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Spiders Rule, 4-Jaws Drool

I like to use two T-handle hex wrenches, one at top & one at bottom, until I get to the last couple tenths. Then usually just tighten the one, etc. I shortened the T wrenches. Amazon had a good buy on long ones so just chopped some off.
 
Henryrifle said:
I need to stop checking in on this Gun Project Questions and Gunsmithing forum. This topic is interesting enough to make me try a spider instead of a 4-jaw. Grizzly sells one that is perfect for my lathe.

A few posts above, @tobnpr talks about working opposing sides at the same time. Isn't that what we all have to do with a 4-jaw? After the first round of getting the barrel loaded in the chuck and reasonably centered using a live center, I usually loosen the jaw that is to high and tighten the jaw that needs to push the barrel down. I can't do that at the same time as there is no space on my setup.

I feel like I might be missing out on a more sophisticated technique that I don't understand. Maybe that is something you can do with a spider?

Thank you all for helping me to spend more money!

Henryrifle
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With a spider you can use allen wrenches on the top and bottom at the same time much easier than with wrenches on a 4 Jaw.

Use the D1-5 Grizzly spider at work. It works well
 
I just installed my Grizzly D1-5 inboard spider tonight. My question is am I screwed if my inboard and outboard spider bolts are off by about 10°? If so, is there anything I can do about it besides make a homemade spider timed exactly to the outboard spider? Any help is appreciated.
 
No it does not. It gets more out of time as I rotate it then back to the 10°ish off. It is as close as I can get it. As long as I treat them as i dependent when dialling in a barrel I should be fine is my thinking.
 
WSnyder said:
IMO no, not a darn bit. I see where some say it's better to have them aligned and I don't get it. None of mine have been. I don't care, never have and have no issues with it at all.
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I don't see how it can work well without them being clocked the same. I had maximum frustration until I aligned them. Yeah, you're going to move the breech end of the barrel, but it's not going to be precisely in the direction towards/away from the indicator. My setup is with ball bearings and v-blocks; the breech end of the barrel is free to pivot in a circle if I want it to from the outboard end.

Let's say your inboard spider screws are at 6, 9, 12, and 3 o'clock. Indicator tip is at or just below 3 o'clock.
At the spot nearest the breech that I'm indicating- the location affected by adjusting the outboard spider- the indicator tells me I need to pivot the barrel away from the tip. So, I tighten the outboard screw at 9 o'clock- which pivots the barrel away from the indicator at the other end.

If that outboard set screw is not aligned with the direction of travel that I'm trying to move the barrel, it's impossible for it to gimbal directly in the direction I'm trying to move it. Someone's gotta show me how moving an outboard spider screw that's at 5:00 can move the barrel at the other end in the 3:00-9:00 direction.

The only way I see that working is aligning the indicator tip with the outboard spider screw when you're moving the breech end, and moving the indicator back to align with the inboard screws when aligning that point- and that would be a ridiculous amount of unneeded work.
 
Y'all must be luckier or better than me. I do make the effort--at least when reaming 4-grooves to align the grooves under the inboard spider bolts, however they are almost never aligned for me 3/4" or a full inch toward the muzzle from the point under the inboard spider. So, it doesn't seem to matter to me the orientation of the barrel relative to the outboard spider. It is usually somewhere between two of the bolts meaning you have to adjust all 4. I figured you are all dealing with that too--no?

Hank
 
Tell me what the heck do you do if you need to move an object in a set-tru chuck and the direction you need to move is right smack dab between the two jaws??? Well you move both jaws. Same for a spider. Tell me please how often in a spider does the direction you need to move line up exactly with one of the jack bolts? In my world like never so I move a combination of the screws to get it to move where I want. I still can't fathom why your spiders bolts need to align from one side to the other. I just move the damn things to get my object to where it needs to go so I still proclaim it doesn't matter to me.
 
WSnyder said:
Tell me what the heck do you do if you need to move an object in a set-tru chuck and the direction you need to move is right smack dab between the two jaws??? Well you move both jaws. Same for a spider. Tell me please how often in a spider does the direction you need to move line up exactly with one of the jack bolts? In my world like never so I move a combination of the screws to get it to move where I want. I still can't fathom why your spiders bolts need to align from one side to the other. I just move the damn things to get my object to where it needs to go so I still proclaim it doesn't matter to me.
Click to expand...
That is my experience too.

Hank
 
WSnyder said:
Tell me what the heck do you do if you need to move an object in a set-tru chuck and the direction you need to move is right smack dab between the two jaws??? Well you move both jaws. Same for a spider. Tell me please how often in a spider does the direction you need to move line up exactly with one of the jack bolts? In my world like never so I move a combination of the screws to get it to move where I want. I still can't fathom why your spiders bolts need to align from one side to the other. I just move the damn things to get my object to where it needs to go so I still proclaim it doesn't matter to me.
Click to expand...
Exactly. My barrel pivots in the chuck so it moves exactly the way my screw moves it
 
You could also dial it with a 4 jaw and a 3 point spider. It's not impossible, it's just more work.
 
We just got a Bison Set True for our new lathe in the shop. It is very well made and smooth to to adjust. I am tempted to get one for home. I still think a spider is faster to dial in, but I think the Set True might hold better
 
I have a 30 caliber Proof in the lathe right now. Building a 30 Sherman Mag on a Christensen action for a friend. I am loving how easy the setup is. I hated fighting my copper coils in the jaws. Best money I have spent in a long time.
 
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