A wealth of information about lathe maintenance!!!

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ed4copies

Local Chapter Manager
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Mar 25, 2005
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Racine, WI, USA.
I was looking for specific information on YouTube and, as usual found many interesting videos--none of which addressed the question at hand (simple explanation of using a Jacob's chuck).

However, I watched this vid from start to finish and I learned a lot!!! So, I suspect you might learn something as well.


Starts with drilling straight holes on the lathe, but covers a LOT of valuable information on lathe maintenance!!
Watch it and comment below to encourage others to watch it!!

Ed
 
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SteveG

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Dec 21, 2009
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Eugene, Oregon 97404
Great video. Sound advice for a range of issues that can deteriorate TS performance, including some that may be there on day one from the manufacturer. Preventive maintenance is not to be neglected, if you want to keep it good, instead of returning it to good.

On one of my past pen turning lathes, the TS was too loose in the ways, and slightly offset to the side from aligning with the headstock. To correct, I used epoxy to apply brass shim stock to the side of the part that extends down between the bed. This tightened it up, and brought it into alignment. A pretty easy fix, and long lasting
 

monophoto

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Mar 13, 2010
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Saratoga Springs, NY
Very good advice.

I would add a few things:
1. The knurled outer diameter of a Jacobs chuck can hurt your left hand if the bit jams in the wood and the chuck starts rotating. DAMHIKT. So I always wear a kevlar carver's glove on my hand for protection.
2. I don't like the idea of using conventional greases that remain 'wet' around my lathe where they can absorb sawdust. Instead, I prefer a dry lubricant such as white lithium grease. This product is readily available at hardware and big box stores because it is the recommended lubricant for ubiquitous sleeve bearings on garage door rollers. And by the way - WE40 is not a lubricant, but it can be used to clean off any old lubricants on the quill components.
3. When tailstock alignment, it's helpful to extend the quill as far as it will go. Doing so increases the apparent angular difference between the tailstock and headstock so that the misalignment will be more visible.
4. The video mentions specific Morse tapers that apply to the maker's full-size lathe - most of us are more likely to have lathes with MT1 or MT2 tapers, and Jacob's chucks that mount using JT-33 tapers. But the same principles apply. And by the way, the idea of replacing the arbor on a Jacobs chuck is important to know if you ever upgrade to a larger lathe and want to keep using your old Jacobs chuck.
 

KMCloonan

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Joined
Jun 13, 2017
Messages
1,459
Location
Round Lake, Illinois
Thanks for the thread Ed. After watching the video, I promptly went to my shop and took apart my tailstock. Fortunately, all the threads looked good. I cleaned the screw, and applied fresh grease, put it all back together, and it moves nice and smoothly.
 

jrista

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Joined
Aug 12, 2021
Messages
2,222
Location
Colorado
Thanks, Ed! I imagine my email prompted the search? ;-)

FWIW, it seems that my particular jacobs chuck doesn't hold tightly in the spindle of the lathe I was using it on. It wasn't so much that the jamb chuck itself was loose, the entire jacobs chuck was. Not sure why, but, the chuck has an interesting design to the morse taper...its particularly long, and the end is pinched flat. Not even sure if that would normally be called an MT2, or something else (one of those things I'm still learning.)

Anyway, I ended up picking up a collet chuck set, which holds tightly in the spindle and seem to work really well holding the jamb chucks I bought. The collet chuck has other uses as well (originally bought it for a different purpose), and I guess eventually if I get into kitless, it would have use there also.

Anyway, thanks for the help!
 

Pen Zen

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Joined
Jun 18, 2017
Messages
203
Location
North Richland Hills, TX
Very good advice.

I would add a few things:
1. The knurled outer diameter of a Jacobs chuck can hurt your left hand if the bit jams in the wood and the chuck starts rotating. DAMHIKT. So I always wear a kevlar carver's glove on my hand for protection.
2. I don't like the idea of using conventional greases that remain 'wet' around my lathe where they can absorb sawdust. Instead, I prefer a dry lubricant such as white lithium grease. This product is readily available at hardware and big box stores because it is the recommended lubricant for ubiquitous sleeve bearings on garage door rollers. And by the way - WE40 is not a lubricant, but it can be used to clean off any old lubricants on the quill components.
3. When tailstock alignment, it's helpful to extend the quill as far as it will go. Doing so increases the apparent angular difference between the tailstock and headstock so that the misalignment will be more visible.
4. The video mentions specific Morse tapers that apply to the maker's full-size lathe - most of us are more likely to have lathes with MT1 or MT2 tapers, and Jacob's chucks that mount using JT-33 tapers. But the same principles apply. And by the way, the idea of replacing the arbor on a Jacobs chuck is important to know if you ever upgrade to a larger lathe and want to keep using your old Jacobs chuck.
From WD40.com

Myth: WD-40 Multi-Use Product is not really a lubricant.

Fact: While the "W-D" in WD-40 stands for Water Displacement, WD-40 Multi-Use Product is a unique, special blend of lubricants. The product's formulation also contains anti-corrosion agents and ingredients for penetration, water displacement and soil removal.
 
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