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Moving work between lathes

RichColvin

RichColvin

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www.colvintools.com
I need to be able to move work between my PowerMatic 3520B and my MDF Rose Engine.
  • The PowerMatic has a 1.25”-8 TPI spindle, and the Rose Engine has a 1”-8 TPI spindle.
  • The Rose Engine’s spindle doesn’t have a Morse taper in it (unfortunately).
  • I have chucks for both, including a Nova chuck which has thread adapters for both spindle sizes. But moving this way has too much runout.
So, I’m considering using collet chucks on both. But I’d love to hear other’s ideas.

Kind regards,
Rich
 
Get yourself a spindle adapter......one that has female 1.25" x8 tpi, that goes to male 1" x 8 tpi. My first lathe had 1x8 tpi spindle, and my larger lathes that came later have 1.25 x 8 tpi, and I have a Delta midi lathe with the 1x8, so I use the adapter to move to the smaller lathe. For my Delta midi, I also have a 1x8 adapter with female threads for the spindle, which goes to 1.25x8 to move from it to the larger lathes I have .......they work fine. You can find them at Craft Supplies USA, Packard Woodworks or Penn State Industries websites.
 
I have a ONEWAY spindle adapter that is threaded on the outside 33 x 3.5m & threaded on the inside to 1x8 it .
I can leave it in the chuck like an insert or lock it on a 1x8 spindle to change it to 33x3.5 m

Wall thickness of my adapter is a little less than 4 mm.

Boring out and threading 1x8 inside 1 1/4 x 8 would leave a little over 3 mm wall thickness.

ONEWAY could tell you if it would work and if they would make you one.
 
You may not want to go my route but I run everything that is going on my Mandala Rose Engine on one of my midis with a BullDog 2 3/4" - BD275 chuck. No need for a bigger chuck and both lathes being 1 X 8 thread makes going back and forth a snap.
 
Mark Jundanian said:
Is there an option to replace the rose engine spindle either with a 1 1/4 x 8 or a 1 x 8 with a MT2?
Click to expand...
Interestingly enough, I am considering the purchase of a PowerMatic 3520 spindle and re-purposing it for the MDF lathe. May be less expensive in the long run, just counter to all other RE lathes (which all seem to be 1 x 8].
 
Know anyone with a metal lathe? Buy a piece of 1 1/4 x 8 all thread rod and have them turn down the one to fit your bearings. An adaptor would sure be the quickest and easiest.
 
Get an insert type nova Chuck with two spindle adapters one to leave on the powermatic the other on the rose engine.
 
Timothy White said:
Get an insert type nova Chuck with two spindle adapters one to leave on the powermatic the other on the rose engine.
Click to expand...

The only difficulty I see with that is access to the set screws. The set screw in the insert which binds the spindle is easy to reach which is good because normally it needs to be tightened and loosened to mount or unmount the chuck. The set screw in the chuck which binds the insert, however, is rather inaccessible such that you hope you only have to deal with it once.

Now if you were certain that you would never spin the chuck in reverse you could go without the latter set screw. In which case this would be an easy and cheap solution.
 
Mark the chuck to insert set screws on the SN 2 and G 3 easily accessible. I do this all the time changing nova chucks between my midi and full-size lathes
 
Wow, I switch from one lathe to another all the time, but I don't have the need for accuracy that you have. Switching the chuck with adapters always has problems. A slight error in the adapter gets magnified when moving from one spindle to another. or at least it seems. The collet chucks sound like a more accurate option.
 
This is the other way around from Roger's suggestion. Consider adding an adapter to the Rose Engine so you can share the same 1.25"x8TPI accessories (i.e. chuck) on both lathes. This type of adapter has the benefit of keeping your 1.25"x8 accessories closer to the headstock on both lathes. Note: You'll need to drill & tap the adapter for a set screw if one is needed for the Rose engine.

Source:https://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/p/195/5837/turners-select-Spindle-Adapter
**Make sure to pick the right item from the Size selection drop down:
Turners Select Spindle Adapter 1"-8 TPI to 1-1/4"-8 TPI
ts_spi_ada_1_8_tpi_to_1_1-4_8_tpi.jpg
 
Don Bunce said:
The most accurate solution would to have a 2MT in both spindles, with the chuck mounted on a 2MT adaptor.
lindowmachineworks sells the spindle for the LRE, looks like it would probably work for yours.

https://lindowmachineworks.com/item/mt2-spindle/
Click to expand...
Don,

that looks like the best approach! I didn’t realize that David sold the shaft as a part. Thank you.

Kind regards,
Rich
 
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