Lathe chucks - What (not) to get?

[charlese]

Is this really true? I understand the concept but is this really what SS does, slant the set screws. My bet is no. Sorry Ed but I think you had another problem besides a "not really a SS adapter".

Yes, it's a true statement, at leas for some/
See page 4 for photos to prove this.
http://www.shopsmith.com/ss_forum/woodw ... 9-s30.html

See page six for my adapter, which has a vertical set screw. Apparently some screws don't slant.

[reible]

So just to make this clear. All of shopsmith arbors and the like have this about 3 degree tilt. You can and should see this even with your allen wrench each and every time you take thing on and off. I had noticed this many many moons ago and when I first address this some people here were not believers. The truth is out there and you can prove it to yourself.

Pull out the set screw and insert a bolt of the same thread size the is several inches long. Now look at it. Below is an example.

DSCF3496sc.jpg (52.45 KiB) Viewed 6097 times

See I'm not crazy.

Ed

[reible]

Face plates are best gotten as ones designed for a shopsmith. You can order them from shopsmith as seen here:

http://www.shopsmith.com/ownersite/cata ... plates.htm

or by shopping other places like ebay. For the cost it is nice to get nice new ones that will be of original shopsmith quality.

The other option is to get an adapter and again the only one I know of that has the angle set screw will cost you about $60 and it will allow you to mount 1-8tpi face plates.

Ed

[reible]

For a while shopsmith/nova was shipping the wrong adapter. If yours is vertical it is the wrong one. Call and have a replacement sent. There are several threads on this and a few others had the same problem and had theirs replaced I believe for free. Not sure if you missed that action or decided to not act but I don't think it is too late.

Ed

Is this really true? I understand the concept but is this really what SS does, slant the set screws. My bet is no. Sorry Ed but I think you had another problem besides a "not really a SS adapter".

Yes, it's a true statement, at leas for some/
See page 4 for photos to prove this.
http://www.shopsmith.com/ss_forum/woodw ... 9-s30.html

See page six for my adapter, which has a vertical set screw. Apparently some screws don't slant.

[benush26]

When I started turning, which was in High School shop class we didn't have chucks, not even sure if anyone did back then.

Face plates, I agree it is a good way to start. Shopsmith has both a 3-1/2"(?) and a 6" so that is plenty to start with. Normally you use a block attached to the face plate with screws and then a glue joint between that and the work piece. I would check out the PTWFE chapter on lathe turning as a good place to start.

If and when you want to move to a chuck then you will have some experience and have a better idea of what you are looking for.

Chucks in general require a way to mount to a shopsmiths 5/8" shaft, this is not a common thing in the world of lathe's. This adapter will then allow the chuck to be mounted. This is a sticking point with me so bear with this, some people are selling a 5/8" plain bore adapter but they are not designed for a shopsmith. What makes this harder then it needs to be is that they will even say it is for a shopsmith. For it to be for a shopsmith it needs the set screw to be at a angle that matches the flat on the shopsmith spindle. I made the mistake of getting a 5/8" to 1-8tpi adapter and it would not stay tight..... long story short it had a very loose thread(metric) and the setscrew was vertical. I had to re-drill on opposite side using a imperial setscrew with the proper fit and at an angle. To be honest I still don't trust it and it has been replaced. So far everything I have gotten from PSI has been a disappointment, I now avoid anything they sell.

I personally have two chucks, both Nova and I went that way because they have pretty decent workmanship and are a respected company. One nice thing with their chucks is that for the most part the jaws (which are purchased separately) are interchangeable between chucks. The jaws allow various mounting methods so as you expand your craft these become desirable additions. Picking a chuck with a lot of jaw options is in my way of thinking a good idea.

Price wise you pretty much get what you pay for. I would avoid any of the cheaper chucks. You are talking anything with a selling price of say $100 is more then likely a waste of money. Again this is my opinion but I'm sticking with it.

This lathe hobby has gotten to be an expensive road to go down. Once you get a started you will find you want other chisels, then come a way to sharpen them, and oh by the way you will want a speed lower then 700 rpms which leads to a speed reducer or powerpro.......... The price of the chuck will be off set very quickly by the cost of all the extras. Woodworking is not a cheap hobby unless you have a lot of self control.

Ed

Is this really true? I understand the concept but is this really what SS does, slant the set screws. My bet is no. Sorry Ed but I think you had another problem besides a "not really a SS adapter".

You lose that bet

2 different arbors (sorry the display of the digital protractor is upside down)
The display clearly shows more than 90 degrees and no I did not try and push the hex wrench to one side. I put the arbors on. tightened then and what you see is approximately where they stayed.

Two different arbors, saw and shaper, the first I just grabbed.

P1000116.JPG (151 KiB) Viewed 6077 times

P1000117.JPG (167.5 KiB) Viewed 6077 times

Ed, you should have bet more!

Be well, Ben

[lilgodwin]

reible, I see the faceplate from shopsmith. But again, looking ahead, if I do get a nice chuck down the road, won't I still need the insert? This piece:

insert.jpg (14.94 KiB) Viewed 6070 times

What little I know, or think that I do, isn't this piece necessary to attach all other faceplates (not shopsmith, obviously) and chucks?

[JPG]

So how does $100 sound? I'll let you prove it to yourself and then send the $100 to your favorite charity. Deal?

Ed

Is this really true? I understand the concept but is this really what SS does, slant the set screws. My bet is no. Sorry Ed but I think you had another problem besides a "not really a SS adapter".


Get out yer checkbook!

[reible]

reible, I see the faceplate from shopsmith. But again, looking ahead, if I do get a nice chuck down the road, won't I still need the insert? This piece:

insert.jpg

What little I know, or think that I do, isn't this piece necessary to attach all other faceplates (not shopsmith, obviously) and chucks?

If you buy the chuck like the G3 from shopsmith the price will include the adapter and a set of jaws and a screw thread. Other places might have a similar deal like this one I got from Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00JGA ... ge_o00_s00

If you go else where the deals change so you have to check what is included and if it doesn't have the adapter you might have to order that, and that is when you have to make sure to get the correct one. Just make sure you compare prices of like wise equipped chucks and adapters and what is included.
Other manufactures will have their own adapters so again make sure it is really for a shopsmith.

Non shopsmith lathes have different threads arrangement and may or may not be able to fit a shopsmith with adapters. A common one is 1"-8tpi of which there are adapters for shopsmith. I have a faceplate that has an adapter to the 1-8tpi and I have the shopsmith to 1-8tpi to fit it. Double adapters if you will. I'll try and post a picture tomorrow.

Ed

[tomsalwasser]

So just to make this clear. All of shopsmith arbors and the like have this about 3 degree tilt. Ed

Is this 3 degree taper on the spindle unique to Shopsmith? Is it like the large hole in the saw blades, not a technical innovation but a sales tool?

[reible]

Here is an example of a non-shopsmith face plate. I don't recall where I got it but it is a cast iron version and as you can see about 120mm. It is quite heavy when compared to AL based ones.

IMG_0822sc.jpg (89.56 KiB) Viewed 6008 times

The face plate is sold to fit different lathe spindles by way of an insert. The green arrows point to 2 of the three screws that hold and align the face plate to that adapter.

When we flip it over you can see the adapter, via the blue paint brush handle. This is a 1" - 8tpi adapter but they had other common spindle sizes but none for the shopsmith.

IMG_0823sc.jpg (106.27 KiB) Viewed 6008 times

So to get it to fit a shopsmith you need yet another adapter. This is the one that I now use, it is about $60 but is far shorter then others that are on the market and has the set screw at the shopsmith angle.

IMG_0824sc.jpg (71.93 KiB) Viewed 6008 times

BTW shorter is usually better in terms of lathe use and chucks/face plates so the chucks like the nova ones with the internal adapters are preferred way to go.

Now when it gets put together it looks like this:

IMG_0825sc.jpg (89.44 KiB) Viewed 6008 times

When I got this face plate I had only my basic shopsmith to use so there were no worries about running it backwards, this adapter has no way of locking on other then direction of thread to shaft spin. Now that I have upgraded to the powerpro this set up can not be run in reversed direction. It will/could simple come apart........ so there are down sides beside the extended length issue.

Ed