From drohde@impop.bellatlantic.net Tue Jun 22 12:32:08 1999 From: drohde@impop.bellatlantic.net Date: Tue, 22 Jun 1999 12:32:33 -0400 To: pth3k@virginia.edu Subject: For your future projects: Pot Chucks Howdy, I found you through Varmint Al's. I must say I thought I was the only fool around to have purchased one of the minis after having fought with it to replace all the junky bolts and stuff. I passed some info on to Al and pass it on to you. I replaced to screw in the tail stock which aligns it with two hardened allen head screws. The large square piece of metal the call a tail stock nut I replaced with a tool steel T-nut and a hardened hex bolt. It take a 1/2" wrench now. I got a taper with a thread for a heavy duty Jacobs chuck, cut off the tang and it works fine. I get all the travel out of the tail stock spindle and it holds well enough for just about any material. I replaced the square tool post with a really small quick change I got from Harbor when they were on sale. Warning this had to be modified slightly, a grind here and there but it works fine and came with a knurling tool and a boring bar holder. Pot Chuck: These are example dimensions. You cab start with whatever you need. You use these in place of a costly collet set up and the accuracy is impeccable one you get used to using and making them. Star with a two inch diameter piece of good grade aluminum, say 2024T, about 3" long. Face off one end, Turn it down to 1" the depth of the chuck jaw, Turn it around and put it in the chuck, mark with a punch where the Number one jaw its it, align it up like this in the future, You then face off and bore the other end to the depth and diameter you need. Remove it from the chuck and cut it length wise on the centerline axis , rotate 120 degrees cut again, and the rotate and cut again. It should look look a pizz on the end. Your depth of cut should be just past the depth of your bore. Deburr it and place it back in the chuck. Put a good quality hose clamp around it, put your part in, tighten up the hose clamp and your ready. You can always modify pot chucks and they're real good for holding small stuff. If you bore a good interior face it acts like a collet stop so if your facing you always get a repeat dimension. The other thing is that since you bored the opening it's always fairly true. You can always take a slight finishing cut to true it up. If you drill past your bore depth you can put a pin in and true the pot up. Just remember to tighten up the hose clamp. I've made these and used them on brass, bronze aluminum and stainless. I've been working on a design to lengthen the bed. When I get it done I'll forward it to you and Varmint Al You'll have to replace the lead screw with a longer one But I think it's worth it. I'm figuring on about 12 to 18". The lead screws can be had or you can turn your own. The hardest part is going to be truing up the ways but if you've ever fiddled with a gap bed lathe it's not that big a deal. See Ya Dave Rohde

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