My Vega 8 foot lathe problems.

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1JaredSchmidt

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Nov 21, 2007
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El Campo,Texas, USA.
That lathe that my dad bought off of K-bid.com is giving me some problems. Here's the lathe. http://www.k-bid.com/cgi-bin/mnlist.cgi?klosteria33/5

The headstock spindle is smooth. How do I use it with my chuck. It's Morse Taper is #2MT so it works with my lathe accessories. Also the outboard spindle is smooth and the hole in the middle of it is to small to even fit the taper in it. How do I turn on the outside too? Now I have a headache whenever I think of this. Will somebody help me out? Please! Thanks!:(
 
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Jared:

Check their website out. http://www.vegawoodworking.com/
You could contact them to find out how. There specs say the spindle is 1 1/4 X 8 yet the picture of the lathe shows it smooth as you described.[?] Is it possible there is some kind of adapter screwed on to protect the spindle threads?
 
It is not meant for outboard turning! You would need extra outboard assembly to turn outboard. The "small" through-hole is meant for the knock-out bar to go through to loosen the MT#2 accessories, like spur drives etc. I don't know what chuck you are talking about, but a chuck is normally screwed onto the head stock spindle, which has a 1 1/4" thread. Normally, a chuck has an extra insert to adapt for the lathe spindle thread, commonly used threads are 1" (most mini and midi lathes), 1 1/4" (Nova, Vega etc, mainly larger lathes) and the 33 mm of the large Oneways. If you cahnge to another lathe you can keep the chuck, just need another insert.
You can look up all these information on Vega's website:
http://www.vegawoodworking.com
 
Just a wild guess.....maybe your lathe is an older one made before they started threading the HS spindle. See if you can find a serial number or a date of manufacture and then call Vega customer service for help.
 
From what little I can see in the photos, it appears that there's a faceplate behind the spindle. Is it possible that the spindle is changeable? Doesn't make much sense to me, but I don't know. Also, the spindle might be MT1 ?
This is a duplicator, right?
 
Originally posted by Ron in Drums PA

I agree Gary
From the pictures it doesn't look like a chuck will work on this lathe.
Click to expand...

Some adapters or modifications might be necessary. That could be expensive. Perhaps an adapter could be machined that fits into the MT and has spindle sized threads on the end to accept a chuck. I'll bet a machine shop could do that for under $100.00.
 
For a 100 bucks, I'll bet you could get a machine shop to cut a 1-1/4 x 8tpi thread on the headstock spindle.

Also, your post is a little unclear to me. Are you wanting threads on the outboard end of the spindle so you can use the chuck for outboard turning??
 
There is a bottom line----how much does the spindle weigh---since it's designed for a specific function I would really be surprized if it has enough mass to be safely milled to preform a different job.
This just ain't the lathe he thought he was buying---resale it and try again-----always better to be safe.
 
First of all,it has a MT2 taper. I want to use a chuck for outboard turning. We got a manual and it says that you can do outboard turning and that's all it says. Maybe I'll turn a really long pen.:D I was hoping to use my chuck on it. I could call Vega and ask them.
 
With a 2HP motor and the spindle made from a 1-1/4" stgeel billet(so says the web site) this lathe should be able to handle all but the largest of woodturning projects.
 
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