Dialing in a 4-jaw lathe chuck 

Thanks so much for this excellent tutorial! Exact and easy to follow. Your technique has made it possible for me and others to learn a very important skill, which this 71 year old novice machinist needs to master. Great work best wishes and Happy Father's Day! Roy.....Buffalo, NY

Very informative demo. The best explanation I have had to date. I am not a machinist but do turn a few items at work. This will help cut my setup time down a lot. Thanks

Thanks from me too! This was quite a bit simpler than a few other techniques I've seen. Finally broke down and ordered a 4-jaw. Should have it in a few days and want to be ready for it. Take Care

Thank you. Hope this message finds you well. I avoided the four jaw for a year since leaving school... unfortunately I can no longer avoid it and am easily frustrated by the dial indicator and making the correct adjustments...

Good to see someone actually tighten the part in the chuck, there are other videos that show centreing the part and say there you go it's centred but they don't actually tighten it enough to start machining.

As a beginner, I learned a simple way of how to set up the 4 jaw chack.

Thanks. As a new lathe owner you saved me some money buying a self-centering chuck.

This skill is not only useful for a machine shop job after graduation, it is also needed for the precision machining contests in February, April, and sometimes in June.

I’m a 47 year old first year apprentice tried my first four jaw job took me an hour and got it too two thou lol but this will help heaps thx m8

Very informative and we'll explaind, thanks a lot Mr.

Tom, the quality of your video presentation is excellent! The use of the split screen puts this video many cuts above anything I've viewed (thus far) regarding four jaw dial-in. By no means am I implying that this video shines only due to its impeccable videography. There is absolutely no dead air time whatsoever! I've watched many shop videos that have me saying..."Yo, Vinny! Can we get on with this already! I do think though, that you should have apprised the viewers that most round stock chucked into their lathe will not be perfectly round to begin with. I would very much like to see a Tom Clemans video that properly addresses this issue. I'm a retired EE/Instructor but strictly an amateur machinist. ;-) Thanks!

Thanks! With practice, this method takes about half the time as other methods I have read about and seen demonstrated. After learning this, it takes occasional practice, as I described for eyork9.

I like your approach. Thanks!

Thank you.

Hi Tom, Thank you very much for uploading nice video on 4 jaws alignment on lathe.

Excellent video thank you

Nice job, Tom! You do make it look easy :)

What a GREAT video!! Big THANKS!!!

Thanks very nice demonstration.

Tom, you do make it look easy. Too bad there isn't an Olympic contest for this.

Nice instruction.

Thanks bro helpful for me

It is very possible it shortens the time it takes to dial up if you set two jaws close to the diameter if your a machinist you would know :)

I own the copyright of this video because I wrote the description, narrated it, and demonstrated this skill.

I would have had the part within .0002 by the time you snugged up the jaws in the preliminary adjustments.... I guess I need to teach you!!! Razor!

Great video. You mentioned you have an improved method and are intending a new video but obviously it hasn't happened yet. If that's not going to appear any time soon is it possible you could place a description on here as to what the modified steps might be?

Very Good Very Nice

Thanks for this video.

Thanks bro helpful information practical

Why don't you set the indicator on the top of the part so as you tighten or loosen the jaws from the top so the leverage works with you. I've been an aerospace machinist over 40 yrs. and this is how I was taught.

great video thanks

This is a great lesson ... thank you .. now I can stop looking like a dick at my new job :)

Hey thanks Tom. You're a good instructor. Where were you when I was in high school? Prob not even born yet, LOL.

theres an easier way. how about measuring the diameter of the shaft. set the jaws to that diameter with a vernier, then simply back two jaws off and put your job in. you imagine trying to do this with a heavy shaft no go

Dumb Question: I assume the parts isn't actually round or true - does that matter when trying to indicate in?

Nice video! However i find easier to use 2 chuck keys at the same time.

Gr8 video. Now I need to practice :O)

good explain thanks

Good job my 4 jaw does not have v at the bottom just has teeth I find it a little harder to get it dial in just takes me a lot longer than u Again goodjob

If he were a machinist, he'd know that.

But you left out the most important part... did not check for concentricity.

WowTom. How neat that you know about things like this. Great video! As for myself, all I have are "hand Tools that look like they belonged to the Flintstones. Question: Could that be used top "turn out" a Vox Humana? If so, I'll eat it and buy you another. Promise! :-) All the best- Craig

Nice bhau

When I dial in a 4 jaw and I'm using aluminum, I always end up with teeth marks in the piece that dent and ruin the faced ends of my piece. Is this just because I'm making it too tight or is this to be expected as it is aluminum?

Is that possible as all the jaws are independent surely you could have it well out im interested ??Thanks

How about a self centering lathe chuck? Why don't you get one of these?

in this video has this sentence "inside the jaws are little bit concave so this part kind of settles into the middle of the vise changes of the chuck jaw". is this correct. because i need to sub your video