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Drawbar ideas

blackhorse

blackhorse

Joined
Jan 27, 2005
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I'd like to make a couple of nice drawbars for my collet chuck and drill chuck. Anyone seen any nice ideas or plans?
 
Howdy Blackhorse.......

What's your purpose?

Just keeping the chucks snug in the Morse Taper?

=============

I assume you're using the drill chuck in the tailstock. For this application, just a long bolt or threaded rod with some big washers might do the trick. Many Morse Tapers have a threaded end, so you may need to adapt.

For the collet chuck, you may want to consider making up a collar to center the threaded rod.......so that rpm's don't have much effect to balance.

Just some thoughts.

The only drawbar I've ever used was for a buffing wheel attached to a #2 Morse taper.......others may have more pertinent information for you.

otis of cologne
 
drawbar

Hi Blackhorse,
If you are using a drawbar to keep the chuck etc in you have a bad female morse taper. Either rust or you have allowed the insert to spin in the taper. Once it is scored, the only real repair is to ream the female part and possibly replace the male part. Otherwise it will only gald it again. Dont even think you can do a good job by sanding the male or female part. You can get the reamers and hones at a machine shop supply place. They are held together by friction alone and once one or both surfaces are compromised, reaming is the only real remedy. Ex.- your drill press chuck is held in by friction alone.I learned this the hard way from Bill Boehme, a contributor on this forum. Sorry, but this is the only real 'fix', Max
 
DP,

I don't have a problem yet. My MT's are fine. Given what you say, though, why do collet chuck makers call for a drawbar to be used with them?
 
Blackhorse, I use drawbars for drill chucks, pen mandrels, collets, etc.
Unfortunately, I have three thread sizes and several lathes. I have a collection of threaded rods the right length. I also have adapters turned to fit in the opposite end of the headstock so the bar and knob have something to pull against. I'll photgraph and post later today. I use the 5 star lobed knobs from MSC Direct to tighten them. I also use a cap nut on the raw end to prevent the knob from coming off and keep me away from a spinning raw end of threaded rod.
Most lathes cannot use a drawbar on the tailstock when working with them. I use them to tighten my chuck into the taper, then remove while drilling. The sleeve does move in and out, can't do this with a drawbar. ( I read that somewhere, I wouldn't have tried that)
I don't believe in trusting a morse taper to hold something tight enough to inpart side pressure. They were not created for such. And since we don't use or protect these tapers on an extremely regular basis, they tend to get dirty. I use a cleaner from Packard to clean the tapers on both ends of the lathe.
Good luck
 
Thanks, Cap'n. You touched on something I ran into with my PM 3520. You can't tighten the draw bar in the tailstock or else you'll not be able to advance the chuck. Thanks for the idea of using the DB to seat the MT firmly.

BH
 
For those of you that can't use a drawbar in your tailstock, Ken Grunke had a clever idea in the "tips and tricks" forum that would be useful for keeping a drill chuck from spinning.......

Here's a link to his post:

http://www.aawforum.org/vbforum/showthread.php?t=4675

otis of cologne
 
odie said:
For those of you that can't use a drawbar in your tailstock, Ken Grunke had a clever idea in the "tips and tricks" forum that would be useful for keeping a drill chuck from spinning.......

Here's a link to his post:

http://www.aawforum.org/vbforum/showthread.php?t=4675

otis of cologne
Click to expand...

That is a good tip, I've been using a strap wrench on my drill chuck in the same manner because it is a keyless version.
 
This is a photo of the adapter I use to keep the drawbar centered in the headstock and make the knob easier to reach. Note the cap nut on the end.
 

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To answer the question re "Why do you require a Draw Bar", the Morse Taper works safely only when used in compression i.e. the force is pushing the Morse Taper into its Socket as will be the case with say a pillar drill or the tailstock of the Lathe.

When fitted into the Headstock the Morse Taper is subject to other forces created during Turning [Cross Cuts and Cuts away from the Headstock] that means it can work loose and eject itself from Headstock.

You should always use a Draw Bar when using a Morse Taper in the Headstock or use a suitable carrier for those without a Hollow Headstock Shaft.

Details of my solution can be found on my web site in the Hints and Tips Section.

Richard
http://www.laymar-crafts.co.uk
 
What Laymar said. I bought a lathe from an old machinist who showed me scars where a wire buffing wheel, being held in a drill press, got away when the MT came loose from side pressure. He was almost 80 and never forgot this incident. He gave me a #2 MT screw center, which came with the Milwaukee-Delta lathe he bought new in 1946. He never used it because it would involve side pressure, which a MT is not supposed to support.
I use it to support an Eli Avisera tailstock cup for fine finials. Finally, after 62 years, I found a use for it.
 
Richard,

I can't find your drawbar tip. What is the tip titled?
 
Another tip

I got a jacobs chuck for christmas, and it does not want to stay in either, usually had to smack it with a hammer for it to stay in. i use the jacobs chuck for turning bottle stoppers. I spent about 2 bucks on some treaded rod, and a nut that i epoxied into a piece of wood to make a handle.

1. use tread lock on the handle side of the treaded rod. This way, it will come out of the morse taper, and be easier to knock out.

2. DON'T OVERTIGHTEN- hand tight is probable enough

3. Cover any exposed treads, so if you put your hand over there, it won't cut up your fingers when the lathe is on.

Matt Rabe

www.texaswoodshavings.com
 
I'd like to point out to you that a Jacobs chuck mounted by Morse Taper in the tailstock can assuredly come loose......and sometimes create a dangerous situation for the lathe turner, as Ken Grunke can confirm. I've had this happen when I've failed to back off soon enough, and accumulated drill shavings in the flutes of the drill bit become binding......and dislodges the Jacobs Chuck from the Morse taper grip.

I purchased this hard rubber (?) #2 Morse Taper cleaner more than 20yrs ago, and at the moment, I don't remember just where I got it. If you can make a wooden one on your own, that's great, but I'd like to point out just how good this one is. it has little spiral blades molded into the tapered end, and they do a great job of dislodging and removing dust that has accumulated in your female Morse taper......sort of like a squeegee. They're cheap, too.....I can't recall the exact price, but I think it was under ten bucks.

Also, if you are not already doing this......get a regular ol' cork to put into your Morse taper when not in use. That will eliminate 90% of the dust that would otherwise end up in there.

otis of cologne
 

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