[rtuls35]

Hey,
Was wondering what everyone is using as a brake on their chuck. According to out resources the TL 1 does not have one. Thats kind of a pain for certain situations.

[Donkey Hotey]

Nope, no 'brake' on the TL-1. I use a crescent wrench on one jaw when I'm tightening jaws or other hardware.

[Geof]

Nope, no 'brake' on the TL-1. I use a crescent wrench on one jaw when I'm tightening jaws or other hardware.

With something laid across the linear guides so that when the wrench slips out of your grasp it does no damage?

You can get spindle orientation which acts as a brake but it is not locked rigid.

[Donkey Hotey]

With something laid across the linear guides so that when the wrench slips out of your grasp it does no damage?

Yeah...uhh...you weren't watching me were you? Yeah, I do that every time.

Actually, I only did it once (installing the chuck). And now that I think about it, the backplate has nowhere to use a wrench. I installed two of the chuck bolts and used a pry-bar between them to tighten the backplate.

I miss just switching my old manual lathe into low gear. The biggest annoyance has been the chuck wrench, adjusting the chuck. The wrench is now a two-handed job to 'spin' the scroll open or closed. The weight of the wrench just wants to rotate the chuck the minute my hand comes off of it.

[Geof]

....The weight of the wrench just wants to rotate the chuck the minute my hand comes off of it.

Guess whose TL1 has a little ding in the linear guide just below the chuck? Fortunately so far forward the bearings trucks never reach there.

I agree with the chuck key being awkward to use. I cut the arms down to about 1-1/2" long so I can spin it fast with a finger then use a piece of tube as an extender for tightening. I also have it hung from a length of chain up to a hook in the ceiling so I cannot close the door on the machine with it in place.

[Wiseco]

Enter 0 speed and the chuck will keep it's position. I use it often when I tighten bolts when switching chuck.

[ageezz]

Enter 0 speed and the chuck will keep it's position. I use it often when I tighten bolts when switching chuck.

Thank you! I believe yours is the best solution to the original problem, and although I did not ask the initial question, I can certainly make good use of your suggestion. Thanks again.

[Mark Hockett]

I have a wrench that fits in the notches on the backplate. It allows you to remove two bolts at a time, you just rotate the position 90 degrees and remove the other two bolts.

Mark Hockett

[Geof]

The other way to do it is just bash the Allen Key with a plastic hammer and let inertia keep the chuck or spindle from rotating much.

[Mark Hockett]

The other way to do it is just bash the Allen Key with a plastic hammer and let inertia keep the chuck or spindle from rotating much.

Geof,
That works for removing but I like to use a torque wrench for installing the backplate or my collet nose. It helps prevent overtightening that could cause damage to the spindle threads.

Mark Hockett

[Mark Hockett]

Here's a picture of the backplate wrench,



Its crude but it only took about 45 minutes to make. One of these days I will run it through my anodize line and make it red to match handles and collet closer stabilizer on the lathe, here's the stabilizer.



Mark Hockett

[Donkey Hotey]

Thanks for posting those pictures. Until I saw that, I hadn't considered how I was going to anchor the Dunham air closer that I bought.

[Geof]

Geof,
That works for removing but I like to use a torque wrench for installing the backplate or my collet nose. It helps prevent overtightening that could cause damage to the spindle threads.

Mark Hockett

You use a "torque calibrated plastic hammer"

But you are correct it is not really good practice, but I have played around a bit seeing how tight they are after the hammer approach and actually with a plastic hammer it is difficult to go too tight.

I like your wrench and I am interested in the collet closer. How does that work? It would seem to be air opened and air closed by the two air lines but does it close and mechanically lock or is air pressure maintained. If air pressure is maintained how is the locking force transmitted, by a big thrust bearing?

[math_indy]

Mathews Engineering offers an aftermarket spindle brake for TL series lathes:
https://www.mathews-engineering.com/...and_newer.html