Chuck for Major

[Jaypee]

Hi everyone, as you can see I am a day old newbie so apologies now if I am posting in the wrong place or not following protocol, please put me right if so. I have just spent the last few months completely renovating a Coronet Major, a maroon beast from 1974. It started as a strip down to clean job and ended up as a back to bare metal and repaint full on restoration! There was quite a collection of attachments with it and they have all had the same treatment, which was a marathon. Anyway it is now finished and ready to go to work but I could really do with a chuck. It has the 7/8" x 16tpi spindle thread which I know is an oddball size but was wondering if anyone has a chuck of this size to sell, not too worried what as long as it works. I would love to splash out on a Sorby Patriot or similar but my 'hobby allowance fund' has taken a severe beating lately with new blades, belts, paint etc etc. and this not an option for now. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
I do have a photo copy of the original manual and some illustrated parts price lists for the Major which have been invaluable for identifying all the parts. If any Coronet owners would like a copy of these I would be more than happy to scan, copy, email, post or carrier pigeon to you.
Other machines I have include a Harrison Union Jubilee (rescued from a school 25 years ago before the scrapman came to collect) which is still in original paint and looks all of its 40-50 years but still works great, and a Grayson 3 1/2" metal lathe from the late 30's which has also had the full resto. My 'thing' is making wooden gear clocks but I am now running out of wall space and have been asked to make some bowls and other turned items by friends and family so hence the need for a chuck.
Many thanks if you have taken the time to read my ramblings, I promise future posts will be much shorter!
Jaypee

 

[procell]

Hi and welcome to the fold.
I am only a newbie to this but have been advised by numerous experienced turners here that a chuck is not really necessary for most turning work. Other methods such as screw chucks, jam chucks, hot glue and face plates will allow you to do a lot of bowls, whilst the 2 or 4 prong centre and live tail stock centre will allow for spindle work.

If you can find someone with a chuck for sale then most are able to take a spindle adaptor so they can be used on various lathes

 

[Jaypee]

Thanks procell, I have managed without a chuck for a long time but have recently been gifted some really nice green logs which are yew I think, two tone, dark brown centre and almost white outer? Anyhow I fancy trying to rough turn some bowls and then set aside to dry packed in their own shavings and newspaper ( been reading up on it! ). I want to get a basic shape inside and out and because the timber is green gluing would be difficult, could use a faceplate but would lose depth so fancy the chuck route.
Thanks for the reply, seems a good place to share experiences and info etc.

 

[treeturner123]

Hi Jaypee.

I have a blue Coronet and the easiest chucks are the Record ones since Record took over Coronet and have, as far as I know, kept the same thread. They often have deals either at shows or when they round the country to various suppliers.

BE WARNED, once you have one chuck, you will realise that you need another so that you can keep one object in one chuck, drying for example, while you work on another. Then there will be a third one needed etc!!!! (I've only the two so far!)

Phil

 

[Jaypee]

Thanks Phil, will bear that in mind re multi chucks! Wish now I had gone for a later blue Major, from 76' they went to the now standard 3/4 x 16 spindle thread. The pre 76' Majors 7/8x16 spindle is an old conduit thread size apparently. I reckon I'll probably go for an insert type chuck then at least I can swap between lathes.
Thanks
John

 

[thomvic]

I have a similar Coronet Major (lathe only) and use an adaptor to reduce from 7/8x16 to 3/4x16 for my Record chuck. Your local engineer will make one for you quite cheaply I reckon.

Richard

 

[chowie]

Hi jaypee,
I to had a problem as my previous reply will testify in my case it was a Myford Mystro with a 1 1/8 X 12 TPI thread, and I also had an adaptor made costing £60.00 but alas it would not run true, apparently the engineer should have had the lathe shaft in order to have balanced the completed work. So in my case money wasted ouch!! and I have still to solve the problem Versachuck could be the answer.

 

[dickm]

No help to the OP, but if you need an adaptor for the Mystro, find an engineer who has a ML or Super 7. They have the same nose thread as the Mystro, so an adaptor can be threaded on to that for cutting the external thread with a guarantee that it will be true.
For the Coronet, it's going to be a matter of centring and threading a bar with the appropriate thread and using this as a mandrel on which to turn the necessary external thread for a chuck with a larger internal thread. Making an adaptor from 7/8 down to 3/4 inch would either mean an exsert, which would increase the overhang, or an unrealistically thin insert.
Don't think the Versachuck is an answer - it's just adaptable to a range of jaw types, not (AFAIK) to the Coronet thread.
But it's worth persevering with the Coronet - they were a super solid machine.

 

[heatherw]

There's a chuck of the right size on ebay at the moment but it's pickup only, item no.281176584501. Precision combination chuck.

 

[Jaypee]

Thanks all for the info, and heatherw I got my eye on that one!!

 

[tec987]

Hi, jaypee I have a insert for your lathe to fit a record chuck ( nova G 3 ) I bought this for my major and then changed the lathe for a blue major. It cost me £15 . 00 plus postage you could have it if you could find a cheap chuck.

 

[Rich13]

Hi everyone, as you can see I am a day old newbie so apologies now if I am posting in the wrong place or not following protocol, please put me right if so. I have just spent the last few months completely renovating a Coronet Major, a maroon beast from 1974. It started as a strip down to clean job and ended up as a back to bare metal and repaint full on restoration! There was quite a collection of attachments with it and they have all had the same treatment, which was a marathon. Anyway it is now finished and ready to go to work but I could really do with a chuck. It has the 7/8" x 16tpi spindle thread which I know is an oddball size but was wondering if anyone has a chuck of this size to sell, not too worried what as long as it works. I would love to splash out on a Sorby Patriot or similar but my 'hobby allowance fund' has taken a severe beating lately with new blades, belts, paint etc etc. and this not an option for now. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
I do have a photo copy of the original manual and some illustrated parts price lists for the Major which have been invaluable for identifying all the parts. If any Coronet owners would like a copy of these I would be more than happy to scan, copy, email, post or carrier pigeon to you.
Other machines I have include a Harrison Union Jubilee (rescued from a school 25 years ago before the scrapman came to collect) which is still in original paint and looks all of its 40-50 years but still works great, and a Grayson 3 1/2" metal lathe from the late 30's which has also had the full resto. My 'thing' is making wooden gear clocks but I am now running out of wall space and have been asked to make some bowls and other turned items by friends and family so hence the need for a chuck.
Many thanks if you have taken the time to read my ramblings, I promise future posts will be much shorter!
Jaypee

Hi Jaypee,
I have just embarked on a similar journey to yours I’ve bought a 1972 Coronet Major in pieces and starting the renovation. Generally all maroon but the engine mount is blue which I think is a later edition, the manual and parts list would be a great help if I could have a copy please. Some of the parts I have seem fairly self explanatory how they go together but some I have no idea.....!
Kind regards
Richard.

 

[Robbo3]

Not sure you will get a reply from 8 years ago & you need 3 posts before you can start a conversation so I have started a conversation with you.

 

[joethedrummer]

Not sure you will get a reply from 8 years ago & you need 3 posts before you can start a conversation so I have started a conversation with you.

Well done ,,Robbo to the rescue,,