Drilling the 4" lathe chuck

[OTmachine]

If you take the chuck apart, you can probably drill and counterbore holes thru the chuck below where the scroll plate sits?

 

[Peterjg]

Hi Alberto.
An adapter plate is the way to go. I made one so I could fit a 160mm 3 jaw lathe chuck to a 150mm Vertex rotary table. It also allows for me to fit my 4 Jaw if needed.
I turned a plate from a piece of 20mm aluminium. From memory it was a grade that has properties similar to mild steel but easier to work and lighter.
The chuck mounting face is turned with a small lip to locate the chuck. This plate takes the place of the chuck back plate.
Special T nuts are made to fit the RT slots and extend up into the adapter plate.
Grub screws are screwed through the side of the plate and into holes in the T nuts. The grub screws have their ends tapered so that as they are tightened, they pull up on the T nuts, thus securing the plate against the RT.
I also turned a shaft with a 2MT to fit the centre of the RT. Clamp this lightly in the 3 jaw while tightening everything up and it is almost perfectly aligned.
Hope this all makes sense.

 

[Alberto-sp]

Thanks for your answers.

I think there is no problem drilling it since the scroll plate is small. I check it out before.

You mean this right?

 

[Eddyde]

Thanks for your answers.

I think there is no problem drilling it since the scroll plate is small. I check it out before.

You mean this right?

That is the back of it, the scroll part is facing the the backs of the jaws. If you open it all the way the jaws should slide out. Then you can see the front of the scroll in the back of the slots that hold the jaws and determine how much clearance there is to the outside of the chick body. Be sure to put the jaws back in the same slots as they came from, number them and the slots if they aren't already.

 

[Alberto-sp]

No no, I was able to drill it. This part was only solid metal.

I was a little bit scared, 70$ scared haha. But it was a success.

Thank you for all your advice!

 

[Alberto-sp]

And the adapter in the rotary table



My mill is very small and each milimiter counts, so I went for the smaller option

4 of the holes are for the chucks. The other 3 was a mistake