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Bailey
Are you asking Gregg or me (dan_in_MN) the OP?
If you're asking me, my arbor has the L00 taper.
http://www.lathes.co.uk/clausing/page2.html
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4 jaw chuck mounting
- Thread starter DAN_IN_MN
- Start date
Bailey
Are you asking Gregg or me (dan_in_MN) the OP?
If you're asking me, my arbor has the L00 taper.
http://www.lathes.co.uk/clausing/page2.html
- Joined
- Jun 22, 2012
- Messages
- 1,552
Thanks for asking, very kind of you, My 10L is 2 1/4 x 8, But thank you.
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- Jun 22, 2012
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Dan I don't know if it would be worse for balance, but a better chuck mounting face plate would be safer, and I think you could make it run truer. That 4 jaw chuck looks like it came off a rotary table, the reason I say that is because of the degree marks around the outside of the body, I have never seen that on a chuck. It is pretty cool to use what you have to save some coin, I'm all for that, but that's a big chunk of metal to get spinning and then maybe have it do something weird. A mass like that not running true or with even slight vibration could put stress on the spindle bearings or an inferior mount. I think if it was me I would not compromise with the mount, and I definitely would not run it in a 3 jaw like in the pic. LOL I just threw the new backing plate idea out there for safety, and better balance, and a more ridgid mount. Can you think what that chunk of metal would do to your ways if it broke loose? Or to you?
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- Jul 10, 2013
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I might be all wet. But that set up does not look safe! Dan. I suggest that you bite the bullet and buy a 4-jaw chuck and mount it properly. As for the 4-jaw that you got, make a base for it and use it on the drill press. No way would I use it on a milling machine. Mark
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- Jun 17, 2011
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Your plate isn't strictly a faceplate. It's a dog driver. As you say, it's made to mount on your spindle. The live centre fits into the spindle taper and takes the end of your between-centres work piece. The dog clamps to the work with the tail in the plate slot.
The driver plate is pretty thin. You want something more substantial to hold a large chuck firmly. As advised, buy or make a proper backplate.
The driver plate is pretty thin. You want something more substantial to hold a large chuck firmly. As advised, buy or make a proper backplate.
- Joined
- Jan 16, 2020
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- 8
Personally I like the idea of a proper backing plate for the chuck rather than using the dog plate, and for a number of reasons. Mounting that four jaw in the three jaw looks a little shaky to me, but I understand it gets done all the time, and as far as we know, gets done without incident. It probably works fine as long as one does not try to work large parts or take heavy cuts in the four jaw. I know that money is tight for you now, Dan, but if I were you I would be patient and obtain a proper backing plate once you can afford to. Here is why:
1. Your dog drive plate is probably a bit thin to begin with. You will notice that its bulk is in the outer rim and around the nose mount area. From the photos it is difficult to tell how thick the face of the plate really is. The dog drive plates that I have are thin - too thin to consider for use as chuck backing plates.
2. To make a backing plate from your face plate you would need to first mount the plate on the lathe, then take a cleanup pass or two across the face to true it up, making the plate a bit thinner yet.
3. Next you would need to turn a shoulder on the outside of the plate, leaving a spud sticking out that would fit closely into the recess on the back of the chuck. Axial forces in play when the chuck is in use get transferred to the mount through that shoulder, not the mounting bolts this way, not to mention that the shoulder centers the chuck on the mounting plate. The shoulder should be as deep as practically possible.
4. Lastly you would transfer and drill your mounting holes in the mounting plate. Depending on how much material was removed, and where, the cross section of material holding those mounting bolts might be a bit thin, making your faceplate mount more dangerous than mounting the four jaw in the three jaw.
I have an eight inch four jaw for my lathe. It's backing plate is machined steel instead of cast iron, and is a full 1/2" thick at the outer edge where the bolts are. It's outer diameter is the same as the recess in the back of the chuck, so there is no shoulder on it. I had to remove the backing plate from the chuck just to see how thick it really is. So now I can clean the entire chuck while I have it apart. Look what you got me into! :rofl:
One other thing to note is that your dog drive plate is cast iron, not steel, as evidenced by the rough slots for the tail of the drive dog. To obtain the same strength as steel, the cast iron would need to be a little thicker in cross section than a steel plate would. A failure of that cast iron plate would be sudden and total - it would not bend if it were unable to handle the stresses. It would simply crack and break, hurling your chuck in whatever direction was handy at the moment. Not a scenario I would want to see or hear about. Most chuck back plates are made from cast iron, but of substantial thickness and heft.
A dog drive plate for your lathe would probably be more difficult to find, should you need one, than a chuck backing plate for the LOO mount. At this point in time you do not see a need for a dog drive plate, but then you don't know what projects might come down the pike, either. I do not often use drive dogs, but I do use them from time to time, at least a couple of times per year, especially if I need something very accurate. I will not let them disappear as they are too handy to have around!
CDCO has new chuck back plates for the LOO nose. 6" for $78, 8" for $94, plus shipping of course. Having some patience and getting the right thing might be very worth while. http://www.cdcotools.com/ (Not affiliated with them, just a happy customer).
Good luck with what ever route you choose to take, Dan, but please think carefully as you proceed. Time for me to go clean that chuck.
1. Your dog drive plate is probably a bit thin to begin with. You will notice that its bulk is in the outer rim and around the nose mount area. From the photos it is difficult to tell how thick the face of the plate really is. The dog drive plates that I have are thin - too thin to consider for use as chuck backing plates.
2. To make a backing plate from your face plate you would need to first mount the plate on the lathe, then take a cleanup pass or two across the face to true it up, making the plate a bit thinner yet.
3. Next you would need to turn a shoulder on the outside of the plate, leaving a spud sticking out that would fit closely into the recess on the back of the chuck. Axial forces in play when the chuck is in use get transferred to the mount through that shoulder, not the mounting bolts this way, not to mention that the shoulder centers the chuck on the mounting plate. The shoulder should be as deep as practically possible.
4. Lastly you would transfer and drill your mounting holes in the mounting plate. Depending on how much material was removed, and where, the cross section of material holding those mounting bolts might be a bit thin, making your faceplate mount more dangerous than mounting the four jaw in the three jaw.
I have an eight inch four jaw for my lathe. It's backing plate is machined steel instead of cast iron, and is a full 1/2" thick at the outer edge where the bolts are. It's outer diameter is the same as the recess in the back of the chuck, so there is no shoulder on it. I had to remove the backing plate from the chuck just to see how thick it really is. So now I can clean the entire chuck while I have it apart. Look what you got me into! :rofl:
One other thing to note is that your dog drive plate is cast iron, not steel, as evidenced by the rough slots for the tail of the drive dog. To obtain the same strength as steel, the cast iron would need to be a little thicker in cross section than a steel plate would. A failure of that cast iron plate would be sudden and total - it would not bend if it were unable to handle the stresses. It would simply crack and break, hurling your chuck in whatever direction was handy at the moment. Not a scenario I would want to see or hear about. Most chuck back plates are made from cast iron, but of substantial thickness and heft.
A dog drive plate for your lathe would probably be more difficult to find, should you need one, than a chuck backing plate for the LOO mount. At this point in time you do not see a need for a dog drive plate, but then you don't know what projects might come down the pike, either. I do not often use drive dogs, but I do use them from time to time, at least a couple of times per year, especially if I need something very accurate. I will not let them disappear as they are too handy to have around!
CDCO has new chuck back plates for the LOO nose. 6" for $78, 8" for $94, plus shipping of course. Having some patience and getting the right thing might be very worth while. http://www.cdcotools.com/ (Not affiliated with them, just a happy customer).
Good luck with what ever route you choose to take, Dan, but please think carefully as you proceed. Time for me to go clean that chuck.
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- Aug 7, 2013
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Well......what to do....?
There isn't any way I'm going to be able to afford a new mount muchless a new 4 jaw chuck.
Seems like the consensus is that the drive plate is too thin. I had wondered about that too. What if I was to add a 1/4 - 1/2" plate which would be bolted to the drive plate near the thicker hub? I think next time I'm cutting on the plasma I'll zip out a rig of whatever thickness we're using.
There isn't any way I'm going to be able to afford a new mount muchless a new 4 jaw chuck.
Seems like the consensus is that the drive plate is too thin. I had wondered about that too. What if I was to add a 1/4 - 1/2" plate which would be bolted to the drive plate near the thicker hub? I think next time I'm cutting on the plasma I'll zip out a rig of whatever thickness we're using.
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- Jun 22, 2012
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- 1,552
Dan, I think what wermie and I are trying to tell you is not to sacrifice your safety because you don't have the money right now to do things correctly. IMO I would not try to use that dog plate in any maner for mounting that chuck. Save your pennies and protect yourself and do it right. Get a proper backing plate.