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Drill chuck ?

Joined
Apr 24, 2004
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Does anyone on the Forum know of a commercially available three jaw drill chuck that can be operated as a live center in the tailstock?
 
Jake,
Pennstate Industries did have them in their catalog. I am not sure they are really meant to be used as a revolving center but they were on a #1 or #2 MT and bearing mounted for free spinning. I do not own one and have never used one but can see how they could be useful.
Rick Taylor
 
I have never seen one that was intended to be used as a live center. I'm sure one could be jury-rigged using a multi-tip live center to mount the chuck on, but I would be interested if anyone knows of one available commercially.
 
Frank,
The one from Pennstate was made like a live center with a drill chuck mounted on it. It would spin freely from the MT. I think it was intended to use a drill bit as a live center point after being drilled thus insuring everything running on center. It did not appear to be a double bearing or substantially built and I would be concerned about full time use as a live center.
Rick Taylor
 
I've never seen one. My Nova live center has a very short #2 morse taper for all the various bits. You could feasibly cut a #2morse taper down to fit. You can buy #2 morse taper to Jacobs taper adaptors and then fit a jacobs chuck or your choice on that.
Tell us why you want to do that and maybe we can come up with a better solution.
 
Frank,
The one from Pennstate was made like a live center with a drill chuck mounted on it. It would spin freely from the MT. I think it was intended to use a drill bit as a live center point after being drilled thus insuring everything running on center. It did not appear to be a double bearing or substantially built and I would be concerned about full time use as a live center.
Rick Taylor

This little sucker: I hadn't noticed this one before; just looked at the "regular" ones. Thanks for pointing that out, Rick. Learn something every day . . .
 

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I've never seen one. My Nova live center has a very short #2 morse taper for all the various bits. You could feasibly cut a #2morse taper down to fit. You can buy #2 morse taper to Jacobs taper adaptors and then fit a jacobs chuck or your choice on that.
Tell us why you want to do that and maybe we can come up with a better solution.

John, its not for me . Another turner asked me if they exist, I'm not exactly sure how it will be used. He is a relatively new turner but has picked up the skills very quickly and is quite creative. I have already sent him the info Rick has sent. We'll see whether it works for him. At $34 he won't be out much if it doesn't fit his needs.
 
I've also seen them available at MSC. I also found them from firms that supply to hobby machinists (which is where I got mine, before Penn State started carrying them)

Note, not all are setup to use as a draw bar, when I got mine I had to drill and tap the MT "tip"

Ralph
 
Thanks everyone as usual reading the responses is a very informative learning experience. :)
 
Interesting......I had not been aware of a free-spinning bearing mounted chuck that could be used as a live center before.

Personally, I can't think of a need I might have for such a thing.......but, if I let my imagination guide my thoughts, I do see how some turners would. It would allow a turner to create any home-made point they might desire to chuck-up into it! :D

......I'll tuck this bit of information away in the back of my mind........just in case!

ooc
 
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