SMW Autoblok/ Rohm

[Raymond AndersonParticipant @raymondanderson34407]

Hi All,

I have decided to replace the 3 jaw chuck on my DSG but am undecided as to get a Rohm or a SMW although the Rohm is expensive it is far cheaper than the SMW I have been informed that the SMW or Rohm would be far better suited to production than home use and as such would be extravagant in the extreme, even with a discount through the brothers employers the SMW Autoblok is still almost 5K for 315mm Ø but then again the DSG deserves such. all the lathes at the brothers employers are either Rohm or SMW Autoblok [manual and hydraulic types] any thoughts before I decide one way or another?

Thanks,

Raymond.

[Raymond AndersonParticipant @raymondanderson34407]

Manual chuck.

[Ex contributorParticipant @mgnbuk]

The smaller Gildermeister “Manual Plus” CNC lathe at work has a 315 dia.manual Forkhardt 3 jaw chuck – we priced up a replacement earlier this year & it was about £3,100. I’m not sure what jaws (if any) were included with that. The Forkhardt chuck doesn’t use a scroll, having a screw operated moving block that rotates a plate the drives the jaws through a limited stroke. The jaws are serrated & can be positioned to suit the diameter of the workpiece. If our operators would grease the mechanism regularly as instructed, then the expensive screw & moving block would not strip !

 

While waiting for the parts to repair our chuck, we bought a Chester 315 dia. 3 jaw scroll chuck off Ebay for less than half the price of the replacement screw & block (£1100 for the parts, £430 for the Chester chuck IIRC).

 

The Chinese chuck is suprisingly well made, but it’s 2-part jaw interface (tenon / slot arrangement) is the opposite “polarity” to the Forkhardt, meaning that our extensive collection of soft jaws won’t fit – hence the quote for a new Forkhardt chuck.

 

We also bought a 500 dia. Chester 3 Jaw scroll chuck for the large Gildemeister lathe- the jaw tenons on that are identical to the 700 dia. 4 jaw that came with the machine. That is also a well made chuck that cost around a fifth of the price of the next cheapest 500 chuck I could find.

 

HTH

 

Nigel B.

[Raymond AndersonParticipant @raymondanderson34407]

Hi Nigel,

Thanks for the reply, If I were to go for the SMW Autoblok I could have either the Forkhardt jaw system or SMW’s own jaw system. They are certainly superbly made chucks. very accurate and highly repeatable. The Rohm’s also are superbly made but have a more traditional set up So I will decide which over the weekend.

Many thanks,

Raymond.

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