Beale Collet set and my older metal lathe

[Peter Blair]

I have a set of Beal Collets for my Oneway and wonder if any of you can help me find or have built a holder for them the would allow me to use it on my Myford ML7 metal lathe. I'd sure like to use them occasionally on the Myford but don't know where to start to find the holder. I'm sort of wondering what options I have. Can I find a holder with a morse taper to fit the metal lathe, or one that threads onto it or should I try holding the one I have in a 3 jaw chuck and use it as is? Any help?

[Leo Van Der Loo]

You could use something like this ?? you have MT3 in your lathe ?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Precision-ER32-Collet-Set-MT3-Shank-Chuck-Spanner-Box-For-Milling-Machine-US-/323386942250

[Peter Blair]

Thanks Leo. The issue is that I have a set from Beale and really don't want to spend anymore than I have to. I think I may just try gripping the existing holder in my 3 jaw chuck and see what the runout is.

[Chris A Lawrence]

Can you turn a piece of aluminum to the taper of the lathe then drill and tap a hole on the other end to thread the buffs onto?

[Grant Wilkinson]

I don't know anything about your metal lathe. Does the spindle have threads? If so, what is the spindle size and thread pitch?

If it has threads, you can perhaps get an adaptor that will thread onto your lathe, and then thread your beall collet chuck onto it. Another option is to find a collet chuck that will thread directly onto the metal lathe spindle. For example, I have a collet chuck that threads onto my Jet mini and another that threads onto my Taig micro. The use the same collets.

[John K Jordan]

...I have a set from Beale and really don't want to spend anymore than I have to. I think I may just try gripping the existing holder in my 3 jaw chuck and see what the runout is.

If the runout on your Beall is too great, maybe get a straight shank ER32 collet chuck and hold it with your lathe chuck. Or one on this page indicates it will fit the Myford: https://www.rdgtools.co.uk/acatalog/Myford_Collet_Chucks_and_Collets.html (I've never used a Myford so I don't know what the tradeoffs are.)

Or for a very little additional investment, buy a 2MT collet chuck for your ER32 collets, like this? https://www.amazon.com/JRL-Collet-Chuck-Holder-Milling/dp/B07G24G4MS I read somewhere the Myford has an 2MT spindle taper. I've been thinking of getting one with a 3MT for my metal lathe. I didn't think about sharing the collets with the wood lathe.

For almost no cost could you make an adapter by cutting the metric threads to fit your existing collet chuck? However, this would probably not be the most accurate method.

JKJ

[Leo Van Der Loo]

Thanks Leo. The issue is that I have a set from Beale and really don't want to spend anymore than I have to. I think I may just try gripping the existing holder in my 3 jaw chuck and see what the runout is.

Yes I can see that, but you can get just the chuck on a MT3 that you can hold with a drawbar, like this one, get it with insurance and tracking, takes a while to get it though, as that is my experience with stuff out of HK or China.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/ER32-MT3-M12-Taper-Straight-Shank-CNC-Lathe-Milling-Collet-Chuck-Holder-Spanner/323541363434?hash=item4b54916aea:g:EyAAAOSwqnVb5YX 9:rk:10:pf:0

[Marvin Hasenak]

I use the 3 jaw chuck on my metal lathe to grip the Beall collet chuck body, no problem with run out,and mine is a Chinese mini metal lathe.

[Peter Blair]

Thanks everyone lots of great ideas as usual, so nice to have a "go to" place when I am puzzled about something lathe related!! Marvin As soon as I get the chance, lots to do before Christmas. I'll give your method a try.

[Peter Christensen]

The spindle on the Myford should be 1 1/8 x 12 TPI Whitworth and they are a popular British lathe. The British suppliers there have collet chucks and backing plates for them. Chronos is one but they are out of stock for most of that stuff at the moment. I don't know if they would have an adaptor to fit a Beall collet chuck. They do have the tap if you want to make one and don't want to cut your own thread. Warco and Arc Euro Trade are two other UK suppliers. Easiest would be to get the backing plate and a chuck only from one of them and use the collets you have. You'd have to play with the numbers and see if that is viable.

https://www.myford.co.uk/acatalog/Chuck_Backplates.html

https://www.myford.co.uk/acatalog/Myford_Collet_Systems_Adaptors_and_Collets.html

https://www.chronos.ltd.uk/cgi-bin/ss000001.pl?RANDOM=NETQUOTEVAR%3ARANDOM&PAGE=SEARCH&SO=1_3_4_0&SS=tap+myford&TB=A&PR=-1&GB=A&SX=0&ACTION=Search

https://www.warco.co.uk/myford-lathe-tools/303041-myford-7-series-lathe-backplates.html?search_query=er+32+chucks&results=14

https://www.arceurotrade.co.uk

[Peter Blair]

Thanks again Peter. Lots of ideas here, thanks again for taking the time to provide this information.

[Richard Coers]

The big advantage of a metal lathe, is that you can make other machines with it. Turn your own adaptor and cut your own threads.

[Dave Keele]

The spindle on the Myford should be 1 1/8 x 12 TPI Whitworth and they are a popular British lathe. The British suppliers there have collet chucks and backing plates for them. Chronos is one but they are out of stock for most of that stuff at the moment. I don't know if they would have an adaptor to fit a Beall collet chuck. They do have the tap if you want to make one and don't want to cut your own thread. Warco and Arc Euro Trade are two other UK suppliers. Easiest would be to get the backing plate and a chuck only from one of them and use the collets you have. You'd have to play with the numbers and see if that is viable.

https://www.myford.co.uk/acatalog/Chuck_Backplates.html

https://www.myford.co.uk/acatalog/Myford_Collet_Systems_Adaptors_and_Collets.html

https://www.chronos.ltd.uk/cgi-bin/ss000001.pl?RANDOM=NETQUOTEVAR%3ARANDOM&PAGE=SEARCH&SO=1_3_4_0&SS=tap+myford&TB=A&PR=-1&GB=A&SX=0&ACTION=Search

https://www.warco.co.uk/myford-lathe-tools/303041-myford-7-series-lathe-backplates.html?search_query=er+32+chucks&results=14

https://www.arceurotrade.co.uk

Thanks for posting this, Peter. I have an old Putnam with the 1 1/8 x 12 tpi drive, and have been looking for sources of accessories.

[Peter Christensen]

Always welcome gents. Just remember to search other parts of the world for solutions when local searches are unsuccessful. I usually add the country name or abbreviation after the item in the search bar. UK in this instance or Aus, NZ, China and for the great white north you can add Can. ;)

[Peter Blair]

Richard there is the need for some skill and knowledge as well. I am gaining in both areas but not quite ready to go that far.