Centering square stock in the 4-jaw

[Andrew TinsleyParticipant @andrewtinsley63637]

A friend of mine purchased a 4 jaw SC chuck for his big Warco. He has the usual 3 jaw SC and independent 4 Jaw chucks. I was somewhat scathing about his new purchase. In retrospect it is a damn useful chuck and hardly ever comes off the lathe.

I have a 6 jaw Burnered grip tru which has been used a couple of times for thin walled tubing. It now gets far more use since I have used my friends lathe with the 4 jaw SC chuck!

As an aside, this chuck came new to me and has 7 sets of jaws all told. I still don't know what they are all for, two sets have flimsy finger like extensions on them. I would love to know what they are used for!

Andrew.

[Robin GrahamParticipant @robingraham42208]

Posted by Clive Foster on 23/10/2017 09:57:49:

Robin

Let us know how you get on. Maybe write it up for Neil. I centre square stock up about once every third blue moon so never really sorted the best method out. As my Dickson is always set square to the bed I just use an empty toolholder. Front of the back is vertical for all practical purposes and the jaw usually slips into the slot space.

Well, after the belated realisation that I could perhaps use the cross slide DRO rather than faffing with a dial indicator (compartmentalised thinking!) I tried few things, ranging from just butting the toolpost up to the bar to making a sort of toolpost held squaring thing. I can get the 3/4" bar centered to within a couple of thou his way, which is more than good enough for the job in hand, and lot quicker than using the dial indicator. All I need at the mo is someting that doesn't look cockeyed, it's a simple but repetitive thing, but I've got a bee in my bonnet about centering square stock now!

Edited By Robin Graham on 27/10/2017 23:32:28

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