Introduction, Chuck ID, and Spindle Adapter Question

[Robert Champagne]

I've been enjoying reading this forum for a month or so now, since I caught the turning "bug." I've owned a lathe for a while now, but just recently got into bowl turning, partly from encouragement from my wife, who kept asking me when I was going to turn a bowl for her. I tried to explain that spindle turning is a lot different than bowl turning, but she was persistent. I've been woodworking since about 2005, with a primary interest in reproducing 18th century American furniture as a means of furnishing our antique home. To that end I made a set of turned bannister back chairs and lots of other spindle stuff, but never had the equipment for face plate work. My other interest is old machines, so I had an old Yates American lathe with a non standard spindle thread, so it was never easy to find suitable faceplates, etc. When I did find one a few months back, I started making small bowls and quickly realized I should get a chuck. I also realized that my lathe was spinning much too fast, so I went out and got an old Oliver 159 and hooked it up with a VFD. I got a SuperNova 2 to go with it and have been happily turning bowls for about 2 months.

Now to the question: Last week I saw an ad on the local list for some turning supplies, and went out to see what I could find. I ended up with a set of cole jaws, 100mm jaws, and another set of 50 mm jaws for my Nova. The seller had a number of chucks, including an older Nova midi chuck and what he thought was an old Nova chuck with a bunch of jaws. I got the "old Nova" chuck, the jaws, and the Nova jaws for $100. After doing some research I am thinking that the unknown chuck is really an Axminster. It came with five jaw sets, some of which are labeled APTC co. It also has a threaded backplate with a 1" 8 TPI thread. It is 4" across (100 mm) and very heavy. The only marks on it are 3704-100, and a 4 on the backplate. I got two sets of engineering jaws, a 50 mm, 100 mm, and a soft jaw set with it. Here are some pics:
http://i516.photobucket.com/albums/u324/rhchampagne/Axminster%20Chuck/009.jpg
http://i516.photobucket.com/albums/u324/rhchampagne/Axminster%20Chuck/010.jpg
http://i516.photobucket.com/albums/u324/rhchampagne/Axminster%20Chuck/011.jpg
http://i516.photobucket.com/albums/u324/rhchampagne/Axminster%20Chuck/012.jpg
http://i516.photobucket.com/albums/u324/rhchampagne/Axminster%20Chuck/013.jpg
And here is one of my lathe with the SuperNova on it:
http://i516.photobucket.com/albums/u324/rhchampagne/Axminster%20Chuck/014.jpg

The Oliver has a 1 1/8" 8 TPI spindle thread. The chuck insert has a 1" 8 TPI thread. This looks like a Super Precision chuck. Backplates are available from Axminster, but none that would match my spindle. I can get a spindle adapter that would work, or I could try to have the backplate drilled and tapped to fit the spindle directly. The spindle adapter I saw cost about $70, not sure how much a machine shop would charge to drill and tap. I am tempted to try the spindle adapter, but have read mixed reviews on these. My lathe has a 12" swing, and I can do outboard turning by sliding the headstock over to the other end of the bed. I've roughed out a few blanks this way at about 15" diameter, and would like to do more of this. Would I be okay spinning a large bowl on a spindle adapter??
Thanks a lot,
Rob

[Dale Miner]

I think you should have the backplate threaded out larger to the 1-1/8 8tpi by a competent machine shop. I say competent, because since it it the only backplate you have, if messed up there is little chance of correcting it. Another option would be to have a complete new backplate made and keep the old one. The chance of getting the a new backplate true is better than having the old one rethreaded and running true. I would make sure that whoever does the machine work does the threading by chasing rather than tapping, as there is less chance of a misaligned thread when chased.

[Robert Champagne]

Well,
I brought the chuck down to a machine shop and they said that the existing thread would propbably not be cut back all the way in the process of enlarging the hole. They also said that whatever they did would take a few hours, and at $90 an hour it wasn't worth my while to have them do it. So I guess I am back to the spindle adapter.

[Michael Mills]

Just a possibility….
http://www.bison-kiev.com.ua/Bazz/Price%20List%202011_EUR.pdf (http://www.bison-kiev.com.ua/Bazz/Price%20List%202011_EUR.pdf)
On page 11
353704020000 0642537040200 3704-100 4-Jaw Self-Centering Scroll Chuck DIN 6350 315,70
They list email and phone info at the very bottom.
You may be able to buy a new backplate. Nova offers an insert/adapter for your spindle size but I believe all than go into the chuck body which are 1-1/2X8.
The spigot jaws in your first pic looks like jaws used in Michael O’Donnell videos and the best I remember he did say they were Axminster.
It could be bison made the chuck for Axminser just as Nova makes chucks and lathes for Delta, and Record Tools.

[Harry Robinette]

That looks just like my Jet Metal Lathe chuck. They bolt onto the lathe with the plate.

[Robert Champagne]

Michael, appreciate you looking into it! In doing a check on that number I did run across that page. I guess I wanted to avoid calling Europe about this chuck. Looking at the Axminster website, the jaws are called O'Donnell jaws. I also read somewhere that Axminster outsourced their chucks at some point and that they were being made by Bison, which I guess is a Chinese manufacturer that also makes chucks for metal lathes. I went ahead and ordered the appropriate spindle adapter from Best Wood Tools. They seemed to be the only place that had something that would fit the Oliver thread. They also had faceplates and tool rests designed to fit older lathes. Seems like a good source.

[James Combs]

Michael, appreciate you looking into it! In doing a check on that number I did run across that page. I guess I wanted to avoid calling Europe about this chuck. Looking at the Axminster website, the jaws are called O'Donnell jaws. I also read somewhere that Axminster outsourced their chucks at some point and that they were being made by Bison, which I guess is a Chinese manufacturer that also makes chucks for metal lathes. I went ahead and ordered the appropriate spindle adapter from Best Wood Tools. They seemed to be the only place that had something that would fit the Oliver thread. They also had faceplates and tool rests designed to fit older lathes. Seems like a good source.

In my experience you won't go wrong with Best Wood's products. Also you shouldn't have any trouble using the adapter to turn larger bowls. I have a Jet 1642VS and I fitted it with one of Best Wood's adapters so that I would be able to use the tooling from my original lathe which was 1"8tpi. The Jet spindle is 1-1/4"8tpi. I have not had any trouble turning bowls up to my Jet's capacity.

BTW welcome to the creek.

[charlie knighton]

Robert, welcome to the creek

would like to see more pictures of the Oliver

do you have an outboard stand?

[Robert Champagne]

Here are some more pics of the lathe:
http://i516.photobucket.com/albums/u324/rhchampagne/Oliver%20159-A/006.jpg
http://i516.photobucket.com/albums/u324/rhchampagne/Oliver%20159-A/037.jpg
http://i516.photobucket.com/albums/u324/rhchampagne/Oliver%20159-A/011.jpg
Here is my outboard turning stand:
http://i516.photobucket.com/albums/u324/rhchampagne/0012.jpg

I got the lathe a little while ago, cleaned up the moving parts, then installed the VFD. It has a 3/4 hp 3 phase motor, so it doesn't have a ton of power at really low speeds. When I can get it up to about 400 RPM it is better. I have a long rest that fits in the top of the outboard stand, but I don't have the offset tool holder that should be there. It is pretty hard to find parts for stuff like this, so it is good if you can make parts yourself, or have a friend that can. The lathe weighs about 600 pounds I think, and was made in 1955. I may break the lathe down again and really clean it and paint it, but I'm having too much fun using it right now. I've been roughing out a blank each night for practice, so should have a bunch of bowls to finish in a month or so.
Rob

[Kevin Lucas]

You can't beat old iron. Nice looking lathe there )