Chuck/face plate questions

[bfrikken]

It'll become quickly apparent how new I am to turning in a second, so please bear with me, and excuse me for some questions that may seem trivial.

I bought my lathe used. It came with a mandrel for turning pens, and a live center (i think you call it a live center) that properly fits the end of the mandrel on the tail stock. I'm just about done turning through a series of kits that I have, and I have spent some time considering turning a small bowl.

I have another insert to use instead of my mandrel. I'm not sure what you call it, maybe a drive center? It "sticks" into one end of a workpiece on center, and the other end, i was going to align with my live center to attempt to turn.

But, that's all I have. I look at all these fancy chucks, and I see they are threaded. I had some real good advice from other sites about a faceplate, but again, I see those and they are threaded. What do I screw that onto? I don't have anything that goes in my lathe to accept that. I assume it is a morse taper 2 threaded insert? That is what my mandrel is (mt2). so where do I get this device? I see this at Harbor Freights website, http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=4486
so I wonder, is this all I need to at least get started with a few small things? I very little money to spend on anything, so that's why I'm a little stuck right now figuring out what to do..

 

[wdcav1952]

BF,

Give us a bit more to go on. What brand and model # is your lathe?

 

[Russianwolf]

Gotta agree with Cav, We need more Info on the lathe you got.

It's possible on some dedicated spindle lathes for it not to have threads on the arbor of the headstock. The arbor is the part that the Moris Taper goes into and most now have threads on the outside to allow the use of faceplates and chucks. Here's a pic showing where the thread should be.

If that's the case, I wouldn't bother trying to turn any bowls of any real size on it.

The little chuck you linked to is good for only small items and I don't know how much good given the hit or miss nature of HF.

 

[marcruby]

Morse taper is the size of the inside of the spindle insert on the headstock. what you need to know is the thread dimensions on the outside of the spindle. Typical sizes are 1.25" by 8 and 1" by 8. there are others, so we would need to know the lathe. If it's a current lathe (delta, jet, etc.) then you may also be able to go to the manufacturer's site and find out. Even better, you may be able to download a copy of the manual.

Marc

 

[bfrikken]

My lathe is a Jet Look alike. It is badged Hickory Tools, and I don't have a manual. I looked the company up, but they have no info for power tools like a lathe.

Boy do i feel stupid. Marc - your simple description of the spindle insert got me thinking, maybe they are threaded... I went out and checked, and sure enough, they are. I guess I got so caught up in the insert of the mandrel, I expected a faceplate to have an insert as well. Now it actually makes sense why all these chucks and faceplates are threaded. I believe it is 1" by 8 and will have to check later when i can get out in the garage again.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Probably the easiest thing you can do to learn wats-wat with turning accessories would be to look in woodturning supply catalogs. Just looking at the pictures will be an education. Second, check your local library to see if they have any books on beginning turning. Next, check and see if there is a local woodturning club in your area. Or ask around and try to locate other turners who could help. Coming here is fine but we need photos to better understand what you are up against with that brand of lathe. But, congratulations for jumping into a wonderful new avocation.

 

[Wildman]

Three jaw chucks better suited for metal lathes. JMHO, believe that Harbor Freight chuck meant to go on a mini metal lathe. Same could be said for Grizzly version H5934. It’s listed under wood lathe accessories.

Only exception to that being a drill chuck, that turners use installed in either head or tail stock. When a drill chuck is installed in the head stock, for holding small pieces normally need to bring up the tail stock with live center installed to help keep alignment and keep drill chuck in the head stock spindle.

Think you would have to bring the tail stock up to keep either the Harbor Freight or Grizzly Chuck’s installed in the head stock. Would not matter if in compression or expansion mode.

Grizzly has an assortment of three & four jaw chucks which look like carry overs from metal lathe use which will screw on your head stock spindle. Would not recommend any of that style for wood turning.

They also offer two inexpensive 4 jaw scroll chucks which screw onto your spindle threads, better suited for wood turning. (4 jaw chuck for round pieces $42.50 & 3 3/4" lathe chuck $99.95, page 132 of catalog) There may be cheaper alternatives, to those two chucks just not sure.

It’s okay to use face plates, think you’ll find them cheaper and safer than a metal lathe chuck whether three or four jaw.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Wildman said, "Grizzly has an assortment of three & four jaw chucks which look like carry overs from metal lathe use which will screw on your head stock spindle. Would not recommend any of that style for wood turning."
I'll second that. On the advice of a friend, I bought one of the large Grizzly three jaw chucks for my first lathe. It is useless for wood. I have found limited use for it when (rarely) making small objects from brass. Save yer money.

 

[Russianwolf]

Originally posted by Wildman


Only exception to that being a drill chuck, that turners use installed in either head or tail stock. When a drill chuck is installed in the head stock, for holding small pieces normally need to bring up the tail stock with live center installed to help keep alignment and keep drill chuck in the head stock spindle.

I think most if not all of them are supposed to used with a draw bar (I know mine is made to use one). You can work around this by getting a long bolt that will thread into the small end of the morise taper on your Jacobs (drill) chuck. Mine has a nice threaded hole there for just this reason. the bolt feeds through the outboard side of the spindle and keeps the chuck from moving out of the spindle.

Some other Moris Taper items work the same way.

You have to remove the draw bar (bolt) to use your knockout bar.

Hope that made sense.

 

[DocStram]

Originally posted by bfrikken

It'll become quickly apparent how new I am to turning in a second, so please bear with me, and excuse me for some questions that may seem trivial.

Listen, man .... do yourself .... your wife ... your children .. your mom and dad .... a big favor. Go find yourself a local woodturner and spend some time watching and talking with him. You have got to know more about what you're getting into before you get yourself hurt. Know what I mean? Even with me knowing what I'm doing ... it's still dang easy to get hurt by that lathe.

Maybe if you let us know where you live .... one of us might live nearby and be willing to give you a little firsthand experience. Ummmm ... also ... it's okay to let us know your real name, if you don't mind.