hoz53
Gold $$ Contributor
so you are just using the vfd to convert single phase to 3 phase?
Could you chamber a typical 30" 1.25" barrel on this lathe?
- Thread starter WVHick
- Start date
butchlambert
Site $$ Sponsor
It is more lathe than most out there for chambering in the headstock for the "PRICE". I should have stated that.
If you are chambering in the headstock, what is critical to do a top notch match quality chamber and crown?
butchlambert
Site $$ Sponsor
If you use a VFD, be sure to wire the designated wires to the switch, not any power. Power goes directly to the motor and not the switch. Mine are little doorbell wire and the switch only sends a signal to the VFD to allow the motor to work.
hoz53
Gold $$ Contributor
right you dont want to switch the power wires after the vfd and you dont want to turn power off to the vfd under load/when turned on. Thats how i would do it anyway. so when just using the vfd as a phase converter only, a person still needs to turn the vfd on and off.
What would be your advice on the best chambering through the headstock lathe obtainable?
Thanks
I would say the guy running the lathe has more to do with cutting a good chamber that anything. Next maybe no run out on the spindle bearings? If that Rockwell would show up close to me at that price I would definitely go look at it. Although it does cost less than my riding lawnmower. Eh Jerry. I bought SB13 to learn on. Then a little used older Taiwan Enco that I really like. One day I'll get a 4or5 thousand lb. lathe to see the difference. Hobby guys do different things for different reasons. I hope you and your family have a great year. I really enjoy learning from every one on this forum. Stephen
Reading the different forums it's amazing to me how many people must have a lathe in their garage. Machining is really a cool hobby.
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carlsbad
Lions don't lose sleep over the opinions of sheep.
Also, if you use the VFD as intended to vary frequency, you want to only change frequency to the spindle motor, not the control circuit, lamp, and coolant pump (if you have one). --Jerry
WSnyder
Silver $$ Contributor
As Butch mentioned if chambering through the headstock there is almost nothing negative about this lathe. The only negative is the spindle bore will limit you from chambering large diameter barrels through the headstock. They are quite heavy for an 11" inch lathe and are much heavier with bigger components than an equal sized asian lathe. I never added a planned VFD as I found the original variable speed drive works quite well. I don't use the back gear to thread and find threading at the slower end of direct is slow enough. It's quite easy to run up and down the speed range when doing different operations. Mine was in use as a gunsmith lathe when I bought it but I tore it down anyway and brought everything up to almost new. It'll outlast me and whoever gets it after me with some care. Some parts can be hard to come by so be careful and don't break it. Starting it with the spindle in the lock position can crack a gear so be wary of that. Plenty of used L00 chucks can be found and new are still available. I replaced one of the outboard locknuts with an integral spider to keep everything pretty short. I can't seem to find a picture of the finished locknut/spider but you can get the idea from the attached picture. The male threaded part is a thread gauge for the spider made to fit a spare locknut I had.
I also have a spider on a backing plate for the chuck side for short barrels. With a 6 jaw set tru and the spider it is 22" from the face of the jaws to the face of the spider. 20 1/2" with the 4 jaw and spider. 19" with the spider and spider.
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hoz53
Gold $$ Contributor
thats a good point- in other words put those things on a different circuit than the one coming from the vfd. im trying to figure out the control circuit and programming for the vfd i have now.
I want a decent 4-jaw chuck but can't seem to locate one. There's several on eBay but they seem cheap and they come with a L00 backplate instead of being a true L00 4-jaw. Am I correct on this? Any idea where to find a decent L00 4-jaw? Also considered just keeping the 3-jaw Buck chuck it came with and getting a Viper Chambering jig to dial in the barrel.
Also, would you guys recommend a AXA or BXA Aloris tool holder for this 11" Rockwell lathe? I've read numerous posts and a lot of people say BXA may be too big but I feel in the machining game, weight and rigidity are king so I can't decide.
Also, would you guys recommend a AXA or BXA Aloris tool holder for this 11" Rockwell lathe? I've read numerous posts and a lot of people say BXA may be too big but I feel in the machining game, weight and rigidity are king so I can't decide.
carlsbad
Lions don't lose sleep over the opinions of sheep.
It indeed is nicer, lighter, and more rigid to have a 4 jaw without a back plate but may be hard to make happen, on an older mount like that.
Go with biggest tool post you can get for rigidity and ability to hold a larger tool. Hopefully BXA will fit.
The viper chambering jig adds a lot of hangover costing you rigidity which will likely be a problem with a smaller lathe like you have. I use it for bolts, but not for chambering. It would work, you'd have to go slow and you still would have to be concerned with chatter on the later passes while threading.
I would consider buying an L00 6" backplate, bolting a piece of steel or aluminum to it and making a your own spider. This would allow you to shop a while longer for a 4 jaw. LMK if you want a photo of my spider. Check the bolt circle and you may be able to use the bullets.com spider bolted to the plate. The predrilled holes interfere with pins on D1-x mounts.
--Jerry
Go with biggest tool post you can get for rigidity and ability to hold a larger tool. Hopefully BXA will fit.
The viper chambering jig adds a lot of hangover costing you rigidity which will likely be a problem with a smaller lathe like you have. I use it for bolts, but not for chambering. It would work, you'd have to go slow and you still would have to be concerned with chatter on the later passes while threading.
I would consider buying an L00 6" backplate, bolting a piece of steel or aluminum to it and making a your own spider. This would allow you to shop a while longer for a 4 jaw. LMK if you want a photo of my spider. Check the bolt circle and you may be able to use the bullets.com spider bolted to the plate. The predrilled holes interfere with pins on D1-x mounts.
--Jerry
Are these even worth buying for chambering and barrel work? They seem too cheap.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/8-4-JAW-LA...376964?hash=item2a94a39d04:g:jTIAAOSw8zdaAMsQ
carlsbad
Lions don't lose sleep over the opinions of sheep.
Hard to tell. feedback is pretty good so they aren't pure junk. but a lot of ebay buyers wouldn't know how to check a chuck anyway. With a 4 jaw, you don't have to worry about runout. But you do need the clamping line parallel to the axis as opposed to skew lines (from 7th grade geometry).
See the shipping? that's a problem because if you return it, you don't get the shipping back. Kindof a yellow flag.
--Jerry
See the shipping? that's a problem because if you return it, you don't get the shipping back. Kindof a yellow flag.
--Jerry
hpshooter
Gold $$ Contributor
"Also, would you guys recommend a AXA or BXA Aloris tool holder for this 11" Rockwell lathe? I've read numerous posts and a lot of people say BXA may be too big but I feel in the machining game, weight and rigidity are king so I can't decide."
WV, If I remember correctly both the Aloris and Dorian web sites have a table of distances from the top of the compound to the center line of your lathe to help pick a tool post size. The BXA on my 12x30 gets in the way on rare occasion and I revert to a lantern post and rocker.
There is a fellow in either Quick or Pinch WV named Oakie Moffet who has a large fab shop building primarily mine conveyors who has or had a fair amount of older tooling for lathes and mills. I bought some parts for a 12x30 Hendey gear head from him 7 or 8 years ago. He is also big in oilfield engines if he is still around.
Wife and I grew up in St. Albans. Left there in '65 for college in Blacksburg VA and been in VA ever since.
WV, If I remember correctly both the Aloris and Dorian web sites have a table of distances from the top of the compound to the center line of your lathe to help pick a tool post size. The BXA on my 12x30 gets in the way on rare occasion and I revert to a lantern post and rocker.
There is a fellow in either Quick or Pinch WV named Oakie Moffet who has a large fab shop building primarily mine conveyors who has or had a fair amount of older tooling for lathes and mills. I bought some parts for a 12x30 Hendey gear head from him 7 or 8 years ago. He is also big in oilfield engines if he is still around.
Wife and I grew up in St. Albans. Left there in '65 for college in Blacksburg VA and been in VA ever since.
WSnyder
Silver $$ Contributor
I use an AXA with a flat ground 1/4" spacer under it. A small part of one corner will likely need to be ground off even with a spacer to clear the compound casting. If you try to use a BXA you'll have to grind a large portion of one corner off due to the way the compound slide is made. An AXA without a spacer will be a little low and will also have to have a large portion of a corner to be ground off. I have not found a tool that won't work with the AXA and 1/4" spacer. In my opinion the perceived benefit in rigidity of a BXA would be overkill and not worth worrying about on this lathe. You can make one fit but I doubt you'll ever really see a benefit just because it's bigger.
To utilize 5/8" shank tools on an AXA you can use the "S" suffix (AXA-1S) tool holders http://shop.aloris.com/aloris-products/Aloris-Shank-Tool-Holders/Oversized-Turning-and-Facing Holder-AXA-1S
Bison appears to still sell an L00 direct mount 4-jaw.
LOO 7-854-0841 8 inch 1.96 34 lbs.
http://brassandtool.com/Chucks-Lathe.html
http://bisonchucksonline.com/Bison/Bison-4Jaw-Ind-Chucks-7-854-0841.htm
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butchlambert
Site $$ Sponsor
I much prefer a cathead on both siodes of the spindle. Below is on a Loo backing plate.
Radar
Silver $$ Contributor
Your Buck isn't a set tru? I have a small collection of L00 chucks and backer plates but I'll have to do some digging to come up with a list. I know I have a good Pratt Burnerd 3 jaw set tru type and a good 7" Cushman 4 jaw. I also have a 6" Buck set tru backer with several chucks that are useable but worn. If it's above zero this weekend I'll go out and make a list if your interested.
shortgrass
Silver $$ Contributor
On a small tool room type lathe, I prefer a chuck mounted on a back plate,,,,, as long as the back plate has been 'trued' to the machine. Follow the tool post manufacturers recommendation for what sized tool post for the size lathe you have, you'll be a lot happier. Bigger, in your case of a small 11" lathe, isn't necessarily better as you haven't the mass and HP anyway. If you want a 'good' chuck, plan on paying for it and buy from a reputable source. Buy one off ebay and you don't know what you'll get, worn out or like new. "I want the best, but I don't want to pay much" doesn't do very well when it comes to machine tools and attachments.
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Shewww, I didn't know reputable chucks cost that much lol. I'm going to have to step up my budget.
Thanks!
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