My lathe's spindle is too long for my new chuck

I just purchased Teknatool's Nova Midi Chuck to go on my Harbor Freight

lathe (HF 34706). My problem I'm having is that I can't get the chuck to run true because the spindle is so long that the chuck can not thread all the way onto the spindle and seat against the spindle's shoulder. Without a good solid surface to seat up against, the natural

slop in the threads causes the chuck to run way out of true when the lathe is running. I'm looking for any ideas that folks may have on how to fix this.

The owner's 'manual' for the nova midi chuck clearly says that the chuck must seat firmly against a solid surface in order for the chuck to run true.

What I think I need is something that I can use as a spacer between the

shoulder of the spindle and the chuck. I need to take up about a half an inch of space between the shoulder and the chuck. The lathe uses 1 x

My initial idea was just to get a couple of washers with an inside diameter of 1" that I could just slip over the spindle. A trip to the Home Depot last night did not turn up any suitably sized washers in the

hardware section.

My second thought was to cut down a 1" PVC pipe coupling and use it as a spacer, but I was unable to get good results from that. The coupling was the perfect size, but I think the problem there was that I could not get the ends sufficiently parallel on the cut, or the pressure from

tightening the chuck caused the PVC to warp a little. Either way, it didn't work.

My next idea is to make my own 1/2" MDF 'washer' to go between the chuck and the spindle shoulder but I'm worried that the MDF may dent and cause the chuck to run untrue. I'm going to try this out tonight and see how it goes.

Has anyone else had this problem? If so, what did you do about it? I imagine that it must be a fairly common problem for people trying to thread small chucks and faceplates onto a full size lathe. Does anyone make some type of spacer ring with a 1" ID that is machined flat enough

on both faces to allow the chuck to seat firmly and squarely aginst it?

PS - I should probably note that the chuck does thread all the way onto

the spindle. Its just that when it does, the spindle prohibits the chuck jaws from tightening fully. The chuck runs very smoothly with no noticeable run-out when it is allowed to thread all the way down the spindle and seat against the spindle's shoulder.

You should be able to find a 1x8 nut to thread onto the spindle...then carefully machine it to true. Tom

You are right on and most any machinist's supply will carry precision flat washer-spacers in the sizes you need.

Or like the undertakers of old who cut off the deceased legs to fit the coffin, you could cut off your lathe's spindle. Just kidding! Just kidding! Don't do it! :)

Turn to Safety, Arch Fortiter

Why not just take a hack saw and cut 1/2" off the end of the spindle. Then file it smooth.

Greg Jensen

Rather than do anything that can't be undone, try turning a small HARD wood disk and drill out the center. When it wears out, make a new one. If you turn it the sides WILL be parallel.

Dave in Fairfax

Did you buy the proper insert for the chuck?

Shortening the spindle would be throwing out its Morse taper with the bath water. Wood is temporary and compresses unevenly and 1X8 0.5in. long nuts may be as hard to find and probably cost as much as a flat spacer. Wood or a nut require some machining. IMO as you considered, buy machined metal spacers and be done with it.

Turn to Safety, Arch Fortiter

Have you checked with Technatool to see if they provide an adapter for your lathe?

Craft Supplies sells plastic washers designed to go between a chuck and the

spindle face in order to prevent locking the chuck too tight to remove. They come in all the common spindle sizes at about $3.50 for two. Not sure how many you would need to get the length you want. John

What you need is a 1"-8 Jam Nut, which will be about 9/16" thick. Found at any GOOD hardware store.

Well, you've got a lathe, and I've heard of people turning aluminum on a wood lathe in a pinch. (Though I would hope you've got some old lathe chisels if you try that!) The only other thing that hasn't already been suggested is using one of those nylon cutting boards. You could turn it easily after roughing out a circle on the bandsaw, and it'd be soft enough to drill with a forsner bit- though hard enough for what you're doing, and waterproof to boot. They're pretty close to parallel when when you get them, though they do have a little bit of texture to them. I'd imagine you could smooth it off fairly quickly with any number of methods, if you're concerned about it. (FWIW, I wouldn't suggest a sander for smoothing plastic, though YMMV)

I think solid nylon stock would work a bit better for what you're doing. The best would be machined steel, but the nylon would do in a pinch.

Skip the MDF, that's just going to be wasted effort.

several of the turning supply places on the web have teflon or plastic washers that are supposed to prevent the chuck or face plate from over tightening.. that would probably do the job, unless you're like an inch out... I'd want something that was made for a lathe, in case you hit warranty issues.. YMMV

mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

I had a chuck that didn't bottom on the spindle threads. I got an ordinary steel washer that had a hole slightly too small to fit on the spindle, and then I did some hand machining to get a perfect fit and to true up the face. I used a piece of scrap wood on a faceplate, turned a slight recess for the washer, glued it in with epoxy, and then turned with with ordinary hss scrapers. I used a slowish speed (500 rpm?) and used 30 weight oil since I don't have any official machinist's cutting oil. The washer was glued in solid, so I had to part it off to reverse it in a friction fit recess to turn off the glue. I have also trued up one of my homemade steel faceplates on the wood lathe and done some other small scale machining when I needed a special part for something. Turning steel on a wood lathe takes some patience and makes a mess, but it works, it doesn't hurt your tools, and you'll be done faster than spending a lot of time looking for some special part that might work.

-mike paulson, fort collins, co

I ended up ordering an arbor spacer from Enco that looks like it should do the trick. I looked around for a jam nut of the appropriate size but I could not find any in the local hardware store and the places I saw on the web wanted you to buy them in large (25+) quantity.

best answer would be to machine a spacer with a

HTH Otto t

Phi117 -

You have the right concept - but with the pressures that will occur once turning - you will need steel. I suggest a lathe cut length or perhaps a 1" nut that is end faced. You need a steel lathe friend on this one.

Mart> I just purchased Teknatool's Nova Midi Chuck to go on my Harbor Freight

I don't know what size nut you need, but I can sell you an individual nut of some of the common sizes (like 1.25X8) - see info on my web page,

"Arch" wrote: Shortening the spindle would be throwing out its Morse taper with the bath water.(clip) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ LOL. Arch, we can depend on you to keep us amused AND informed.