Mounting a 3 and 4 jaw chuck on rotary table ??

[V 45]

What is the best way to mount 4 jaw chuck on rotary table ? I have a 6 in rotary table with 4 T-slots and a 4 inch 4 jaw chuck. I also would like to put my 3 inch 3 jaw on it as well. Any plans on backing plates and such ? I really don't want to drill thru my chuck !! Looking for the cleanest set up to make and I have access to larger machines to make whatever I need...just need to know what to make. ???
Thanx again... V 45

 

[Davo J]

Hi,
Just use a bit of 5/8 (16mm ) 16mm plate. That way you can counter sink the bolts to go into the rotary table T slots and tap it to suit both your chucks. To locate it centrally, I made up a removable MT3 arbour and I think the top is 20mm from memory. I then just bored the plate in the centre on the lathe to 20mm so it was a nice fit for setting the plate up.
I did this for my 10 inch table to take pretty well every chuck I have from 160mm 3 jaw to 250mm 4 jaw, so the option is always there if I need it.

Indexing is pretty easy for the holes, as you can mount the plate onto the rotary table to drill halfway through, then take it off and finish drilling all the way though.
You can also finish the outside edge of the plate while it's mounted on the table.

Dave

 

[rhankey]

For my 8” Phase II rotary table, the 6” chuck mounts to an 8” back plate giving a 1” lip all the way around to make it easy to bolt the chuck/plate assembly to the rotary table T-slots. There is also a round alignment disk (roughly 1.25”D that fits snugly in a hole in the center of the RT directly above the MT socket and a matching hole in the center of the mounting plate. Presumably the intent of this alignment disk is to allow you align the chuck to the plate and RT once, and subsequently all you need to do is re-bolt down plate to RT next time. However, in practice I tossed the alignment disk aside, as there is no avoiding using a DTI to align the chuck to the RT every time it is mounted since tightening the bolts to the RT impact the alignment at the nose of the chuck by quite a bit. When I got an indexer and a dividing head, I made sure they could accept 5C collets and had the same spindle nose as my lathe so I can move chucks and collets between the lathe, indexer or dividing head without any of the realignment hassles.

Robin

 

[V 45]

Thank you for the replies !! I will have to find some steel now. Anyone else out there with any ideas? I think I will go with the 5/8" plate route.
Thanx again.... V 45

 

[Davo J]

You might get away with 1/2 inch plate and using dome head socket screws to counter sink in, but I find by the time you clean up both faces of the 5/8 plate it comes down to around 9/16 anyway.

This plate also makes a good sub plate to set up jobs on that are difficult to hold as you can drill extra holes where needed, or just drill a series of holes to begin with and then they are there to use.

Dave

 

[ShedBoy]

I use this setup. My table only has three slots so I just remove the 3 d lock pins and bolt this on, it locates in the back of the chuck and the bolt heads fall into the t slots and is all tightened up on the centre bolt, seems rock solid and I have been using it for 4 years now. Also fits my 4 jaw chuck.

Brock