Arbor Screw Chuck Problem (need help)

[Tracy Gill]

I bought an Arbor Screw Chuck for my Delta Midi Lathe (MT#2). It is too long and hits something in the shaft before it can seat properly. Any ideas? I tried it on my friends Jet Mini and it worked fine. Can I cut it shorter so it will seat (only needs about a 1/4 inch). or is there another brand that will fit? (I bought it from woodturnerscatalog.com).

Please help...

[Joe Chritz]

No reason you can't shorten it since the taper will hit long before the end. I would do some serious looking inside before chopping it down however. The morse taper should be open all the way through to the back. Maybe it is some snarf or something holding it up.

Joe

[Steve Mawson]

Agree with Joe that there is probably something else at work here. I suspect that the MT is pretty hard and may be difficult to just cut off some of the end. Do you have anything else that is MT that fits?

[Tracy Gill]

Agree with Joe that there is probably something else at work here. I suspect that the MT is pretty hard and may be difficult to just cut off some of the end. Do you have anything else that is MT that fits?
The standard 4-prong drive center that came with the lathe fits fine (and it is shorter). the shaft on the headstock is open (my knockout bar goes through), but it narrows where this won't seat properly. I am hesitant to take it all apart...

[Gordon Seto]

Usually the too long or too short problem is with the tail stock end, when it is not working correctly with the self ejecting feature.
Does this screw chuck has threads at the end for using the draw bar? Make sure you still have enough threads after shortening.

[Tracy Gill]

Usually the too long or too short problem is with the tail stock end, when it is not working correctly with the self ejecting feature.
Does this screw chuck has threads at the end for using the draw bar? Make sure you still have enough threads after shortening.
No threads...

[Mark Burge]

Unless you use a draw bar to hold the chuck in the morse taper or use the tailstock to hold it in, it could come unseated. DAMHIKT So, I would avoid shortening the chuck and figure out why it's not seating correctly.

[Roger Wilson]

FYI: Below is a link to a pdf from www.toolpartsdirect.com (http://www.toolpartsdirect.com). It is an exploded diagram of the Delta Midi (LA200). It should give you an idea of how everything fits together.

I have an LA200 and the spindle is hollow.

If you have a chuck, they usually come with a woodworm screw. The nova precision midi can be had for about $85 and has such a screw.

http://www.toolpartsdirect.com/cgi-bin/schematic.cgi/delta/LA200

[Wyatt Holm]

A tapermate might fix your problem.

[Curt Fuller]

Just hold it up next to the 4 prong drive that came with the lathe and see if you can tell what is different with it. I can't imagine what it could be hitting that is holding it from seating. It may just be defective, with the wrong taper. Or possibly the spindle on you lathe was machined wrong. These things are all probably made in China and like many of their products, the QC isn't alway up to par. Craftsupplies is a good company and a phone call explaining the problem should be all it takes for a replacement. But if you start cutting or grinding on it they won't take it back.

[Mike Lipke]

Flashlight and a mirror should allow you to see in there and find the prollem

[Leo Van Der Loo]

Tracy you are right the Morse Taper part in the headstock is short and you do run into a shoulder if your Morse Taper is a little longer, so yes you can cut a piece off your screw chuck, and make it just as long as your 4 prong drive center, and it will fit, HOWEVER I don't think you should use a Morse Taper in your headstock without a drawbar, as it WILL come loose without the tailstock holding your workpiece in.

[Jeff Nicol]

I have had the same trouble with some #2 taper drill bits that I have ground off to make small spur drives. Most of them are longer and have the extra straight on the end for I guess knocking them out of the drill press. So I agree that it can be cut off. The taper on your lathe is most likely correct but it stops a little short from the boring at the factory. The taper does not go from the spindle nose all the way to the other end. It would have been bored out a certain size for the through hole and then the taper was cut after. I would guess they did not go as deep as the could have, or like I said the straight part hits the original through hole diameter and that stops it. you could put some chalk on the screw drive taper and put it in the headstock, give it a couple turns by hand to see where the chalk is rubbed off. That will tell you where the trouble is. Then maybe you would only have to grind a bevel on the straight end so it fits.

To address the part about the drive working loose while turning. During rough out and the main turning I would use the tailstock, but when you are down to the finishing cuts I do it all the time with out any problems. Excess speed is not good then though. I put my drill chuck in the headstock and mount 4" buffing wheels in the chuck to buff small things. I have never had it ever work out. A good clean taper and a good seat all around and it should stay in. If you try and turn large things with the taper you showed above then you will have trouble. I think it is for small work.

That what works for me,

Jeff

[Tracy Gill]

I have had the same trouble with some #2 taper drill bits that I have ground off to make small spur drives. Most of them are longer and have the extra straight on the end for I guess knocking them out of the drill press. So I agree that it can be cut off. The taper on your lathe is most likely correct but it stops a little short from the boring at the factory. The taper does not go from the spindle nose all the way to the other end. It would have been bored out a certain size for the through hole and then the taper was cut after. I would guess they did not go as deep as the could have, or like I said the straight part hits the original through hole diameter and that stops it. you could put some chalk on the screw drive taper and put it in the headstock, give it a couple turns by hand to see where the chalk is rubbed off. That will tell you where the trouble is. Then maybe you would only have to grind a bevel on the straight end so it fits.

To address the part about the drive working loose while turning. During rough out and the main turning I would use the tailstock, but when you are down to the finishing cuts I do it all the time with out any problems. Excess speed is not good then though. I put my drill chuck in the headstock and mount 4" buffing wheels in the chuck to buff small things. I have never had it ever work out. A good clean taper and a good seat all around and it should stay in. If you try and turn large things with the taper you showed above then you will have trouble. I think it is for small work.

That what works for me,

Jeff
thanks for the advise. Do you know of an arbor chuck that is threaded for a drawbar? I have looked in the spindle and sure ennough there is a shoulder in there that is stopping it from seating. I'd like to find one that fits.

[Jeff Nicol]

Tracy, You could take it to a machine shop and they could turn it down and drill and tap it for you. Or if you know some one with a metal lathe, they could do it. You might be able to do it yourself with a drill press, but you would need to make sure the hole is centered and tapped straight. It can be done just takes some messing around. Most of those tapers are not that hard, as hardened steel against the not hardened spindle might gaul easier. I could do it for you as my Dad has all the metal working stuff (Lathes and Mill ) but shipping back and forth sucks!

Good luck and glad to be able to help!

Jeff

[Paul Atkins]

I don't think the problem is with the screw chuck. You should be able to put any #2 tapered tools in and have them seat even drills with tangs. This will be a problem down the road. (You will not want to modify all your adapters,collets, centers.) What diameter is the through hole? Seems to me it should be about 5/8". Is the lathe under warrantee? If not, I would drill (ream) the inboard end of the spindle enough to make it work. The taper would still be there, but the smallest end would be clear enough to make any male taper to fit. A machine shop should be able to do this pretty easily and economically (maybe cheaper than sending it back).

[Tracy Gill]

I don't think the problem is with the screw chuck. You should be able to put any #2 tapered tools in and have them seat even drills with tangs. This will be a problem down the road. (You will not want to modify all your adapters,collets, centers.) What diameter is the through hole? Seems to me it should be about 5/8". Is the lathe under warrantee? If not, I would drill (ream) the inboard end of the spindle enough to make it work. The taper would still be there, but the smallest end would be clear enough to make any male taper to fit. A machine shop should be able to do this pretty easily and economically (maybe cheaper than sending it back).
I wonder if I can convince my wife to allow me to just get a bigger lathe...

[Jim Kountz]

I wonder if I can convince my wife to allow me to just get a bigger lathe...

Now you're talkin!!:D:D
I once had a car that wouldnt run right so I fixed it with the radiator cap. I unscrewed it, lifted the cap up, backed the old car out, drove a new car under it and reinstalled the cap. Worked like a charm!!:D:D

[Paul Atkins]

"I wonder if I can convince my wife to allow me to just get a bigger lathe..."

I'm sure you need a bigger one to make her a big salad bowl - Or that 4 poster bed -or a new staircase - rocking chair, porch posts -----

[BILL DONAHUE]

The simple solution is to buy a larger lathe to go with the arbor screw chuck. You know you're going to buy a larger one eventually and with the economy in the shape it's in, you'll be doing everyone a favor. Look at it as part of the stimulus package. Don't worry, your wife will understand.

[Leo Van Der Loo]

Hi Tracy, sorry for taking so long answering, the Delta will accept normal length MT accessories, I made sure of this and tried several that I have, like a Sorby stebcenter a Oneway live center, a couple of other live and drive centers, they all work.
There is very little extra length in there, so anything beyond that does run into the shoulder, as the headstock opening does get abruptly smaller right past the MT surface.
I know Oneway has a screw center, what I could not find is what thread the chuck has for a drawbar, I'm not even sure if you want to purchase that one, as you could find out what you do need for it.
I have a link here if you want to have a look, have fun :D

http://www.oneway.ca/chucks/screw_chuck.htm

Just one more thing, don't turn with a MT in the headstock that is not secured by either the tailstock pressure or a drawbar, you can get hurt very easily and fast if the MT does come loose, believe me !!