3 Jaw Chuck and Adapter Plate for 4th Axis

[MetalShavings]

Have any of you guys with a 770 mill and the 4th-Axis setup found a suitable 3 Jaw Chuck and Adapter that will work on your rotary table other than the one that Tormach is selling?

I thought I was ready to give my 4th-Axis its first run until I realized that I had no chuck or a 5C collet holder to hold my part.

I think it was just a brain-fart on my part but, I mistakenly thought that at least one of these items was part of my 4th-Axis-Package.

Since most of my 4th Axis projects will involve smaller diameter parts, I'm trying to decide which would be the best to go with; 3 Jaw Chuck or the 5C collet holder.

$270-something plus shipping for the Chuck, or $185-plus shipping for the 5C collet holder? I can get the collets alot cheaper elsewhere.

The point of all this rambling was that I was hoping one of you guys could point me toward a less expensive 3 Jaw Chuck and adapter plate somewhere else.

I know there will always be folks that can afford to buy the best and wonder why others can't or won't. I don't happen to be one of those lucky people; hence the inquiry.

Thanks in advance.

MetalShavings

[Bob La Londe]

A collet will hold the part more accurately. That being said, I made my own adaptor plate for my rotary table to mount a chuck. I had a spare chuck I took off my mini lathe when I updraded it to a bigger chuck, so I just made it to fit. It was pretty simple for me as the chuck already had a centering register machined in the back. If you have a piece of metal you like laying around you can do it easy enough on your own. It was easier because my chuck was smaller than my rotary table, but you could make a two piece or screw together plate if you needed to for a larger chuck.

I just used mine as an indexer on my 3 axis machine, but it could just as easily have a stepper or servo motor added if I wanted to use it as a true 4th axis.

I used aluminum because its what I had handy. I'm not to worried about flex due to its thickness. Obviously a piece of cast iron or machineable tool steel would not have to be as thick, and still be much stronger.

I did everything except machine the back keys on the adaptor plate manually on my lathe or on my manual mill. I probably did not need the alignement keys as I mounted it with four bolts and machined it to fit, but I would have had to spend more time centering it when I remounted it after attaching the chuck if I had not put them on there. Now I can take it off and put it back on and be within a few thousandths right away every time. I don't ever plan to take it off again, but you never know.

Chucks can be had from tons of places new and used.

[MetalShavings]

Hi Bob:

And thanks for the quick response.

In the back of my mind I had thoughts of making up my own adapter plate if I was able to find the appropriate size Chuck.

I even looked real hard at the 4 Jaw chuck that came with my Grizzly bench-top lathe to see if I could somehow get it to work for me but, it's a little bigger than I would like.

I'm going to have to sell one of my toys in order to get the funds to buy either the Tormach Chuck or the Tormach 5C collet holder. Those same funds could just as easily buy a quality Generic-Chuck and the metal stock to make my own adapter plate.

The only apprehension I'd have in making my own adapter plate is that my metal lathe isn't as accurate as I'd like for it to be. When you factor in the human-error I'll be adding to such a project I may come out ahead if I just buy it already made up.

I haven't made up my mind just yet. I'll hold off till I get a few more informative replies.

In the mean time I'll do a little more research on the subject.

Thanks again for your quick response.

MetalShavings

[nitewatchman]

There is an easy way to get started at least on the 1100 4th axis.

I bought the #3MT collet that fits the center of the table. It can be used to mount a 3/4" arbor for gears or wheels or can be used to mount TTS tooling like small ER collet chucks.

nitewatchman

[Bob La Londe]

Hi Bob:

And thanks for the quick response.

In the back of my mind I had thoughts of making up my own adapter plate if I was able to find the appropriate size Chuck.

I even looked real hard at the 4 Jaw chuck that came with my Grizzly bench-top lathe to see if I could somehow get it to work for me but, it's a little bigger than I would like.

I'm going to have to sell one of my toys in order to get the funds to buy either the Tormach Chuck or the Tormach 5C collet holder. Those same funds could just as easily buy a quality Generic-Chuck and the metal stock to make my own adapter plate.

The only apprehension I'd have in making my own adapter plate is that my metal lathe isn't as accurate as I'd like for it to be. When you factor in the human-error I'll be adding to such a project I may come out ahead if I just buy it already made up.

I haven't made up my mind just yet. I'll hold off till I get a few more informative replies.

In the mean time I'll do a little more research on the subject.

Thanks again for your quick response.

MetalShavings

I really don't remember that I "needed" my lathe to do this. I cut the alingment keys and rough shape on one of the mini CNC mills. I think I just roughed off the saw cut surfaces on the lathe. It could have been done after it was mounted to the table too. I mounted the plate to the table. I turned it on the table on the mill to true it up and approached it from the side with an end mill while spinning the table. I selected my depth for the chuck register and approached it the same way to form the cylinder.

When the chuck was a tight I removed the plate from the table. I coated the back with grease and fit it into the plate to mark the holes for mounting the chuck. I drilled bolt holes, and counter sunk the back with an end mill. When I fit it all back together it was about .001 off center and tight. The chuck isn't that good (nor are most chucks) so I left it just like that and used it.

Now here is the other side of it. I made mine because I already had the parts and I didn't have any money, but there are chuck and adaptor plates available on Ebay for a reasonable price. Also, if you have parts to make buying a tool and getting onto your parts may be more efficient than making the tool first. Of course its always your call which approach is better for you.

Self Centering:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/The-adaptor-...item27c4465412

Independent:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/MINI-4-JAW-M...item43acbefb45

If your rotary table is 5C there are lathe chucks out there with a 5C taper on them too. I may not have understood tha part of your original post though:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/4-3-JAW-5C-P...item5192ce3fb9

Anyway, there are lots of options.

[MetalShavings]

There is an easy way to get started at least on the 1100 4th axis.

I bought the #3MT collet that fits the center of the table. It can be used to mount a 3/4" arbor for gears or wheels or can be used to mount TTS tooling like small ER collet chucks.

nitewatchman

Hey nitewatchman;

Thanks for the tip. It never even occurred to me to try that. I actually have both a Jacobs Chuck and an ER16 collet holder with an 3MT shank on them.

When I slipped them into my rotary table's through-hole they fit perfectly. It looks like I'll have a little more time now to save up the money to buy a good chuck and adapter plate. I just need to go to the hardware store to buy the bolt and washer to cinch that 3MT shank in place.

Bob LeBlond:

I was looking at some of the very chucks you've mentioned on your reply just last night. I think there are a couple of others that I looked at on Ebay as well that might work.

For now I'm going to work with the tools I have on hand and see how it goes.

When I get to the point where I'm needing to hold parts larger than what my 1/2 Jacobs Chuck or my ER16 collets will hold, then I'll have to start selling some of my toys to come up with the funds.

Many thanks gentlemen. You've been most helpful.

MetalShavings.

[Bob La Londe]

Use the ER16 for everything that you can. It is an order of magnitude better than the Jacobs Chuck.