# Micro lathe



## chrisb (Jan 3, 2008)

I bought one, 4x5. I mentioned this on Les' chain saw sharpening thread. Its by Cummings, likely the same as HF. I thought the price was right. Did not come with a drill chuck. The bore in the tail stock shaft
is not tapered so the tail end of the center is straight. The end (toward the head stock) of the tail stock shaft is threaded for something. Any ideas why, manual does not say. We rigged up a small chuck
to slide in the tail stock but with out the taper there is a little slop. Drilled out some Ozark wheels ok. You get what you pay for but I think I can do some small work with it.
Any comments?


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## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

I bought the HF 7 x 10 lathe. While I was there I got a 1/2 in chuck for about 6 bucks. It if for a Drill press and comes with a taper shaft. It is too long so you have to trim some off the taper shaft. But it seems to work well.


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## xo18thfa (Jan 2, 2008)

That's weird. Those tailstocks should have a #2 Morse Taper. Maybe they installed the wrong part at assembly (?) This mini-lathe website has a lot of useful info:

http://www.mini-lathe.com/Default.htm

Little Machine Shop has a lot of attachments, accessories and replacement parts for mini-lathes. They show a bunch of stuff for Cummins lathes. They are a good outfit 


http://www.littlemachineshop.com/default.php

Neither my Grizzly 9 x 20 nor Atlas 6" came with a drill chuck either. I don't think they are a regular accessory in a lathe set.


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## Allegheny (Jan 2, 2008)

That's weird. I've been using all sizes/makes of lathes for over 40 years and I've never heard of a threaded end on the tailstock barrel. Really small lathes might have a Morse taper #1 - or even a "0" (zero) taper, and they go up to #7 and larger (I have a #6 that weighs about 75# just by itself).

Check to make sure that you don't have a threaded-end spindle inserted into the tailstock barrel - it can be quite common for the smaller drill chucks to have a threaded back - you can then use it with machines having different spindle tapers by switching to the appropriate thread/taper combo.


To check this possibility, crank the tailstock spindle barrel all the way back - many times they are designed to pop the tapered tooling out when the spindle barrel bottoms out. Also check for a slot on the side of the tailstock barrel for a tapered drift punch to be inserted - a soft whack on a drift with a rubber mallet will pop it loose. 


Brian


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## Les (Feb 11, 2008)

I am guessing that the threaded portion of the tailstock is for a drill chuck with a matching thread (naturally). But just try to find one. Now, don't give up hope: lots of hand power drills have chucks with threaded shafts, particularly the older one, pre-battery. You need to determine the thread pitch (# of threads/inch) and the major diameter, that's the easy part. Most American made chucks are 1/2-20, that is 1/2" dia x 20 threads per inch (TPI). By measuring carefully with an pair of dial calipers, (or use a pair of mechanic's outside calipers and a micrometer), perhaps you'll find you'll have enough meat to drill and tap for an American chuck.

I, like John, have a 7 x 20, HF, with a taper. I dunno if mine came with a tailstock because I didn't buy it from HF, it's just the same make.

Now here's something interesting: Seig (or Sieg) of China makes HF lathes (also Micromarks'). Welll, another company called Red Bull or Raging Bull in China appears to have made a knockoff of Seig's. I found this out via correspondence with Tee Pub Co in England. 

Can you post a pic of that microlathe?

Anyway, all is not lost by a long shot, if you can't find anything to fit: 1) find a good chuck, new or used. 2) Determine what size/thread the hole is, and buy a piece of threadstock longer than you need. 3) Now turn an nice, snug-fitting plug with an outside shoulder that will slide into the existing threaded hole. You want it as snug as possible, like put it in the freezer overnight and see if it'll slip in. Now understand, you'll be using crocus cloth at this stage to take that last little bit down. 4) slide/nudge gently that plug into the tailsock. 5) Screw the chuck on the theaded stock and use loktite, or put a jam nut on it. 6) Slide the threaded stock into the plug so it sticks out behind the end of the tailstock. 7) Slide on a big flat washer and a nut, and tighten snug but no dying strain. You should now have a fairly-well centered tailstock chuck.

Hope this helps. Hint: if possible, I'd really like to see a pic of that lathe. Not bugging, you understand.









PS I forgot to tell you that you need a center hole so the threadstock shaft will pass through. Duh, me.


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