fitting a 4 jaw chuck to a rotary table

[NickG]

Thanks Rich, I'm going to need to do something similar soon - had my 6" vertex sat there since a bought it, about time it was useable - so lots of good ideas here.

One thing I have noticed is, the adaptors might work for Myford's that have a threaded body chuck but if I made one for mine, it would stick up of the table quite a bit and wouldn't be fully supported all away around the chuck body. Guess could have some tube to fit under or something to give more support?

[Firebird]

Hi

A bit more done.

A slight change of plan. I have made a new steel insert larger than the first.





The Myford adapter I am going to use is held on with 2 cap head bolts so I made the steel insert large enough to be able tobe tapped for the retaing bolts, better than screwing into the soft ally



The steel insert is held into the ally by 2 countersunk 4mm socket head screws. Note the adapter is still fixed to the face plate.





Back in the lathe a light skim to clean up the face.



Finally today I stamped the adapter plate with a No. 1 against No. 1 jaw of the chuck so that I can always fit it back in the same position.



Cheers

Rich

[Firebird]

Hi

Well who's a silly b****r  then  . It has been a difficult week anyway but when I managed to snatch a half hour on Wednesday I promptly made a pigs ear of the job. I drilled and tapped the adapter plate 6mm to match 2 of the chuck mounting holes which I used to bolt it to the face plate for turning (see above photos), so far so good. On Wednesday night I drilled and tapped the other 2 holes 6mm   IN THE WRONG PLACE  So a good portion of todays free time was spent rectifying the mistake.

I mounted the adapter plate in the mill and machined through with a 3/8" end mill followed by a counter bore of 1/2"



Turn a piece of ally to a couple of thou over 1/2"



Then turn down to a couple of thou over 3/8" and part off. Make 2.



Over to the press and press them in.





In the lathe to trim the front and rear face.





Pretty good you barely see the repair.

Drill and tap 6mm but this time in the right place and the chuck fits.



I just had time to turn the alignment bush to fit into the steel insert in the adapter plate and drill and ream 1/2" to fit on the spigot.







Slightly further ahead than when I started 

Cheers

Rich

[zeeprogrammer]

Slightly further ahead than when I started

Excellent. 

[arnoldb]

Good going all round Rich  - And do post up as much as you're happy with; someone will find it usable - even if it is just for an idea 

I like your collet block; it's the first time I've seen one for the Myford spindle collets !

Kind regards, Arnold

[Firebird]

Hi

Thanks Carl and Arnold.

I agree, seeing how someone gets out of a mess can be helpful.

If its of interest I'll dig out some photos of the collet block.

Cheers

Rich

[Firebird]

Hi

A couple of bits done. The centre of the 4 jaw chuck is bored to a very nice and accurate 1" so I have turned a bit of steel to a good snug fit (1") and drilled a centre in one end. I will be able to centre the rotary table under the quill with this.





I need 3 T nuts to hold the adapter to the rotary table. I have some but they are all tapped 8mm I need some with 6mm tapped holes. They are not difficult to make but worth showing I think, it would make a good excersise for a newbie. You can never have enough T nuts.

Hold some steel in the vise and machine both sides to form the T.



Mark out, drill and tap 6mm.



Chop off in the bandsaw, each T nut is 3/4" long. I had enough machined to make 4.







Cheers

Rich

[Firebird]

Hi

Finished it off today 

I held the 2 MT alignment pin in the lathe and drilled and tapped it 6mm. I will be able to extract it with a bit of studding and a nut.



The pin and bush fitted to the rotary table and the chuck adapter plate slipped on and held in place with a clamp. I have to drill 3 holes to match the 3 T slots in the table. Its a bit tricky, something I hadn't thought of. The 4 tapped holes for the chuck mounting are in the way. I got 2 of them in ok but the 3rd had to be moved in a bit to clear the tapped hole. Its not a problem they only hold the adapter to the table.

The first hole drilled and countersunk.



I could then fit a T nut and countersunk cap head screw. Then remove the clamp and drill and countersink the other 2.



I have a screwed adapter that takes Myford fittings that I want to fit onto the adapter plate as well. I turned an alignment bush which is also drilled and tapped 6mm for removal.







You can see in the above shot where I had to move one of the 3 mounting screws in a bit/



2  4mm holes drilled and tapped to mount the adapter.





A myford chuck screwed on.



It takes less than a mnute to remove the screwed adapter and fit the 4 jaw chuck.



This is the alignment tool for centreing the 4 jaw under the quill.





The jaws cleaned and refitted



Lastly I used my blacking kit to black all the steel parts.





Cheers

Rich

[Bezalel]

Hi Rich


That's a nice Dark looking blueing job on the steel. 
Can you tell us what is in the formula for the BLAK solution you used?

Bez

[sco]

 Rich,

Just done a similar project with my Vertex but fitting a face plate instead.  Your 4 jaw installation looks good but the 3 jaw looks like it might be quite flexible - reef up those mounting bolts!

Simon.

[Bogstandard]

With a little bit of thought Rich, almost anything can be accommodated between other bits of tooling as well.

You've done a great job there.


John

[Firebird]

Hi

Bez, its a commercial kit I bought about 3 years ago. I have used it loads of times. It gives a good finish and makes things look professional  I will try and dig out the original spec sheet.

Simon, I did wonder about the mounting but thats how it comes supplied so I'll see how it performs. It won't be too difficult to put a couple of extra bolts in.

Thanks John, like you I bought a 9" face plate from RDG that has the myford thread.

Cheers

Rich

[Don1966]

That was a great job on mounting your chuck Rich. I have been following along quietly. I also learned things along the way. Thanks for posting it.

Don

[V 45]

Hello Rich..I had watched along as well in the shadows....let me tell you that is a great job  !!! 
I had a friend make a back plate for mine today. It's in my build log. I didn't want to take away from this great thread you started.
Job well done indeed !!!
 
 Dave

[gbritnell]

Excellent work on a very useful attachment. I contemplated using a 3 or 4 jaw chuck on my rotary table and settled on the 4 figuring that I could hold a greater variety of pieces than a 3 jaw. It has worked out great and I think you'll be very happy with what you can do with yours.
gbritnell