After watching numerous videos on the subject yours was the only one that I was finally able to dial in the material in the 4 jaw. Very well done, clear and concise explanation.. Thank you.
Thanks for the vid Dale..... just got my 4 jaw yesterday. There sure is a huge difference between the 3 and 4. Used your technique and works great especially on the square stock. Just need to take it easy on the clamps when I get below 5 thou difference.
Yep, there's not that much to it but everything that needed addressing was addressed. Keep in mind though that this video is only an demonstration for pieces with long jaw contact. Pieces with small jaw contact also need to be dialed in for angular alignment.
Never thought about a rule for which way to turn. Also never made a point of having the indicator where I was going to adjust with the wrench. I stenciled numbers on my chuck to lessen my confusion. Thank you. I needed a reason to stop justifying why I shouldn’t need my four jaw.
If your ever down under m8 I owe u a beer now it takes five min and I’m done, my boss is stoked he gave me about ten diff test rods and I nailed them all thx to u,all bs aside I really do appreciate the vid
So easy to understand the way you explained it. I've watched other videos and they made it so complicated. I appreciate your 'KISS' method of teaching and found it easier to remember 'low-loosen-left of 0' and high-tighten-right of 0'. Thank you!!!
Nothing said about how you have only adjusted the part for concentricity at the point where you setup the indicator. There is no guarantee that it is actually coaxial with the lathe spindle. You need to indicate at 2 points to check for that. Of course, if your chuck jaws are true and in good condition, and if the part is smooth and long (compared to the jaws), you have a good chance that setting up the indicator at 1 points will do an adequate job. However, worn jaws, rough parts, short parts are all too easily setup wrongly when you rely on a single indicator position.
4 jaw chucks are my favorite. I worked with 3 and 6 jaw and it was a lot more work to fine tune it. Plus a 4 jaw chuck can do machine offsets for making crankshafts etc.
Could you maybe do a video next on using a 4 jaw chuck with sqare/rectangular stock. I'm ok when it comes to round stock, but with square/rectangular stock I always take ages to get it set up properly
Hey Abom how are you I alywas enjoying watching your videos! I just left question here and wish I can get your feedback here regard the problem I am facing Thank you! Oz
That dial indicator holder is lovely. You were able to bring the needle to the correct spot by adjusting a screw on the stand. Any chance that you could tell us the manufacturer or give us a link because I would like one. It must beat my Draper one hands down
Dale - Thanks for the explanation. I can now watch Keith and Adams videos and understand what they are doing. Hey, maybe I will challenge them to the 4 jaw at next years summer bash!!!
Good video. A subject you could talk about is cutting oil vs coolant. When to use which. Especially from a hobbyist stand point. Coolant also has flood, mist and squirt bottle. very confusing. Thank you for all your hard work doing these videos.
nice video that was quick, when I first tried that same technique it was on my on, sometimes I zeroed it with like 3 try like you did and sometimes it'll take me 40 mins, onto I got the hand of it like you did, great video thanks buddy.
would be very helpful if you explained 1, why you put the indicator probe where you did (and not in a quadrant position) and 2, what you are doing with your left hand there
I had to watch it again, it's amazing how fast you forget the steps. Thank goodness I know where to look. By the way Dale, what is the brand name of your lathe and size? My 13x40 South Bend is running great. I still have some parts to replace but physically I'm going downhill. I want to sell mine and get a HD gearhead, 10" to 13" that is in great shape. All I want to do is come out to the garage, check the oil and put a piece of steel in to turn or play with. No more paint or parts to rebuild. Any brand names you can suggest? Thanks, and great video.
@@tomt9543 I have chinese also, (came with classic 1440g/1 machine) but I think these chucks not soo bad. Actually, 1-2 weeks later it was success, in 15 minutes...
I never zero my indicator when dialing in, I find it a pointless step. I think it much easier to just watch what way the needle moves and crank in or out accordingly.
That's great Dale! But you had about 4-5 inches sticking out. If you put that indicator closer to the chuck do you have a different reading ? Also repeat at the tip, is the part wobbling?
Can You perhaps explain a little about the moving of the spindle in either this, or that direction - when You have babbit bearings? I didn't quite get that one...:(
Is it correct that the averaging of the high/low automatically accounts for the two independent axis of rotation? What happens if your high or low measurement doesn't fall in line with one of the axis of movement?
It does not matter where the high and low are in relation to the jaws. Once you set the dial to zero you simply set each jaw set to zero. Then repeat a few times to tweak it in. I learned this method from a mr. pete video and it works great. Chris
Personally I don't like to wrench on the side of the indicator since I don't want to accidentally hit it with either the chuck key or my arms. I usually probe the front, determine which sides to loosen and fasten. Then I move the screw I want to manipulate to the top and either loosen or tighten it. However moving around jaws directly in line with the indicator may prevent confusion for people who are new to this sort of thing.
I really appreciate this video, I can't tell you how frustrating this is for a novice weekend warrior. This is the most concise easy method for centering a 4 jaw chuck I've seen. It should shave lots of time off my setups on my little South Bend 9" lathe.
my 4 jaw chuck has only 2 key holes. I'm a total noob, so please forgive my questions. does it mean my chuck is self centering? does it mean I won;t be able to mount stock off center, to machine cams and off center shapes? does it mean I should now buy 4 jaws independent chuck on top of the one I have?
@@BuildSomthingCool I produce switchable magnets in batches. It requires boring 1 inch diameter 1.25 inch deep holes in aluminium and iron, formed as rectangular profile. I bought the lathe primarily for that job, but I want to drill off centre and also make cam locks etc So 4 jaws independent chuck was actually my 1st choice. When I ordered the lathe I assumed 4 jaw chucks are independent and they sent me self centering 4 jaw, and I am forced to buy another chuck, and buy/make back plate with 4 bolts, because 4 jaw self centering is 3 bolts mount and 4 jaws independent is 4 bolts mount Lesson learned. Sigh
Good trick. I live in Thailand and would like to set up my own small shop for model engineering. Can you recommend any Taiwanese smallish lathes I could buy? Somebody told me that these lathes are better than the Chinese lathes. I would love to have a British lathe or American lathe but the shipping would be to expensive. Any advice would be fine and thank you. Dermot
I liked the video, I can indicate a 4-jaw with no problem, but I have made a spindle that I turned between centers with a shoulder and threads for a spin on chuck it's for a L.H.Sparey dividing head chucked up in the 4 jaw indicated it .250 out from jaws .0005 runout or less moved out 1.750 and it's out .002 plus. I need to bore out the spindle end for arbors to hold gear blanks any ideas
The spindle in straight .999 at each end and no taper, I put a piece of drill rod .750 dia. and it reads about the same, removed the 4-jaw from the backing plate, left backing plate on lathe indicate it .000 run out, if the jaws are tight how could the spindle be moved with a copper block, also how do you fix the jaws for parallel clamping
I don't know the length of your part, put it will move under the jaws when you tap it lightly with copper, the jaws are never so tight or play free in their slots. But if the jaws do not clamp parallel, you have to turn or grind them when preloaded.
Hi, you made grate videos, I just have question here, I did the same exactly what you did, but when I slide my Dial Indecator to the begining ( close to the chuck the dial read crazy run out!!! So I re did e erything from the begining this time the dial next to the jaws and when I have almost .001 and move my dial to the end of the shaft start reading crazy runout!!! I refaced the backplate of the chuck, also rechanged the jaws to different locations 1234, also using high precision steel 10mm OD shaft But nothing work! Same problem I can only do this in one spot e every time I slide th4 Dial to different spot the dial read hug runout Please help Oz
I think this video is missing what happens and how to correct when the piece is not aligned with the lathe, if you displace the dial indicator longitudinally trough the pice you may notice sometimes that the high and low spots differs and this situation is not explained.
I recently made a 'holder' that takes my dial gauge, that then slots in/out of the tool post, needle sits bang on at centre height, I thought that were an important point? I also made a smaller second chuck key,....wish I had seen this video before I done all that. Lol
Lol I hate u I’m a 47 year old apprentice 1st year and that was great info thx m8 best I got on my first try was two thou out but my shaft wasn’t as smooth as yours took me an hour lol
I was laughing out loud with the clapping at the end! Buying the crowd. Great one Dale, Honestly, a great demo of straight thinking, the kind that first timers could grasp the basics, in one viewing, of course a well seasoned indicator racer, would drop the key and or the part, once or twice, forget the setting indicator on anything special, watch in the peripheral vision, like a tachometer on the dash 0 = L / counterclockwise and MAX = R / clockwise. LOL Just Saying! ;{)--------
NEWBE ..any help is greatly appreciated. About me new to machining. New to RU-vid. Not new to tools in general and using them. Always want to lathe(old iron) finally got one. Now what? :-) this is where I'm at I believe I have purchased 60s era closing Colchester 13-in laid I believe it's a geared head. They were selling a few pieces of older machinery including a SBL turret mill with power feeds and digital readout it's gigantic... They are willing to sell that for $1,600 I really would like to pick that up as well my thinking being it can do what a Bridgeport does and is certainly a lot cheaper? I'll try to include a picture of both units... So this is where y'all could greatly help... A should I get the mill? I mean is it Bridgeport like? Are they garbage having the digital readout and multiple powered accesses which they said worked it seems like a good deal for 1600 it's very sturdy and looks comparable to a Bridgeport too perhaps I'm aware I could be all wrong thoughts on this? I'm not looking to do anything other than just play with it and learn about working with it also the lathe I just purchased I'm not sure what I should go through before I try to run it I know it requires oil it looks like in the carriage and I would imagine for the geared head. I need to find a manual but I don't how to find it it says mch no. F3 58669. Clc 27. Where do I start besides cleaning her up carefully. Thanks for any info
