disk. I wasted the majority of the arbor that extended from the disk (only needed the threads). I rebolted the disk onto the back of the chuck. It seems to have very little runout (I have not indicated it yet). Seems quite robust! (my, those arbors are handy beasts). Thanks again, Steve ------- Date: Tue, 22 Mar 2005 09:16:28 -0800 From: "Felice Luftschein and Nicholas Carter" Subject: Re: FS: Sherline rotary tables. > Does Taig make a screw chuck for wood turning between centers? No, but using the 1132 blank arbor and a straight shanked woodscrew you could make a very serviceable one for very little money. Check out our homepage www.cartertools.com/nfhome.html ------- Date: Mon, 25 Apr 2005 19:09:22 -0000 From: "n2562001" Subject: Re: Accurate Chucks "Martin Dobbins" wrote: > I'm on a mission to drill some 0.5 mm (0.0197" if my arithmetic is OK) holes in a 3.6 mm (0.142") thick ply of shim steel, bronze, brass and solder. The regular (inexpensive) Jacobs drill chuck that I bought with my lathe has a runout that has broken and will break (if I allow it) 0.5 mm drills faster than ice cubes in a furnace. The Taig collets have less runout, but still too much to avoid breakages and drill accurate holes at this size. > Albrecht keyless chucks are probably the answer, but not being in the mood to either drop $190 (at list) for a 0-1/8" and then build a 5/16-24 mount for it, or drop $224 (at list) for 3/8-24 chuck that is 0-5/16" (which may not be as effective as a chuck with a smaller range), I decided to think out of the box. > I have one chuck in inventory already that is quite capable of holding things with a runout of considerably less than 0.0005", depending on how long I'm prepared to take with setting it up-the four jaw chuck. I can't get the four jaw chuck close enough to the work to hold the drill directly, so I'm thinking of other alternatives. Martin: Actually I run into this problem all of the time when using WW collets on the mill. (Not being able to get close enough to the work.) In this case I would center drill and drill your .5mm hole in the end of a .125" steel rod about half or two thirds the depth of the drill. This would of course be done in a lathe. From this point insert the drill in the end of the rod and loctite it in place if needed. It can then be accurately set up in your four jaw chuck to reach your work. You are correct that runout is the most disastrous thing with small drills. Jerry Kieffer ------- Date: Mon, 25 Apr 2005 17:28:32 -0500 From: "Martin Dobbins" Subject: Re: Re: Accurate Chucks State of play on this project at the present: I decided not to build a boring bar holder, instead prepared a small block of aluminum that fitted closely in the standard toolholder. Lined the toolholder up on the cross slide and used the 4 jaw to drill a .125 hole with a drill that had been lined up with less than .0005 runout. Left the toolholder in place with drilled aluminum block, and tried a small brass rod that I'd turned earlier -- a very nice close fit, I had to drift it gently into place. I secured it with a cross mounted screw in the aluminum block. Then I realized how stupid I had been not to plan everything out in advance; the four jaw will not hold a small shank drill (it will, but only with two of the jaws at a time, which makes getting the drill straight nigh on impossible). I unearthed a small "chuck" with a .125 shank I had made way back when with hand tools to try to stop the Dremel breaking drills (grin). Put that in the 4 jaw, hah not bad, only a 1 thou runout at the shank end, but when I put in a #76 drill (.5 mm with a breath of clearance), I was getting 2-2.5 thou runout at the base of the drillbit. I decided that I would back off to a # 77 drill as I was clearly going to drill a hole larger than I intended. Expecting the drill to break any minute, I hunted and pecked carefully through over half an inch of brass with lots of stops to back out and "clear the flutes", I think the day was saved by the nice set of micro sized center drills I've just acquired. Followed that with a 0.5 mm clockmakers tapered reamer, and test fitted the 0.5 mm drill shank -- it wouldn't fit, not quite. I contemplated heating up the brass holder and cooling down the drill to get the press fit, and I probably should have, instead I decided to enlarge the hole with the # 76 drill bit. I now have a 0.5 mm drill in a holder, the drill has about 3 thou runout which I don't think will be good enough, although it is some orders of magnitude better than any other chuck I have outside of the 4 jaw. I'm in a kind of chicken and egg situation where, if I don't have a chuck that will drill straight holes, I can't produce a holder for a drill that will hold the drill straight. I'm thinking I may have to learn a few new skills and turn up a spade drill from steel a shade under 0.5 mm with an integral shank of (say) 0.125, then harden and temper it. If I can also turn up a "D" reamer with an integral shank a shade over 0.5 mm, I may then have a chicken that lays eggs. Martin ------- Date: Mon, 23 May 2005 13:43:33 -0000 From: "Walter Anderson" Subject: Using the full circle jaw set while slitting custom collets I have been trying to make a set of threaded collets as described in Tony's book, but have been unable to successfully hold the collets during the slitting operation on the mill. I've tried the four jaw chuck, the thread- jaw (with the regular jaws) and even a fixture based upon photos by Steve Bachmann. None of these methods worked for me. While reorganizing my tools I found a set of full circle jaws that I had purchased for the three jaw chuck awhile back. I decided to give them a try. After setting them up I chucked up a collet on the mill for slitting. I was able to take 0.1" deep passes with the slitting saw without any problems. Thought I'd report in case anyone else is having the same problems. I've posted pictures of the process on my website: http://walteranderson.us/hobbies/metalworking/fixtures/threaded_collets Walter ------- Date: Fri, 19 Aug 2005 10:43:28 -0700 From: "Felice Luftschein and Nicholas Carter" Subject: Re: Beall Collet Chuck [taigtools] Friday, August 19, wrote: > I've read the review that Nick Carter made on this chuck and am > considering gettting one myself for my Taig lathe. Has anyone else > tried/ used this chuck? Any comments appreciated. Thanks, john C. It all depends on what sort of work you want to use it for. You certainly don't need it, as most ops can be done with the 3 or 4 jaw chuck, but it does make repetitive chucking of pieces easier and is more accurate than the 3 jaw. Check out our homepage www.cartertools.com/nfhome.html ------- Date: Mon, 22 Aug 2005 07:34:57 -0700 (PDT) From: Sean Harte Subject: Re: Beall Collet Chuck John, I bought the Beall Collet chuck before Nick posted his review and I agree with his assessment, it's a very well made tool, but on the small Taig Lathe it does takes up a lot of real estate - it's 3" long. It allows you to get a good grip up to 3/4" and no jaw marks which is worth something when working with AL and brass. I think it is worth having, at about $90 for the base tool it is not overly expensive, but plan on spending at least $100 for a set of ER-32 collets, look on e-bay, the best deal also comes with 18 collets, a R8 ER-32 collet holder and spanner. (Search on ER32) I even bought a second one for my larger lathe (1-1/2-8 tpi) and on that lathe it really shines since it takes up no more room then my 3-jaw. Sean ------- Date: Mon, 29 Aug 2005 17:22:50 -0000 From: "Jim Knighton" Subject: Re: ER-16 Collet Chuck query. In taigtoolsx~xxyahoogroups.com, "Ron OConnor" wrote: > Does anyone make an ER-16 Collet Chuck that threads onto either a > Taig or Sherline headstock? I realize that both manufacturers make > an ER-16 headstock, but swapping headstocks is a bit more work > than threading on a chuck. Somewhat more expensive too. :) > Thanks guys. Ron Ron: Regarding stuff you can buy, There is the Beall ER32 chuck that threads on Taig/Sherline spindles, and there is the Axminster "Junior" ER20 that will fit the Taig, but not the Sherline. There may be others as well. Nick Carter reviewed the Beall chuck and the writeup is on his web site. The Axminster "Junior" is available from www.woodturnerscatalog.com (Craft Supply USA). It is sold for woodturners, but the chuck doesn't care what it's holding. Regarding stuff you can build, you can modify a commercial ER chuck with a 3/4" straight shank. This is what I did with an ETM ER20 collet chuck. Using a Taig blank arbor, I made mine match the Sherline's spindle nose and with an adapter I can use it on the Taig lathe as well. Photos are on Nick Carter's site: http://www.cartertools.com/picture.html#JKTL Scroll down to the bottom of my section and you will find them. All of the modified ER chucks in my shop work very well and in exactly the manner you describe. Regards, Jim ------- NOTE TO FILE: There are several earlier conversations in this file about fitting another brand of chuck to the Taig lathe using a custom made mounting plate. The use of a Taig faceplate was also mentioned, but without a detailed how-to. Hopefully this next thread expands on that information. ------- Date: Thu, 03 Nov 2005 13:49:52 -0500 From: Ken Jenkins Subject: Re: Chuck adaptor questions I just got a really excellent deal on a little 3 inch / 3 steel jaw chuck. The only issue is a adaptor to mount it on the Taig. It's got a ground back with a .5" through hole and three tapped screw holes. Of course I need to fit it to something with a 3/4-16 thread hole in the center and correctly located holes for the mounting screws. I thought maybe the best approach would be to make something with a center piece that would press fit into the .5 through hole while still allowing 3/8" pass through. That way the mounting screws can just pass through clearance holes in the adaptor rather than trying to use them for alignment. Has anyone made anything like this for a chuck that didn't come with a 3/4-16 thread? I'd be interesting in hearing your experience and how you went about getting the thread mounting part aligned well with the chuck and if you had any problems with run out afterwards, etc. Ken Jenkins ------- Date: Fri, 04 Nov 2005 00:02:59 -0000 From: "Geoff Kingma" Subject: Re: Chuck adaptor questions Soon after getting my lathe, I found that the Taig chucks were a little on the "light" side. I picked up a Tos 80mm (3"), 3 jaw and bought an extra face plate to mount the chuck. The only downside is that the T slot shows, but it worked out well. Regards, Geoff ------- Date: Fri, 04 Nov 2005 16:42:14 -0000 From: "scitech200" Subject: Re: Chuck adaptor questions Hello Geoff, I'm starting to set up a second Taig lathe and I want to try a different chuck. Would you mind sharing some "tips" on exactly how you fit the Taig faceplate to the TOS chuck? I checked Nick's website and saw a photo of your lathe with the TOS chuck, but there were no details on what was involved with fitting the faceplate. Also, do you happen to have any TIR measurements for this chuck-faceplate combination? Thanks for any input. Keith ------- Date: Fri, 04 Nov 2005 13:19:00 -0500 From: Ken Jenkins Subject: Re: Chuck adaptor questions (more) The idea of using a Taig face plate as the backing plate did occur to me but, as with the other ideas I've had, the issue is getting the chuck securely mounted to the plate BUT with no run out. The back of the chuck has 3 threaded holes 12, 4 and 8 o-clock. I certainly can drill 3 clearance holes in the face plate BUT how then to eliminate run out. The simplest way would be to make the clearance holes a little oversized and then worry the whole thing into dead on with an indicator tapping and tightening until I get it there. This doesn't seem to be a very good way to go about it in that later, under a particularly hard or intermittent load, the chuck could shift on the backplate (a bad thing to be sure!). I will probably do the above as trying make some type of backplate with a press fit center pin and then drill the holes for the mounting bolts doesn't allow for any adjustment at all if run out shows up. Ken J ------- Date: Fri, 04 Nov 2005 20:35:19 -0000 From: "scitech200" Subject: Re: Chuck adaptor questions (more) Hello Ken, I have also been struggling to understand how "best" to mount the chuck on a faceplate - so as to minimize runout. I have now found an additional reference, on Nick Carter's website, to the 3-inch TOS chuck with a 'faceplate' fabricated from steel stock. The machinist, Tony Crowe, describes a procedure using a 'register' that leads to a runout of 0.001" for his installation. Please stay in touch re this tricky project. Regards, Keith ------- Date: Sat, 05 Nov 2005 16:30:39 -0000 From: "Geoff Kingma" Subject: Re: Chuck adaptor questions (more) Hi there. It was a few years ago when I did this setup but IIRC I did the following: 1) Mounted the back plate on the lathe and reduced the OD to that of the chuck. This was tricky as one is working to the limits of the lathe - I think I mounted the lathe bit on the outside of the tool post (on the operator's side). Then I took a skim cut to true up the face. 2) Machined the register on the face plate for the chuck. There are two theories on this: a) a light press fit or b) a few thou. of clearance and then assemble it to be true. I used (b) at the time and have had no problems with movement. However, I did use the method (a) when doing the same on a 5" Tos chuck for my 918 lathe and, it too, is fine. I guess I would now use (a) and then if there are problems, go to (b). 3) I think I drilled and countersunk the holes for the mounting screws on the drill press with a little extra clearance to account for errors! I didn't have the mill at the time. I made up a drill for the c/s by grinding the cutting edge flat like a milling cutter using my General drill bit sharpener. After completion I measured the runout and, while I don't remember the value, it was within the chuck's stated tolerance; I was mighty pleased. Regards, Geoff ------- Date: Sat, 05 Nov 2005 18:24:42 -0500 From: Ken Jenkins Subject: Re: Chuck adaptor questions (more) > I have now found an additional reference, on Nick Carter's website, > to the 3-inch TOS chuck with a 'faceplate' fabricated from steel > stock. The machinist, Tony Crowe, describes a procedure using > a 'register' that lead to a runout of 0.001" for his installation. Hmmm ... I read Tony's description of what he did (we'll call it the "chuck roast" approach :-). Frankly I'm surprised he got .001 runout going this way but it's definitely worth trying. The description is a bit "abbreviated" but I think I could use the method. On the back of my chuck there is a set back that I could use in the way he describes. Ken ------- Date: Sun, 06 Nov 2005 00:37:22 +0000 From: Steve Blackmore Subject: Re: Re: Chuck adaptor questions (more) >I think I could use the method. On the back of my chuck >there is a set back that I could use in the way he describes. Hi Ken - that's how precision chucks are mounted. The backplate is turned on the lathe it's intended for, both face and the "spigot" to fit the register in the back of the chuck body. Bolt holes drilled and counterbored last. Steve Blackmore ------- Chuck problem [taigtools] Posted by: "Simon Harding" simonx~xxgreynose.net Date: Fri Aug 4, 2006 2:16 pm (PDT) I bought a Taig lathe a few weeks ago and have been getting the feel of it doing a few things. I started with the 3-jaw chuck as that seemed best for me, but have now bought a 4 jaw chuck. The problem is I cannot get the 3-jaw chuck off. Can anyone help me please!! I have the Taig spanner to hold the spindle tight but cannot see how to loosen the chuck. So far I have managed to bend the tommy bar but not much else! I thought a sharp knock with a mallet would do it but that's not getting me very far. It is a right handed thread isn't it? I'm getting desperate as I'm keen not to do any damage. Aaargh! Thanks for any help anyone. Simon ------- Re: Chuck problem Posted by: "Simon Harding" simonx~xxgreynose.net Date: Fri Aug 4, 2006 4:02 pm (PDT) Nicholas Carter wrote: > Put a wrench on one of the jaws, should provide enough leverage (but > don't hammer on the jaw!). Right hand thread, so lefty-loosey (or CCW) Thanks Nick, that did the trick. Simon ------- Re: Extra holes in a 3 jaw chuck [taigtools] Posted by: "Wally and Otter" walnotrx~xxhotmail.com Date: Wed May 16, 2007 5:53 pm ((PDT)) "bighgv" wrote: > Hi l have seen extra holes that has been drill in some 3 jaw chucks > so that you can use two keys to help tighten and loosen the chuck > is there a article some were that describes drilling the holes. ken Since nobody else has answered this I will put in my 2 cents. The 3-jaw chuck on my lathe is pretty old and did not have the extra holes in the scroll side. I simply disassembled it, marked and center punched the location for the holes and drilled them on a drill press. Be careful not to drill into the scroll thread. A #11 drill bit should work about right. You can see one of Nick's articles on how to disassemble the chuck here. http://www.cartertools.com/chuck.html Drilling the holes and using two tommy bars helped but I still default to the 4-jaw chuck for most of what I do. Good luck! Steve ------- Re: Extra holes in a 3 jaw chuck Posted by: "Tony Jeffree" tonyx~xxjeffree.co.uk Date: Thu May 17, 2007 12:31 am ((PDT)) >Drilling the holes and using two tommy bars helped but I still default >to the 4-jaw chuck for most of what I do. Good luck! I have fitted a steel jawed 3-jaw chuck to mine - it needed a backplate which was easily machined from a standard Taig faceplate to fit the register in the back of the chuck. It is still a lever operated (not key operated) chuck, but the gripping power is far superior to the Taig 3-jaw. An alternative thought - has anyone tried making (soft) steel jaws for the Taig 3-jaw? These would still be machinable for accuracy, but I suspect they would grip better than the aluminium ones. Regards, Tony ------- Quality lathe drill chucks [taigtools] Posted by: "Jim" oldtoolx~xxverizon.net Date: Tue Jul 24, 2007 7:29 am ((PDT)) When I bought my Taig lathe I upgraded to the 1BA 0 to 1/4" chuck because I feel it is a better quality chuck than what is normally supplied with it. I am now looking for a good quality 0 to 3/8" 3/8-24 thread chuck to once again upgrade. It has been recommended I look at Albrecht and Rohm chucks instead of the normally accepted standard Jacobs. I have no objections to a key chuck because I feel if they are tightened properly they are as accurate as keyless and normally cheaper to purchase. Am I right on this? I spent some time this morning looking and found the choices very limited, especially in what I consider an affordeble price range. Albrecht may be a great chuck but the prices I saw make it out of the question. Rohn has a model #20159 that would fit the bill I think for around $84.00. I would like to hear suggestions, recommendations and comments from others. Keep in mind I am looking for quality but trying not to break my tool budget at the same time. Jim D. ------- Re: Quality lathe drill chucks Posted by: "David Robertson" davidr415x~xxyahoo.com Date: Tue Jul 24, 2007 7:53 am ((PDT)) Jim, I don't have a comment on the quality of that particular chuck, but be sure you find out how long the chuck is and make sure that is acceptable for your setup. I bought a 1/4 in Albrectch that had a similar body style and was surprised how long it was. It wasn't too long for my need but close!! David ------- Re: WW spindle, collets for tailstock [part of a larger collet thread in taigtools, but this message neatly fits into drill chuck topic above] Posted by: "n2562001" jlkiefferx~xxcharter.net Date: Tue Jul 24, 2007 7:39 am ((PDT)) > >The $50.00 Rohm`s will make a big > >improvement in your system that may meet your standards for most > >clock work. You will still need to check each setup if high > >accuracy is required but getting where you want will be less > >difficult. Steve I will share my experience to date with drill chucks. The inexpensive chucks as supplied by Taig and Sherline vary greatly in respect to repeatability and runout. I have seen as little as .003" to as much as .010" depending on diameters chucked with little consistency. One advantage to a MT mounting is that in some cases you can turn an inaccurate chuck and offset the tailstock alignment problems. In any case this is not accurate enough for quality clock work unless you monitor every setup; that gets very old fast. For general machining none of this is an issue since the larger center drills will compensate for these errors. I suggested the $50.00 type German Made chuck because of the three that I own they all hold about .002" sometimes a little under in both repeatability and runout. At the price I have found them an excellent value. All of my small albrecht chucks of 1/4" and smaller are consistently about .001" in both repeatability and runout. This is with the Arbor as supplied by Albrecht. My better quality hardened and ground WW collets are consistently in the .0002"-.0003" of runout with PROPER sized ROUND stock. The less expensive Sherlines are in the .0002"-.0004" range under the same conditions. Jerry Kieffer ------- Re: Quality lathe drill chucks Posted by: "Chris" in2steamx~xxwi.rr.com Date: Wed Jul 25, 2007 6:52 am ((PDT)) Typically a keyed chuck is more accurate then similar priced key less style of the same maker. A ball bearing chuck tends to grip better and more true, if you need to be much more true then that you need to start using collets. Also when it comes to this type of tooling you will get what you pay for, a $25 chuck will not be the best choice if you are concerned with run out. Also Albrecht seems to be the best. I just bought a Jacobs chuck and it was of marginal quality compared to the well worn Jacobs chuck that it replaced of some 70 years in age. Jacobs at least for there jt33 spindle chuck says that a run out of less then .002 is acceptable. Of course these are bigger then the Taig would normally use but my recent experience in the last couple days. chris ------- Sherline Chuck on Taig Spindle - how to make the spacer. [taigtools] Posted by: "Alan" alan2525x~xxyahoo.com Date: Tue Feb 12, 2008 2:56 pm ((PST)) I'm sure this has been answered elsewhere on these forums, I'm new to machining and wanted some help making the spacer to allow fitment of Sherline 3 jaw to the Taig. Can someone point me in the right direction for this bit of helpful information? I'm having real problems with the stock pushing back into the headstock when turning and the lack of holding force on the taig 3 jaw chuck. Many Thanks, Alan ------- Re: Sherline Chuck on Taig Spindle - how to make the spacer. Posted by: "Nicholas Carter and Felice Luftschein" felicex~xxcasco.net Date: Tue Feb 12, 2008 2:58 pm ((PST)) 1/8" thick, 3/4" hole, make sure it is flat and the faces are parallel See our homepage at www.cartertools.com/nfhome.html ------- Re: Sherline Chuck on Taig Spindle - how to make the spacer. Posted by: "Ken Cline" clinex~xxfrii.com Date: Tue Feb 12, 2008 4:24 pm ((PST)) A 1/8" spacer is not thick enough to fit my Sherline 4-jaw chuck to my Taig lathe. I stacked a couple of thrust bearings (1/8" which was not enough, and 1/16") from the hardware store to make a 3/16" shim. 1/4" They were as much as .003" out of flat, so I spent about 20 minutes grinding them flat to about .0002". A dial test indicator marked in increments of .0001" and flat plate were extremely helpful. By the way, I ground the piece against a piece of sandpaper on a granite slab which was given to me by a local granite fabricator. The piece is 1'x3'x1" - too small to be of use to them, but perfect for my use. Ken ------- Re: Sherline Chuck on Taig Spindle - how to make the spacer. Posted by: "Paul W. Chamberlain" pwcx~xxcoinet.com pwc_co Date: Tue Feb 12, 2008 6:24 pm ((PST)) As far as spacer washers to use with other chuck brands... I talked to Chris at LittleMachineShop, and he has 19 in stock. If you have an order with him for $25.00 or more, he'll throw one in for the asking... otherwise they're $0.25 each. The washers are: 1.25" OD, 0.767" ID, 0.133" thick. Users on the Sherline group complain about holding grip with Sherline chucks as well as users here commenting on the Taig chuck... short jaw depth and tommy bar tightening efficiency being the common comments for the Sherline. Many in the past have gone to the Bison chucks. However, the pricing has more than doubled since those recommendations: http://www.brassandtool.com/Chucks-Lathe.html I have a Bison 3" 3-jaw Plain Back Chuck I got on eBay some time back for $120. But with LittleMachineShop's 3/4"-16 backing plate (comes with a spacer washer), it is about 2 1/4" thick to the chuck face... taking up a lot more room than the stock Taig chuck. Another one I found has more steel jaw depth, but still uses tommy bars... and I'm sure it is an Asian or Indian import: http://www.grizzly.com/products/3-3-Jaw-Chuck-3-4-16-TPI/H8033 With my Sherline chucks, I've found that their 4-jaw scroll chuck holds small diameters much better when grip is important, such as die threading. With my 3-jaws, I frequently make arbors/mandrels out of brass hex stock and steel shafts. They've held very well and solid, even when turning grooves in 2" pulleys. Paul, Central OR MiniMechanicals.com ------- Tightening the 3-jaw chuck [taigtools] Posted by: "markzemanek" markzemanekx~xxyahoo.com Date: Thu Feb 21, 2008 8:25 am ((PST)) I'm wondering how y'all tighten the 3-jaw chuck on your Taigs. I've never seen a chuck with only one hole for accomodating only one Tomi-bar. All the 3-jaw chuck's I've used to date that use Tomi-bars have had two holes to accomodate two bars. I had a piece of steel slip in my chuck yesterday...so what am I missing? Thanks in advance, Mark ------- Re: Tightening the 3-jaw chuck Posted by: "Nicholas Carter and Felice Luftschein" felicex~xxcasco.net Date: Thu Feb 21, 2008 8:59 am ((PST)) The 3 jaw chucks should now come with two sets of holes, if you have an older chuck then most people use a wrench on the jaw. But steel will slip in the 3 jaw if you take a heavy cut, because of the aluminum jaws. See our homepage at www.cartertools.com/nfhome.html ------- Re: Tightening the 3-jaw chuck Posted by: "Art" t2b1r3x~xxyahoo.com Date: Thu Feb 21, 2008 9:35 am ((PST)) Hi Mark: I had the same problem, and fixed it by drilling new holes in the chuck. Thought I had reinvented the wheel until Nick burst my bubble and told me that I just had the old style chuck . See message # 11939 and 1st picture in "AJ's Pics" album. Regards Art Ps. The 4 jaw chuck has a much better grip (but of course is a little slower to set up). ------- Re: Tightening the 3-jaw chuck Posted by: "Tony Jeffree" tonyx~xxjeffree.co.uk Date: Thu Feb 21, 2008 9:43 am ((PST)) I found after a while that the best solution was to buy a small after- market 3-jaw with steel jaws (various ones are available from the usual importers) which I have fitted to a backplate machined from a Taig faceplate. Regards, Tony ------- Re: Tightening the 3-jaw chuck Posted by: "markzemanek" markzemanekx~xxyahoo.com Date: Thu Feb 21, 2008 1:34 pm ((PST)) Thanks for the answers gentlemen. I think I'll go with Nick's advice and just use a wrench on the jaws, for the time being. And if I'm not happy with that I'll switch chucks and use the little two-incher I have, which happens to have two sets of holes and two Tomi-bars...and steel jaws. Mark ------- Re: Tightening the 3-jaw chuck Posted by: "Des Bromilow" desbromilowx~xxyahoo.com Date: Fri Feb 22, 2008 1:28 am ((PST)) Mark, I had the same problem, but some (can't recall who) suggested I simply drill the holes in the chuck myself. I spaced the holes around the rim half way between the jaws, to a depth of about 3/8" (10mm). If I recall correctly, I marked the jaws (and slots), marked the hole positions (using the other half of the chuck as a marking guide), and then disassembled the chuck to measure from inside to ensure I didn't hit the scroll. Then simply drilled, deburred and reassembled. Took advantage of the disassembly step to clean and lube the inside of the chuck. No problems. Des ------- 7X HF mini-lathe chuck on the Taig lathe with LMS 1920 adapter?[taigtools] Posted by: "lhbakeland" digitaltorquex~xxaol.com Date: Sat Aug 22, 2009 3:54 pm ((PDT)) Has anyone used the Little Machine Shop #1920 chuck adapter with the Taig lathe? As I recall, someone has, but I have not been able to find the post. I would like to know, if it bogs down the lathe or if there are any clearance issues. Thanks in advance to all respondants. Leo ------- Re: 7X HF mini-lathe chuck on the Taig lathe with LMS 1920 adapter? Posted by: "Will Schmit" anchornmx~xxyahoo.com Date: Sat Aug 22, 2009 5:02 pm ((PDT)) I have the LMS 1920 chuck adapter with their 3 jaw chuck. I don't know why you would assume that there would be clearance or "bogging-down" issues. IMHO, there are other issues. The run-out issue should be primary. My issue (if you want to call it that) is that the adapter requires that you face it and then bring the mounting boss into round in order to have it mate with the chuck. I kinda accept that the plate needs to be faced to match with "your" lathe. LMS says that the boss has to be turned within .0001" -- hey -- lets get real, most of us can only guestimate below .0005". The instructions that they say they include are non-existant -- they are on the website, so if the box is empty -- print the instructions out. I think it is kinda scarey to be whisking of a few microns, with no way to measure the outcome. The bigger challenge is the back of the chuck. How are you going to true a 5" diameter hunk of metal on a machine that has no chuck? My chuck / adapter combo has NEVER run true. The best I have done is .003'. I have been looking for the time to get it working the way it should be. At this point, I am using the machine to build itself, and I need to get another .002" of concentricity accuracy. I haven't found the time to determine if the problem is run-out, excentricity, or an "un-level" face plate. I tend to believe it is run-out eccentricity. Many folks say that .003 is good - I don't accept that. The "thread-on" equipment such as "end mill adapters" run as true as could be imagined, so I know the spindle is true. ------- Re: 7X HF mini-lathe chuck on the Taig lathe with LMS 1920 adapter? Posted by: "Rick Kernell" rickk1x~xxcableone.net Date: Sat Aug 22, 2009 5:13 pm ((PDT)) I have the version for the 7x10. The chuck mount makes the chuck out of balance due to the holes drilled to allow mounting to chucks with both 90 and 120 degree hole separation. I had to drill holes on the side opposite of the holes that allow mounting to a chuck with 120 degree mounting holes calculating the distance away from center to balance it out. It runs smoothly now. Rick Kernell ------- Re: 7X HF mini-lathe chuck on the Taig lathe with LMS 1920 adapter? Posted by: "deanofid" deanofidx~xxyahoo.com Date: Sat Aug 22, 2009 6:22 pm ((PDT)) Hi Will: It could be that the chuck itself is no better than .003" in the accuracy department. That's true of many chucks that run on a scroll. Sherline makes pretty good little scroll chucks, and they so much as say that expecting less than .002-.003" run out from one is expecting too much. Some scroll chucks have one, (or more) sweet spots, where it will run nearly true for a certain size stock, but in other positions will be out by a bit. It may be just the nature of the chuck you have. It does seem kind of a lot of effort, and maybe an impossible task, to get a face plate or nose adapter to .0001" tolerance when you're going to put a 003" chuck on it. I feel for ya! Dean ------- Re: 7X HF mini-lathe chuck on the Taig lathe with LMS 1920 adapter? Posted by: "Will Schmit" anchornmx~xxyahoo.com Date: Sat Aug 22, 2009 6:51 pm ((PDT)) You are absolutely right Dean. Currently, I am just trying to get the mix of machinery working. I feel it is counterproductive to (as you point out) try and find accuracy where none exists. All of this stuff is from Little Machine Shop, and it all matches their specs. Nothing is "out of whack". While making parts for this mix, I had to flip a part (end for end) and it was very difficult to get it re-centered. A couple of thous out on one side, then a couple thous out the other direction after flipping, doesn't match my goals. If it were more than .003" I would be using a 4 jaw and centering every part for every task. The whole point of a 3 jaw is to not need to do that. I don't want to go on a crusade in search of the perfect chuck. When I find time, I am going to use a boring bar to true the jaws at 1" and hope that is a "happy medium". It is a good chuck and a good plate on a good lathe. The thread is about the mounting plate -- I think it has merit, if you have the time to make it run true. ------- Three jaw chuck with steel jaws [taigtools] Posted by: "scomr2" sco88x~xxbtinternet.com Date: Sun Dec 19, 2010 9:55 am ((PST)) Hi, I'm looking for a three jaw chuck for my lathe with steel jaws rather than the aluminium ones of the standard chuck. Anybody got any recommendations for chucks that will fit? Cheers, Simon ------- Re: Three jaw chuck with steel jaws Posted by: "Will Schmit" anchornmx~xxyahoo.com Date: Sun Dec 19, 2010 10:22 am ((PST)) Penn States Industries has lots of great chucks at very reasonable prices -- they are basically a woodworker's outlet, but the chucks I have bought from them were as nice (or nicer) than the ones I have gotten from Little Machine Shop. They sell an adapter to go from taig to woodworker standard (3/4-16 to 1" - 8). Works like a champ. ------- Re: Three jaw chuck with steel jaws Posted by: "scomr2" sco88x~xxbtinternet.com Date: Sun Dec 19, 2010 11:29 am ((PST)) Thanks for that - knowing the taig thread is 3/4-16tpi is a big help. Forgot to mention I'm in the uk - so shipping from the states is a non-preferred option. Would this set up work; a taig face plate (1035) and then one of these chucks http://www.rdgtools.co.uk/acatalog/3_JAW_LATHE_CHUCKS.html mounted on it - I was thinking the 80mm front load version. I'm guessing I would need to machine the face plate to centre the chuck and tap some holes in it? ------- Re: Three jaw chuck with steel jaws Posted by: "Tony Jeffree" tonyx~xxjeffree.co.uk Date: Sun Dec 19, 2010 12:21 pm ((PST)) That would work, and yes, you would need to machine the faceplate. I bought a small 3-jaw faceplate mounting lever operated chuck from Chester Tools in the UK a while back and mounted that on a Taig faceplate; easy enough to do and works well. Regards, Tony ------- Re: Three jaw chuck with steel jaws Posted by: "Tony Wiese" tonyx~xxwiese62.fsnet.co.uk Date: Sun Dec 19, 2010 12:08 pm ((PST)) Simon, I'm also in the UK and was in the same situation as yourself - I eventually bought a Sherline chuck from the UK supplier (Millhill Supplies), the thread is the same as the Taig/Peatol but the lengths are slightly different so you'll need to machine a small spacer for the headstock spindle. For general work the Sherline chuck is much better, handy to have the Taig one when you need soft jaws though. Cheers, Tony ------- Re: Three jaw chuck with steel jaws Posted by: "Dean" deanofidx~xxyahoo.com Date: Sun Dec 19, 2010 12:12 pm ((PST)) Just make steel jaws for the Taig chuck. The jaw inserts are made to be replaced as needed. The jaws are simply 1/2" x 3/4" bar stock. There are two screws in the front of each jaw. Take them out, old jaws come off, put on new jaws. Dean ------- Re: Three jaw chuck with steel jaws Posted by: "Dean" deanofidx~xxyahoo.com Date: Mon Dec 20, 2010 5:19 pm ((PST)) "Lewis hein" wrote: > Do you have an article on that? Not for that one, Lewis. Take a jaw off your chuck and have a look at it. Two holes and a small slot and you're done. Just copy the Taig item. Put the new steel jaws on your chuck and true them and that's it. Dean ------- Re: 4" steel three jaw [taigtools] Posted by: "Will Schmit" anchornmx~xxyahoo.com Date: Sun Oct 23, 2011 6:57 pm ((PDT)) October 23, 2011 Will Schmit wrote: >> I use Penn States woodworking chucks with a great deal of success. My standard chuck is a 3", 3 Jaw Barracuda. I also use the Taig 4 jaw independent. It will hold big material (Memory says 3 3/4"). The stepped jaws are wonderful for that. << October 23, 2011 ED MAISEY wrote: > Will, thank you, never seen a chuck design quite like that, can you elaborate please, do you use it to machine metal, or wood? I did take a look at their website but found the descriptions a little vague, surely they are designed to hold wood only, I stand corrected if I am wrong. Edmund < A chuck doesn't care what you put in it! I machine mostly metal. I bought the chuck because it would hold 1" dowels that I used for making hardwood sewing thimbles. I routinely use the chuck for aluminum, brass, and EDM electrodes. It is a 4 jaw scroll chuck with replaceable jaws. There are a wide variety of jaws available, plus you can make your own specialty jaws. My favorite application is to use it as a 2 jaw chuck. I open the jaws wide enough to allow a flat bar of wax, wood, aluminum or brass. The lathe will be the center of a super-precise "flipper". My mill uses the Taig lathe as its 4th axis, and almost all my work is 4th axis. Penn States has a 3/4-16 adapter that will allow the use of most of their chucks on the Taig. I have a tiny 1 1/2" 3 jaw Tommy bar chuck that I love to use for production runs of repeated parts. I like it because I can bottom-out the stock and only throw 1/2" of stub in the brass recycle bin. ------- 3 jaw chuck [taigtools] Posted by: "richy1471" richy1471x~xxgooglemail.com Date: Fri Jan 20, 2012 12:23 am ((PST)) I recently got a peatol (taig) lathe. I got it to do snooker and pool cues, so I got a large bore headstock. I have noticed that it doesn't seem to be running true and was wondering if the soft jaws could be adjusted in any manner. ------- Re: 3 jaw chuck Posted by: "Pierre Coueffin" pcoueffinx~xxgmail.com Date: Fri Jan 20, 2012 1:01 am ((PST)) They are soft jaws... They need to be bored out at the size of the pool cues that you intend to make. The procedure is described here: http://www.taigtools.com/c1050.html ------- Re: 3 jaw chuck Posted by: "alighazizadeh" alighazizadehx~xxaol.com Date: Fri Jan 20, 2012 3:25 am ((PST)) Hi. The chuck as supplied has to be trued on the lathe, then you'd get a very accurate chuck. There should be a washer supplied with the chuck, mine was a black one of about 1" diameter. Open the jaws and insert the washer making sure that it sits with its flat side firmly against the body of the chuck (this is important) and then gently tighten the chuck. Use a sharp and stiff boring bar and take very light cuts at a slow speed from the jaws about 0.001" to 0.002" at a time until the jaws show about 1 to 1.5 mm of land on the tip of the jaws, or until all jaws are being cut by the tool; you can tell by the sound the cutter makes if this is happening. Also make sure that the cutter does not crash into the washer. At this stage open the chuck very slightly and remove the washer; you will notice that a slight lip is left at the back of the jaws where the washer was sitting, and these lips will have to be removed again. Turn the boring bar at a slight angle and flush it against one of the jaws very gently (against the area that you just cut), then move the bar forward very slowly until you feel the cutter hitting the lip and very carefully turn the lathe on and remove these lips making sure that the cutter does not traverse too much forward and hit the body of the chuck. The jaws should now be trued. You will have to repeat this periodically and the jaws are very soft and easy to cut and you can also cut outside steps on the jaws using the same procedure to increase the chuck's capacity. Good luck, A.G ------- Steel jaws for Taig chuck [taigtools] Posted by: "Ali Ghazizadeh" alighazizadehx~xxaol.com Date: Mon Mar 5, 2012 2:06 pm ((PST)) Hi, I just wish to thank Dean of Dean's photographica whose site inspired me to make steel jaws for my Taig 3J chuck. I always found the Taig's aluminium jaws lacking grip during some parting, drilling or tapping jobs. The steel jaws are in no way as elegant as the ones Dean produced but they work well and repeat to within 0.025 mm tir which is not bad for an amateur job. Now if these hold up well I may consider making them for my 4J chuck. By the way, I have 3 different head stocks for my Taig lathe (please don't ask why) and each one seems to have been built slightly differently to one another with different tolerances, this always necessitates truing the chuck jaws on each head, I am now worried if the collets will have problems as these are not really adjustable. Has anyone else noticed this ? Regards to all, A.G ------- Re: Steel jaws for Taig chuck Posted by: "Paul J. Ste. Marie" taigx~xxste-marie.org Date: Mon Mar 5, 2012 3:34 pm ((PST)) Have you aligned your headstocks to run true to the lathe bed? If you turn a short, stout piece of steel rod held in the chuck *and only in the chuck*, any misalignment will appear as a taper. Use a micrometer to check for the taper. That workshop practice series describes the procedure in the section on making cylindrical squares. I found I needed a 1 mil shim on the back right corner of the headstock. ------- hard jaws for three jaw chuck [taigtools] Posted by: "dethrow2" dethrow2x~xxyahoo.com Date: Mon Mar 4, 2013 1:14 pm ((PST)) Hello im new to the group. Recently picked up a taig lathe from ebay and would like to know where i can get or have made a set of hard jaws for the three jaw chuck? thanks james ------- Re: hard jaws for three jaw chuck Posted by: "Jeffrey Birt" birt_jx~xxsoigeneris.com Date: Mon Mar 4, 2013 2:12 pm ((PST)) A2Z CNC makes hard jaws for the Taig chucks. You can get them from A2Z as well as my website: www.soigeneris.com/a2z_steel_jaws_for_taig_lathe_chucks-details.aspx They will still need to be trued once mounted on the chuck however. You can true them like you would the soft jaws. Jeff Birt Soigeneris.com ------- Re: hard jaws for three jaw chuck Posted by: "george" mndzbluex~xxyahoo.com Date: Mon Mar 4, 2013 3:19 pm ((PST)) I'd keep the 3 jaw the way it is. Get the Taig 4 jaw chuck with independent jaw adjustment, it's about $64. It has steel jaws. To center use dial indicator or place the cutting tool in the center and check distance to jaws, adjust as necessary. It's very convenient to have both a 3 and 4 jaw chuck anyways. The three jaw chuck with aluminum jaws has it's purpose, but the 4 jaw can do what the three jaw can't and vice versa. - taig chuck with steel jaws, independent jaw adjustment; - taig chuck with aluminum jaws, all jaws adjust at same time. ------- Re: hard jaws for three jaw chuck Posted by: "Yi Yao" yix~xxyyao.ca Date: Mon Mar 4, 2013 3:42 pm ((PST)) If you want to make a set for yourself, Dean has a good picture guide: www.deansphotographica.com/machining/projects/steeljaws/steeljaws.html ------- Re: hard jaws for three jaw chuck Posted by: "gebowes" gebowesx~xxyahoo.com Date: Mon Mar 4, 2013 9:18 pm ((PST)) Definitely make your own. The A2Z jaws look nice and are not cheap but mostly they are not at all accurate. The step height of the intermediate steps varied by over 0.030" among the three jaws and the mounting holes on one jaw were off center by 0.025" making it impossible to mount. I emailed A2Z twice asking if this was normal. Their lack of response tells me that it is. Graham ------- Re: Taig vs Sherline 4 jaw independent chuck [taigtools] Posted by: "Stan Stocker" skstockerx~xxcomcast.net Date: Tue Jul 2, 2013 6:59 am ((PDT)) On 07/02/2013 04:04 AM, Steve wrote: > Hi guys Has anyone noticed that both Taig and Sherline 4 jaw independent chuck share the same thread pitch? Taig chuck width is less thicker than Sherline and cost half the price. But Taig chuck weighs 1.4kg while the latter is 1.12kg. I'm not sure of Taig quality. What's the biggest depth those jaws can hold when using the reverse end? Sherline type are much shorter. Welcomes any feedback. Steve Wan < Hi Steve; The Taig four jaw chuck is a nice bit of work. Unlike the three jaw chucks, where many folks prefer the Sherline chuck over the Taig chuck, the four jaw chucks are of comparable quality in all ways that matter to me. The Sherline chuck is probably a bit prettier, but not particularly better mechanically. I'm not sure from your question if you are looking to put the four jaw on a Sherline or Taig lathe? On a Sherline, you will find that the Taig 4 jaw chuck jaws can extend only a tiny bit outside of the chuck body before they will hit the bed. With the jaws reversed (steps facing in) the capacity is 0.8, 1.6, and 2.58 inches. If the jaws face in, the capacity is 0.8 until you get down to the chuck body, then it's around 0.73 until you hit the spindle nose. Probably a usable range even on the Sherline, I just avoid mounting a chuck with a body that barely clears the bed on ANY lathe. Unless you add riser blocks, the Sherline has a smaller swing than the Taig, which can cause some things that you would expect to be useful on both machines to not actually be useful. Using Sherline chucks on Taig works well, but you need a spacer to cover the register of the Taig spindle as Sherline does not use a register. I really love the Sherline three jaw chuck on a Taig lathe. I do have both lathes in my clock shop, so this isn't speculation, I checked the interchange before posting this :-) Hopefully I've understood and answered your questions, Stan ------- Re: Taig vs Sherline 4 jaw independent chuck Posted by: "Steve Wan" stewanx~xxgmail.com Date: Tue Jul 2, 2013 7:21 pm ((PDT)) Hi Stan Thank you for the valuable feedback! I don't own a Taig but Sherline and I just got the Sherline 4 jaw chuck and like to make a comparison with Taig 4 jaw chuck. I would take note of your clamping data. Anyway, I got a wood scroll chuck from WoodRiver. I intend to make soft jaws on it for big and odd jobs. I need to use the riser block for the wood chuck. I'm more concern of the weight of bigger chuck, to prevent any stress on the bearings. The Taig chuck weighs much heavier than the wood chuck by 200g. Regards, Steve Wan ------- 3-Jaw Chuck Jaws [taigtools] Posted by: "Donnie Garrett" cfzeppx~xxgmail.com Date: Mon Aug 5, 2013 9:36 am ((PDT)) Has anyone turned down a step or steps on the outer face of the chuck jaws similar to what you would find on the 3-jaw self centering chuck that comes on most 7x10 Asian Mini Lathes? Donnie ------- Re: 3-Jaw Chuck Jaws Posted by: "Tony Jeffree" tonyx~xxjeffree.co.uk Date: Mon Aug 5, 2013 9:38 am ((PDT)) Yes - works very well. Regards, Tony ------- Re: 3-Jaw Chuck Jaws Posted by: "Jeffrey Birt" birt_jx~xxsoigeneris.com Date: Mon Aug 5, 2013 4:24 pm ((PDT)) The beauty of the soft jaws is that they can be customized in any number of ways. This makes it possible to make a set of jaws for something the profile of a coin, or to hold tubing just right from the inside. You can even get full circle jaws and steel jaws for the Taig lathe as well: http://www.soigeneris.com/lathe_chucks_and_accesories-list.aspx (my website). The soft jaws are inexpensive to replace so don't worry too much about messing them up. BTW, I posted this a few years ago showing how to accurately true the soft jaws: http://taigownersclub.forumotion.net/t207-accurately-truing-a-3-jaw-chuck Doing it this way lets you get the run-out down to less than 0.001". Jeff Birt Soigeneris.com ------- Re: 3-Jaw Chuck Jaws Posted by: "Tony Jeffree" tonyx~xxjeffree.co.uk Date: Tue Aug 6, 2013 8:57 am ((PDT)) One minor issue - the screws that they use to hold the jaws in place have changed over the years. I remember buying a set of jaws for my original 3-jaw chuck and finding that they used different (smaller I think but it is too long ago to remember) screws. Easily fixable of course - and for that matter, not exactly a taxing job to make your own replacements if you need to. Regards, Tony ------- Re: 3-Jaw Chuck Jaws Posted by: "Paul J. Ste. Marie" taigx~xxste-marie.org Date: Wed Aug 7, 2013 10:10 pm ((PDT)) On 8/6/2013 8:57 AM, Tony Jeffree wrote: > One minor issue - the screws that they use to hold the jaws in place > have changed over the years. Old: 4-40 New: 6-32 Unfortunately, 6-32 isn't sufficiently larger than 4-40 to be able to drill/retap the existing chuck with more than 50% thread. I haven't tried making my own yet, although with the mill and a piece of Al bar you should able to make dozens of them for $10 worth of materials. ------- [taigtools] Making Yo Yos On Taig Lathe - Need Chuck Advise And Overall Guidance Posted by: bink9erx~xxyahoo.com Date: Mon Feb 10, 2014 6:20 pm ((PST)) I am thinking about purchasing a Taig lathe and one of the first things I want to try to make are yo yos out of delrin or aluminum. Is anyone making yo yos that can help me with the chuck they use (has it been modified) and any other process steps or tooling made or used to make it easier? Are there tricks to getting two halves that are the same and look identical? I am new at this so all help is appreciated. Thanks, Ronnie ------- Re: Making Yo Yos On Taig Lathe - Need Chuck Advise And Overall Guid Posted by: "Will Schmit" anchornmx~xxyahoo.com Date: Tue Feb 11, 2014 4:37 am ((PST)) I have never made one, but I have heard that Yo Yos are turned on a mandrel. If the mandrel has a round shaft, any Taig chuck will work. If it has three flats, you will have to use a 3 jaw chuck. I have recently machined delrin, I found it to handle very well, but once you have a part, it is almost impossible to get adhesive to stick to it. Beyond that, it isn't very pretty -- I would suggest laminating corian. It mills like a dream, and is available in hundreds of colors. Almost half of my chucks are woodworking chucks, with adapters --- you can buy them both at Penn States: http://www.pennstateind.com/ They are big on pen making, but they also sell tooling for yoyos. ------- Re: Making Yo Yos On Taig Lathe - Need Chuck Advise And Overall Guid Posted by: kvaughanx~xxacsalaska.net kenvalaska Date: Tue Feb 11, 2014 10:59 am ((PST)) There are two approaches -- one uses a mandrel and each half is turned separately. The other way is to turn from one piece of acrylic, wood, etc. Ed Davidson *Yo-YoSpin" produced a DVD on making the one piece yo-yo several years ago. You may (or may not) be able to acquire one from him. His web site has examples of what he makes and sells. ------- Re: Making Yo Yos On Taig Lathe - Need Chuck Advise And Overall Guid Posted by: shawnwoolleyx~xxmac.com retrosurfer1959 Date: Tue Feb 11, 2014 11:40 am ((PST)) Yep I make Yo-Yo's all the time and thats exactly how I do it. I have several mandrels that I use, the key is to drill and true the yoyo in one long piece then slice the thicknesses you want for sides. It is also a lot of fun with Aluminum and Brass and even true hardwoods to make one piece yo-yo's. I've made them out of all sorts of material from plastics and resins to wood, aluminum, brass, copper, bone, and ivory (mostly from old antique ivory pool balls which can make amazing yo-yo's). Some other really fun projects to make with a Taig lathe and only a few accessories are plumb bobs and small spinning tops. They're fun, attractive, and make great gifts for kids and adults. ------- Taig 3 jaw check has limited opening [TAIGTOOLS] Posted by: "Karl Schwab" ktschwabx~xxyahoo.com qrpoperator Date: Sun Mar 15, 2015 4:39 pm ((PDT)) I am wondering, if for some reason, if the Taig 3-jaw scroll chuck (with aluminum jaws) only opens to except a diameter of about 1-1/4"? Also, the video of the disassembly of the scroll chucks on the Taig Web site, shows that these chucks have holes in both the body and the scroll for tightening and loosening; the one that I have only has holes, 3 of them, on the scroll. With this being said, how do I lighten/loosen this chuck? Karl ------- Re: Taig 3 jaw check has limited opening Posted by: "Nicholas Carter and Felice Luftschein" felicex~xxcasco.net Date: Sun Mar 15, 2015 5:55 pm ((PDT)) Early 3 jaw chucks only had one set of holes, put a wrench on one of the jaws to hold it when tightening. 1-1/4" sounds about right but you can cut steps in the jaws. felicex~xxcasco.net is Nicholas Carter and Felice Luftschein. Learn more about us at http://www.nickandfelice.com ------- Re: Taig 3 jaw check has limited opening Posted by: "WAM" ajawam2x~xxcomcast.net ajawamnet Date: Sun Mar 15, 2015 6:59 pm ((PDT)) I know A2Z makes steel step and plain jaws for the 3 and 4 jaw chuck. Soigeneris has them: www.soigeneris.com/a2z_steel_jaws_for_taig_lathe_chucks-details.aspx ------- ------------------------------------------------------------------ This is just one of some 80 files about machining and metalworking and useful workshop subjects that can be read at: http://www.janellestudio.com/metal/index.html ------------------------------------------------------------------