Easy centering 4 jaw chuck

Centering a workpiece in an independent 4-jaw chuck made easy.

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• 4
• jaw

[mdavidlem]

Well as you noticed I have a small lathe. Not a 42 inch chuck. So instead of telling me how it doesn't work on large pieces over 3lbs tell me what you would do on large workpieces

[deepgrooved]

Thanks so much. I have a small outdated, machinex 5, lathe that is impossible to find tooling for, still can't find anything. The only thing I have that is at all accurate is an old craftsmen 4 jaw adapted to the Machinex. It would drive me nuts going back and forth trying to center something, even using other tried and true methods. This method has made using this machine so much easier.  Thanks again.

[mdavidlem]

@deepgrooved Glad to share the knowledge

[CropDuster33]

honestly i could z a peice in a 4 jaw chuck the nomral way faster.

[mdavidlem]

@CropDuster33

Then by all means do so. Whatever works for you

[Surfacesofie]

What an inspiration! I copied your 2 tools (more or less) and can't believe the time you save using this method. Nice and simple centering operation now. Thank you, Dave.

[mdavidlem]

@Surfacesofie

That's exactly how I felt when I first tried it. It so quick that I often skip the three jaw chuck.

[driftability]

piece of piss.

[stinkingdog101]

I millwrighted for years and I have never seen an alignment go this fast. Great vid and job

[tehsimo]

4 jaw just seems dumb for this reason.

[NIGHTWATCHERUK01]

how would you centre a HEX bar, then off set it by 16mm, I tried reversing jaws 1&3 so I had a larger surface area to act as a clamp, but I was told that this was bad practice ie:- all the jaws should be in the same oriantation

[dpug9750]

good tips in the video for model engineers i guess, but for production and none round materials it's not worth the agro. I do this stuff for a living and have found that leaving the clock well alone (not zeroing the dial) works well, just remember the figures and adjust at 180 degree intervals.

[BasementShopGuy]

Great tips. They work. Thanks man!

[dorplein62]

@Mesdriver never said that it would be less accurate with the method in this video , just said it was easier in a autocentering 3claw ..

Do not call me a bigmouth nobrainer , since you were the one calling me an idiot in the first place.

[Mesdriver]

@dorplein62

If you put a round workpiece in a four jaw chuck you will be able to centre it much more accurate than with the autocentering three claw where plus or minus 0.03mm is quite normal.

Or use the independed three claw.

I think the uplouder of this video is trying to show you that.

Bigmouth nobrainer.