Shopsmith Forums

I saw 3" and 4" chuck heads on ebay specifically for 5/8" Shopsmith shafts - list for use with wood and mild metals. I would like to occasionally use my Mark V as a small metal lathe, and would be turning down aluminum and mild steel with diameters about 1" or less (just too large for my drill chuck). I realize that the "Slow" RPM is a bit fast for this, but I usually just shape the parts with files instead of using carbide.

Can anyone post pics or information on mounting a lathe chuck head cheaply on a 5/8" shaft? The ready-made chuck heads are $120 - $135. The cheapest arrangement I can come up is using a 5/8" to 1" x 8 tpi adapter for $28 and a mini or micro chuck head with 2" jaws for $60 = $88 total. Thanks for your advice and ideas.

Grizzly sells a 4 jaw independent chuck for about $25.00 that is listed as having a 5/8" smooth bore instead of being threaded to mount on the spindle of a lathe, but you'd have to check with them to determine if it actually has a set screw which would allow it to be secured to the Shopsmith spindle. The model number is H8047. If you get one and it fits the Shopsmith, please let us know.

If that model doesn't fit, you could buy Grizzly's H8049 for a few dollars more. It's threaded 1" x 8 TPI so you could use the Penn State Industries adapter and fit it to the Shopsmith like this:
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How appropriate this is for turning metal on the Shopsmith is something you'll have to decide.

Thanks for the tip! I called Grizzly's technical support line and the gentlemen recommended their H8032 3" Diameter, 3-Jaw Wood Chuck - 5/8" Unthreaded mounting ($44.95):

http://www.grizzly.com/products/3-3-Jaw-Wood-Chuck-5-8-Unthreaded/H8032

Here's the info I got: mounts on 5/8" smooth shafts, has a locking set screw to lock it on the shaft, jaws lock down on objects as small as 1/8" in diameter, has reversible jaws, can be used on mild metals as long as you don't go crazy with the size/cuts and work piece weight. They also sell a micro-version with a 2" diameter, but the cost is the about same and it is not as meatly or versatile as the 3". Thanks again for the lead.

When it comes in, pictures please:D.

Since there is play on the quill bearing(s) and in the 5/8" mount to the quill, I would not recommend a self centering (All 3 jaws work together from one chuck key hole). This chuck required two sets of chuck jaws (inside and outside). Look for a 4 individual adjustable jaws in a 3" or 4". The jaws can be switched from inside to outside by turning them around. It is easy to center the work in a 4 jaw chuck. I made adapter plates and inserts for the lathe 3" & 4" lathe chucks I use on the shopsmith. I had to shim between the chuck and the 5/8" adapter plate to remove excessive runout for the self centering chucks I have. I was able to get +-.001 accuracy under no load conditions on the self centering chucks. It took sevral hours to get this accuracy on each chuck.

You may need to build a stronger carriage with compound feeds to do an detail work.
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@billmayo - I love that compound carriage!

I know this is an old thread, but I got a 10 ER that I am thinking about using like this. I was thinking with it's cast iron head stock and heavier bearings, if I made a compound like that, It'd be good to go for light work at least.

I'd love to see more pics and hear how well it has worked out for you. Also, do you think it beats up your machine too much?

Also, gunner, did you ever get your chuck on?

gypsytinker wrote:@billmayo - I love that compound carriage!

I know this is an old thread, but I got a 10 ER that I am thinking about using like this. I was thinking with it's cast iron head stock and heavier bearings, if I made a compound like that, It'd be good to go for light work at least.

I'd love to see more pics and hear how well it has worked out for you. Also, do you think it beats up your machine too much?

Also, gunner, did you ever get your chuck on?

The compound carriage was a gift from one of the Forum members. I have a 7X10 Mini Metal Lathe for machining harder metals. I use the Shopsmith for boring a deeper hole for the control sheave bearing so I have room to stake the bearing. I also use it to machine the face (vans) if all the sheaves to remove scratches, nicks and worn areas. I do a few dozen control sheave bearing bores and then several dozen sheave faces each time i set up the Shopsmith. My headstock is a gilmer with a double bearing quill where I added the second bearing. I keep the quill locked tight during these machining operations. I am using a Idler shaft with the bearing removed and centered in the metal chuck to hold the sheaves for the machining. Keeping a sharp cutter bit and take very little cuts each time helps prevent any cutter bit chatter. I have another metal chuck for holding the way and bench tubes for cleaning, sanding and polishing. I use a dial indicator to align each chuck when mounting the chuck. Once the chuck is mounted and aligned, I do not find any additional movement/runout when using the chuck/idler shaft for machining the different sheaves. I normally spend several hours doing each specific task on this Shopsmith lathe. This lathe is only used with the metal chucks for the above tasks.

Here is all my research into this very topic. Be forwarded, the machine is NOT rigid for steel and you must listen to the machine as it talks back to you.
http://www.shopsmith.net/forums/showthr ... t=Upgrades

billmayo wrote: I made adapter plates and inserts for the lathe 3" & 4" lathe chucks I use on the shopsmith. I had to shim between the chuck and the 5/8" adapter plate to remove excessive runout for the self centering chucks I have. I was able to get +-.001 accuracy under no load conditions on the self centering chucks. It took sevral hours to get this accuracy on each chuck.

Bill,

I would like to see some pictures and hear some more details about how you did this, please.

Visited Bill a number of times years ago. Every time I visited, he taught me things he came up with over the years to improve the Shopsmith.

First lesson was taking the headstock motor apart & pulling out the start winding leads to connect to a DTDP switch. The switch allowed reverse, as well as forwarded operation. Went ahead & modified about a dozen motors for him.

That’s one example of many. Before I left the first time he surprised me by giving me the carriage sled shown in the thread he posted.

RIP Bill