Mikron Lathe Help needed

[Nick PalliserParticipant @nickpalliser19088]

Hello all,

I hope I have posted this to the right thread. I am new here so please do let me know if I have made a mistake.

I may have an insurmountable problem here, but I thought someone here might have some ideas.

I am the very proud owner of a wonderful Swiss Mikron T-90 Clockmaker's lathe. These lathes have an unusual headstock screw mount for a chuck. I am finding it nigh on impossible to find a chuck with the correct backing plate and I certainly don't have the skills to machine one. Are there places I could have one machined for me? Any suggestions?

Thanks so much,

NIck

[Nick PalliserParticipant @nickpalliser19088]

[John HaineParticipant @johnhaine32865]

I don't know if you have seen the Mikron catalogue on the Anglo Swiss Tools site?

**LINK**

If anyone knows or can find out the thread it would be Michael Samways there. However unusual it can't be than hard to machine. Can't you just measure it? It's likely to be a metric thread form, so find out OD and pitch.  I'm sure a jobbing engineering shop could take it on, or you may get a volunteer from this site.

Edited By John Haine on 23/10/2018 11:58:06

[egaParticipant @ega]

Nick Palliser:

If you give some indication of your location a volunteer may be more readily forthcoming.

[Nick PalliserParticipant @nickpalliser19088]

Posted by John Haine on 23/10/2018 11:57:11:

I don't know if you have seen the Mikron catalogue on the Anglo Swiss Tools site?

**LINK**

If anyone knows or can find out the thread it would be Michael Samways there. However unusual it can't be than hard to machine. Can't you just measure it? It's likely to be a metric thread form, so find out OD and pitch. I'm sure a jobbing engineering shop could take it on, or you may get a volunteer from this site.

Edited By John Haine on 23/10/2018 11:58:06

Thank you John. I am close contact with Dr Samways and yes he has all the dimensions. I simply didn't know how to go about getting one made or even how to find a machine shop. You can tell how ignorant I am.

[Nick PalliserParticipant @nickpalliser19088]

Posted by ega on 23/10/2018 12:13:45:

Nick Palliser:

If you give some indication of your location a volunteer may be more readily forthcoming.

Thank you. I am based just outside Kettering in Northants. I would love to hear of anyone not too far away who might be able to help me.

[John HaineParticipant @johnhaine32865]

I don't know about MEs that are local but a quick search for "Kettering Engineers" on Google brings up lots of hits and one called Tordoff Engineering at #3 looks about the right scale.

[EmgeeParticipant @emgee]

Hi Nick

If you post details of the spindle nose thread and any spigot /face you may get further help from this forum.

Emgee

[Pete RimmerParticipant @peterimmer30576]

I'm travelling up your way next week. Making a backplate should be a straightforward enough job.

[Nick PalliserParticipant @nickpalliser19088]

Posted by Pete Rimmer on 23/10/2018 17:47:13:

I'm travelling up your way next week. Making a backplate should be a straightforward enough job.

So kind of you Pete. Unfortunately I am working in London all week next week with no workshop time. Another time maybe?

[Nick PalliserParticipant @nickpalliser19088]

Here is a picture of the spindle nose. I have asked Dr Samways of Anglo Swiss Tools if he has the exact parameters. I am waiting for his reply.

[Pete RimmerParticipant @peterimmer30576]

Posted by Nick Palliser on 23/10/2018 19:33:18:

Posted by Pete Rimmer on 23/10/2018 17:47:13:

I'm travelling up your way next week. Making a backplate should be a straightforward enough job.

So kind of you Pete. Unfortunately I am working in London all week next week with no workshop time. Another time maybe?

I'm working in London too. The last year I've been at E14, currently in Sw15.

What size chuck are you looking to fit?

[Nick PalliserParticipant @nickpalliser19088]

I am looking at a 125mm

[Pete RimmerParticipant @peterimmer30576]

That’s a hefty Chuck for a little Mikron. I certainly wouldn’t go any bigger.

Edited By Pete Rimmer on 24/10/2018 11:23:27

[Nick PalliserParticipant @nickpalliser19088]

Posted by Pete Rimmer on 24/10/2018 11:23:09:
That's a hefty Chuck for a little Mikron. I certainly wouldn't go any bigger.

Edited By Pete Rimmer on 24/10/2018 11:23:27

The original Mikron 3 jaw was 110mm and the 4 jaw was 150mm. 125 should be ok i trust.

[egaParticipant @ega]

Is the register the taper behind the thread as opposed to the parallel portion behind the taper?

[Nick PalliserParticipant @nickpalliser19088]

Posted by ega on 24/10/2018 11:29:51:

Is the register the taper behind the thread as opposed to the parallel portion behind the taper?

Please forgive my ignorance, but I don't understand what that means.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by Nick Palliser on 24/10/2018 11:33:53:

Posted by ega on 24/10/2018 11:29:51:

Is the register the taper behind the thread as opposed to the parallel portion behind the taper?

Please forgive my ignorance, but I don't understand what that means.

.

Nick,

The majority of lathes with screw-on chucks have a plain [cylindrical] register 'after' the thread.

Yours appears to have a cone [which would be much nicer]

MichaelG.

[Pete RimmerParticipant @peterimmer30576]

The taper will be the register, it doesn’t make sense for it to be otherwise.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by Pete Rimmer on 24/10/2018 12:45:02:
The taper will be the register, it doesn't make sense for it to be otherwise.

.

Which is fine if you already know what a 'register' is.

… I think Nick needed a little more explanation.

MichaelG.

[egaParticipant @ega]

Posted by Michael Gilligan on 24/10/2018 12:26:57:

Posted by Nick Palliser on 24/10/2018 11:33:53:

Posted by ega on 24/10/2018 11:29:51:

Is the register the taper behind the thread as opposed to the parallel portion behind the taper?

Please forgive my ignorance, but I don't understand what that means.

.

Nick,

The majority of lathes with screw-on chucks have a plain [cylindrical] register 'after' the thread.

Yours appears to have a cone [which would be much nicer]

MichaelG.

Apologies and thanks respectively to the above.

The Mikron spindle seems to combine the advantages of both taper and threaded spindles.

[Ketil BlaasværParticipant @ketilblaasvaer66507]

Hi. I’m new on this forum but “found it” because I surfed around looking for two or maybe three backing plates for my lovely Mikron T90. I’m fitting my new chucks myself, but making the threads and taper/cone is way out of my comfort zone. Have you found someone who can make the adapter/plate?

[Pete RimmerParticipant @peterimmer30576]

Ketil (and Nick),

If you have access to another lathe do the following:

Get a tube of micrometer blue (or other engineer's blue)

Bore a piece of stock so that it will pass over the thread and the OD register. This is a test-piece to get the taper angle set on your compound.

Make a template from card or take measurements to get the approximate angle of the taper from the threaded part. Use it to set the compound angle on the lathe.

Now cut the taper in the piece you bored.

Blue up the taper you cut and use it to take a print off the taper by pressing it lightly and giving a bit of a turn. Removing and replacing the test piece in a 3-jaw will not affect your results at this oint and there's no need to dial it in, just re-cut the taper each time.

Adjust the compound angle until you get a good print on the spindle from the piece you cut and then keep the compound set to that angle. Keep that tool in the toolholder so the tool height is preserved because adjusting the height even slightly will change the angle.

Now get your backplate blank, face, bore and thread it for the spindle all in one setup then cut the taper on it. Everything will now be concentric and you can finish off facing and turning the OD with it mounted in the Mikron. that will ensure the best mounting face for your chuck.

Edited By Pete Rimmer on 30/10/2018 13:44:31

[David Standing 1Participant @davidstanding1]

Posted by Ketil Blaasv�r on 30/10/2018 12:42:52:
making the threads and taper/cone is way out of my comfort zone

[David Standing 1Participant @davidstanding1]

Posted by Nick Palliser on 23/10/2018 11:37:08:

I am finding it nigh on impossible to find a chuck with the correct backing plate and I certainly don't have the skills to machine one. Are there places I could have one machined for me? Any suggestions?

Thanks so much,

NIck

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