what I use for a Vice for drilling blanks

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Marker

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This is how I drill my square pen blanks. Right now I am drilling one of Tom barron's Gator jaw blanks.



my setup is Just an indapendint 4 jaw chuck, with an old door knob. I put heavy magnets from a pc's harddrive on the bottom to secure it.

I drill all my round blanks on one of my lathes.
 

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azamiryou

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Just curious: since you have the 4-jaw chuck, why not drill the square blanks on the lathe, too?

(PS: I think this is a good idea, and useful.)
 
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tkbarron

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I'll second Matthew's comment. Since you have the 4 jaw chuck, why not throw a drill bit chuck in the tailstock and go with that. It's much easier to center your blank on the lathe and there less chance the bit will "walk". IMO.

I like that blank! :wink: Let's see a picture of the completed pen!!

Tom
 

MattTheHat

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azamiryou said:
Just curious: since you have the 4-jaw chuck, why not drill the square blanks on the lathe, too?

(PS: I think this is a good idea, and useful.)

I'm guessing the reason is that the four jaw isn't what the OP normally keeps on the lathe. With a dedicated setup like that a guy could drill a few blanks in the time it takes to switch chucks.

Slick setup!


-Matt
 

Marker

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The main reason is because, well I dont have a back plate that this chuck will fit onto.

This chuck is like 6.25" in diameter.

I have looked for a back plate that will fit the chuck, and I could not find one that has the same tpi as my mill drill lathe combo. it has some weird threads.

also this chuck is too big for my little 7x10 mini lathe. It may spin it, but I would have no room for the drill bit.

Now That I got my micro lux 7x14:) I may be able to get a back plate that will work.




Also I don't think that it would be any easier to center the blank in the lathe. Why is because wouldn't I need to use a dial indicator each time? since this chuck is an independent 4 jaw? Right now where I dill the blanks in the chuck is not exactly center of the chuck.

I have two of the jaws all the way in, so I have a good 90. I then just draw a X on each blank from corner to corner, And bump the chuck when needed which is held down with magnets, so the drill bit is in the center of the blank.


Would it be easier to get center on the lathe? I would not be able to bump the chuck. and when switching blanks from 1/2" to up 7/8" and sometime bigger Would not I have to move all four jaws to get center? and use a dial indicator? to me this seems as if this would take just as long, if not longer.


I went and bought a 4" four jaw self centering chuck that will fit my Clark, mil drill lathe combo. I have it mounted to the lathe right now.

I bought it thinking that it would be better to drill on the lathe.......I am not saying that It wouldn't be....but the problem That I came across, is that not all blanks are perfectly square. (especially cast blanks such as this gator blank) Which causes a problem with the 4 jaw self centering chuck. because only two jaws would touch the blank, and the other two would not. and no mater how hard I tightened the chuck the blank would wiggle.

I would Like to get a independent 4 jaw chuck for this lathe, but I have not found one with the same bolt circle. It is on my list to buy, so I can chuck rectangles in my lathe.




I'll second Matthew's comment. Since you have the 4 jaw chuck, why not throw a drill bit chuck in the tailstock and go with that. It's much easier to center your blank on the lathe and there less chance the bit will "walk". IMO.

I like that blank! :wink: Let's see a picture of the completed pen!!

Tom
 
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MattTheHat

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Chess_Master, I'm 99% sure you can find a 4-jaw chuck for your lathe at littlemachineshop.com. I highly recommend them, good folks indeed, with excellent service. while there, DO NOT look at their variable speed 8x lathe with power feed and power cross feed. (You've been warned.)

-Matt
 

azamiryou

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Also I don't think that it would be any easier to center the blank in the lathe. Why is because wouldn't I need to use a dial indicator each time? since this chuck is an independent 4 jaw? Right now where I dill the blanks in the chuck is not exactly center of the chuck.

I have two of the jaws all the way in, so I have a good 90. I then just draw a X on each blank from corner to corner, And bump the chuck when needed which is held down with magnets, so the drill bit is in the center of the blank.

Next question then: since this setup gives you satisfactory results and is quicker than a lathe chuck, why do you drill round stock on the lathe? Or do you find the lathe just as quick when you can use a self-centering chuck?

Each method has pros and cons, of course, and I'm interested in your calculus that led to doing square stock on the drill press and round stock on the lathe. Why the difference?
 
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