Scroll chucks versus Collets

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I bought it from Bolton Hardware. I got a steal of a deal, 12x30, $1400 or something like that and it included the shipping and a few accessories. Great working machine, runs smooth, threads great, gears change easy, top slide has a secondary lead screw for automated facing...It's just the type of spindle head that sucks. I'd like to meet that genius! Probably the same guy that put that little wall inside some of the jet mini spindles so that you have to cut your dead center to make it fit. Machinery should have standard features that make them able to use most accessories universally with no mucking around..that's what I think..but life is just not that easy. My machine actually can't take collets. I had to have it modified by the cat in order to do so.
 
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I have both, and I use both. I couldn't get by with just one or the other. Neither one is required for penturning. I made lots of pens before I owned either kind of chuck.

Scroll chucks will hold square pieces, and larger pieces. I often drill square blanks on the lathe -- held only on one end by the scroll chuck. Bowls and boxes often start on a faceplate, but usually only until I turn a spigot and mount a scroll chuck.

A collet chuck will hold small-diameter round pieces on-axis without marring. In my experience, it does yield better concentricity. I use one when I need to drill a centered hole. I often drill rounded blanks and turn other parts held in a collet chuck.

Before I bought a collet chuck, I made my own wood collets and used them in the scroll chuck. They worked, but not nearly as well as the metal collets in a collet chuck. I won't go back.

As I'm sure many know, I make and sell "bullet pen" kits. I couldn't do that without a collet chuck. A scroll chuck just doesn't hold the shellcase (not casing - "case") or bullet well enough. Bullets are generally not tapered along the bearing surface. Many rifle cases are tapered, but can still be held by a collet.

Both scroll chucks and collet chucks serve me well - for different purposes. Someday, I'll get a metal lathe. I might find the collet chuck less useful when all the processes I use it for switch lathes. Until then, however, it's a necessary tool in my collection.

Regards,
Eric
 
Jeff, your lathe sounds the same as mine. Did you have to machine the flange to fit the chuck(s)? Mine came with the 3 jaw chuck pre-fitted and I had to machine the adaptors for the 4 jaw independent and self centering ones though.
Even though it has a fixed flange on the headstock, surely the bore is a morse taper? Mine is a MT3 on HS and MT2 on TS.
I think your lathe is a little bigger than my 10 x 21.5?
 
The plate or flange was pre machined, but you know you have to machine it again when you get it because it was not machined using this lathe. Does come with 3 jaw chuck which is "machined to fit" as they say. The bore is a morse taper, MT5, but back behind the spindle in the gear box there is not enough room for a drawbar because the pully's would be in the way, thus the need for a collet chuck instead. The plate on the machine is sort of like a brake disk on a car. It has a step up in the middle, and that step is supposed to center the 3 jaw chuck and helps hold it in place when you bolt it into place. I had to surface the plate and I also had to shave some of the "step" away because after the collet chuck or even a 3 jaw chuck is bolted to it, you still need to wiggle it about and I couldn't get enough wiggle to get it centered until I shaved a hair off that step. I tapped and turned on that chuck for a couple hours before I finally got it down to .ooo2 and then I celebrated! The collet chuck is mounted to a face plate which was already designed for this machine. So I had to again, center the faceplate to the lathe and then center the chuck to the faceplate...therefore I am not interested in removing the collet chuck unless I have no choice. I could see myself buying a second machine before I want to take that on again! Now I am trying to figure out what's going on with my drill chuck. Fortunately CaptGary gave me one, but the hole in his only 3/8 or something small like that. I bought a bigger 5/8 one on ebay, MT3 for the tailstock. It shows up 9 days later, I stick it in the tail and it is an MT2. So I contact her and say hey..I bought MT3 and you sent MT2. The person says not a problem, I send you out a new rod that goes in the back of the chuck that is MT3. Now 2 days ago that finally arrives, so I go down to the shop, wrestle the rod out of the chuck, try and stick in the MT3 rod...it doesn't fit in the back of the drill chuck. So now I have an MT2 Keyless drill chuck with taper rod and a useless MT3 taper rod and no reply yet from the vendor. I can't believe the vendor didn't check before sending me that rod. I know I can just buy an MT2-3 adaptor..but I paid for MT3 and don't have it. I'm frustrated!
 
Well whatever you do, don't settle for the MT2 - 3 adaptor. Even if aligns perfectly, you'll waste valuable bed length.

When I skimmed my flange and other chuck adaptor plates, I was told that they must be a tight fit and I shouldn't be able to remove or fit them by hand. I must have got them right as I need to use a plastic mallet to get them on or off. I hope you didn't take too much off!!:eek:

Once you have it mounted, do you need to tap around the chuck to get it central before tightening the nuts? I really hope not, as you are now relying on the studs and nuts to keep it aligned. I reckon it will move if you do anything but light cuts. That will be a serious and costly disaster!!!!
 
You would probably be correct Steve. It's on there pretty damn tight, but a hard catch could still possibly move it. It would never fall off, but yes it could move off by several hundred thousands and had to be tapped into place with a mallet. It will have to be something for me to come back to down the road and re-machine when I am more comfortable with the machine. As it was, the factory setting made the chuck really wobble..including the factory 3 jaw chuck, and I only know some fundamental basics for metal turning, nothing more.
 
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