Skinner Chunk Info

[mgalusha]

Does anyone have info about Skinner chucks? The one below was included with a mass of tooling I picked up a few months ago from a retired toolmaker on Craigslist. It appears to be a 1.5" thread but I am not sure of the pitch, while I can get a thread gauge in I can't see it. I suppose I can pull the back off but figured I'd ask first. It's about 5 5/8 in diameter, likely listed as a 6". Seems to be in pretty decent shape and I love the look but my machine has a D1 camlock. I Google'd the model number and didn't find anything but there is a wealth of knowledge here.

 

[kd4gij]

It is mostlikley 1 1/2"x 8 That is what is used on Atlas and some SB lathe outhers also.

 

[Terrywerm]

Very nice chuck in that it has reversible/removable jaws. It is odd for a four jaw though as usually with a four jaw you just take the jaws out and flip them over to reverse them. But this chuck has the ability to take off the hard jaws and make up custom soft jaws to bolt on. Not very commonplace.

As for the size, I would say that due to it's roughly 6" OD it is most likely 1 1/2" - 8 on the mounting thread.

 

[kd4gij]

Another interesting thing, the T slots don't pertude through the side of the chuck.

 

[rafe]

It may not have independent jaws ,that would explain the reversable part....Skinners are pretty good chucks .....you can always change the back i would think....looks good

 

[mgalusha]

Very nice chuck in that it has reversible/removable jaws. It is odd for a four jaw though as usually with a four jaw you just take the jaws out and flip them over to reverse them. But this chuck has the ability to take off the hard jaws and make up custom soft jaws to bolt on. Not very commonplace.

As for the size, I would say that due to it's roughly 6" OD it is most likely 1 1/2" - 8 on the mounting thread.

Thanks gents.

I thought the jaws interesting as well, the inner jaws are captive, there is a small set screw behind each one, presumably a stop. I have a piece of 1 1/4 stock that will just fit inside the threads, which is why I figured 1 1/2" but I wasn't sure on the 8, from the end they look a little coarser than 8. I may have to just take it apart and see. I've no idea what to do with it but it's one of those bits that somehow I just want to look at and touch. Not sure why but some machined parts just call out to me that way. Mebbe I'm part mechanical man.

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Another interesting thing, the T slots don't pertude through the side of the chuck.

How did I miss that! Yes, that is interesting as well.

It may not have independent jaws ,that would explain the reversable part....Skinners are pretty good chucks .....you can always change the back i would think....looks good

It does have four adjusting screws, they don't seem geared together.

The bit about the slots not coming to the edge has me really curious, now I guess disassembly is mandatory.

 

[Terrywerm]

I knew that chuck looked odd when I viewed the photos, but I couldn't put my finger on it. T-slots!!

You can check the thread pitch very easily. Check the distance from the peak of one thread to the next. At a pitch of 8, you should have exactly 1/8" from one to the next.

 

[kd4gij]

If you have a thread gauge that goes to 8 try it. At that size it is easey to tell.




If it is 1 1/2 x8 and you don't have a use for it keep me in mined.:thumbzup:

 

[mgalusha]

Curiosity got the best of me, had to pop out to the shop and take the back off.

Once off it was easy to check the pitch, I have thread gauges but they were too deep inside the recess to see. Turns out it's 1 1/2" - 6. The ID of the counter bore is 1.500.

The lack of t-slots was of course what drove the curiosity. A photo will explain better than I.

 

[kd4gij]

That is a verry nice looking chuck. The good part is that you can make a backplate to fit most lathe's. What lathe do you have?