Tired of cranking the 5C chuck key forever? I make a key that fits the Precision Matthews 5C collet chuck that I reviewed recently with a simple adapter allowing the use of a power screw driver.
Hello....enjoying your videos and am currently awaiting the PM 5C collet chuck that is on back order. I noticed your comment about the micrometer stop. I have a non PM lathe that is similar to yours and would like to get a PM micrometer stop if it fits. Would you be able to provide some measurements of the profile of your ways for the dimensions that the stop clamps on....angle of the prism way if possible and the width at the base of the prism, height of prism above the flat way, and the height from the top of the prism to the bottom clamping surface? I wasn't able to get the info from PM but am still interested in their stop. Thank you!
Glad you liked the videos. I have made some measurements; the angle of the prism is 90 deg. These measurements are on the stop itself. The width of the base is 0.865", the height is difficult to measure, since there is a rectangular notch at the top of the prism that is 0.193" wide by 0.125" tall, presumably to allow the top of the ways to fit in. The dim from the base of the prism opening to the bottom clamping surface is 0.681". The length of the body of the micrometer is 2.38". The overall length of the stop varies depending on how far the screw is turned. The minimum is 3.93", which is the length of the micrometer screw, and the maximum with the screw fully extended is 4.47". My lathe ways prism has a flat top. The height of my ways, from the base to the flat top is 0.355". Hope this will be of some help. I have really found it to quite useful Please let me know if there is any other info you need.
@@7alfatech860 Thank you! I really appreciate you following up with me. The dimensions seem very close, perhaps close enough that if some modification is needed it would be minimal. My ways have a flat on top as well, about .165 wide. Using a depth mic, the height of the prism from the flat on the prism to the machined flat that the tailstock rides on is about .323 so perhaps a bit shorter than yours, but not too much. If I could bother you for a couple more dimensions from the lathe……it may be helpful to have the ‘thickness’ of the way from the top of the prism flat to the bottom of the way (where the clamp would grip) and the dimension from the vertical side of the way to the face of the rack for the longitudinal feed gear. Mine is just under 1 inch thick and the distance to the rack is about .473. I don’t yet have a mill, but if modifications are mainly to provide some clearance on simple geometry like the flats on the stop faces, it would be doable for me. Thanks again for your time and willingness to help! How are you liking the collet chuck? I am impatiently waiting for mine.
@@johnbruning4920 Glad to be of help. I get 0.368" from the prism flat to the tailstock ways. If I understood you correctly the distance from the flat on the top of the ways to the bottom of the ways is 1.06". And my (horizontal) distance from the side of the ways to the face of the rack is 0.457". My guess is that it should be compatible. The collet chuck has been a lot easier to use with the little screw driver gizmo :).
@@johnbruning4920 Glad to be of help. My height from flat top of the ways to the tailstock is 0.369". The distance from the flat top of the prism ways to the bottom gripping surface is 1.06". The (horizontal) distance from the side of the ways to the face of the gear rack is 0.458". I suspect the micrometer stop will fit your machine without too much trouble. The collet chuck has been nice with the help of the screw driver gizmo. I intend to order some better quality collets and gauge pins , and see if I get any improvement.
@@7alfatech860 Thank you so much. You have been immensely helpful. It sounds like it will work without any major modifications. I will most likely make something similar to your screw driver gizmo too.....should save a lot of cranking on the chuck key! I appreciate your time and willingness to help me out!
