Von Wyck 4.5 Morse Taper Spindle Taper Problems

kdecelles

Registered
Registered
Joined
Jan 12, 2017
Messages
59
Greetings,

I have a 16" Von Wyck lathe circa 1903-1908 that I'm having some issues re: the spindle taper. Based on measurements I took, this was the oddball 4.5MT (1.5" outer diameter).

After much research/google I identified that Grizzly sells a 4.5 MT to 3MT adapter--great!. I purchased a couple of these (why buy just one when you are already paying shipping to Canada) so this is where I have the issue. The adapter doesn't seat smoothly in the spindle with hand pressure, and with slight tapping with a rubber mallet it seems to fit snuggly until you put the 3MT center in it and fire it up. The center has a very pronounced wobble to it.

I blued the adapter, seated it and there is some contact but not what you'd expect to see.

Upon visual inspection, the spindle bore has some wear (scratches etc.), but not unexpected for 110 years old, but no obvious 'nicks' or spurs.

It took a week to find references to a 4.5 MT adapter let alone a 4.5MT reamer (non existent from what I'm seeing).

What are a guys options here?

Is there a possibility that this is not 4.5MT (tailstock is 3MT -- no question)
 
The 4 1/2 Morse taper is not a true Morse taper, it was developed to fit certain lathes where the #4 and #5 were not appropriate and it would fit 5C collets in those spindles. The 4 1/2 does not show in Morse company references. I do not know the whole history of this, but I think your lathe is too old to have a 4 1/2 Morse taper unless it was added later on. The Morse taper was invented in 1860, but there was no 4-1/2. I suppose your options are to measure it and make a taper to fit it, or cut it to a 4-1/2 if that will fit in the spindle metal as it exists.
 
I found references to the 4.5 in machinery handbook and on one other site . Ive reached out to member "Dutch" as he had a Von wyck and ran a 5mt stub on it


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Why not get a 5MT Reamer and ream it to 5MT? You can get a roughing and finish set on eBay reasonable. Just remember they are HAND reamers.
 
No matter what it is you need it to work , I'd get the reamers and recut it . If need be an adapter could be put in and pinned or screwed into the side to hold a four morse or three morse.
 
According to my Olde copy of Machinery's, it's not a Morse, it's an American Standard 4.5 taper - also found in the spindle noses of some English lathes, e.g. Holbrook, Harrison and the small Dean Smith & Grace toolroom lathes. Rare. Expensive.

Dave H. (the other one)
 
If I look to reaming, how concerned should I be on how much "meat" is left ? Could this thin out the spindle too much (I know, hard to answer without pictures/measurements etc) but philosophically


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Looking at reamers now..... any estimate on time / effort / approach? Would u fix reamer in taillstock and turn spindle by hand, or other?

Absolutely understand hand vs power reaming, just thinking alignment

Would a boring bar be an option ( on angle of course?)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
There's also a good chance that taper is a Jarno taper. Jarno taper is .600" taper per foot. They were common taper found on early lathes in their days, too.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G920A using Tapatalk
 
Would it have been common to "mix" tApers on a machine? Ie jarno on spindle and mt 3 on tail? I'm


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Back
Top