Drill chuck tangs, and others

[Nige52]

I bought a new drill chuck for my lathe M2 size and it's a beauty, keyless and 1mm-16mm
But why is there a black tang on the end of it as I have to turn the end wheel in before it seats properly? This also happens to 2 sleeve reducers I bought so that I could use my M1 size tools, I don't see the point of these tangs or what they actually do? Can I grind them off?
Thanks

 

[CHJ]

The tangs are primarily to provide positive drive in a Pillar Drill, wood lathe tool posts rarely have such a feature, this can of course lead to the chuck spinning in the tailstock taper if a drill jams etc.

Removing the tang should be done with caution and the whole length not removed in one go as this may render the drill taper too short for the tailstock screw mechanism to eject the taper when needed.

(It's this facility that is giving you the need to advance the quill, you need to maintain a fraction of that function)

I have a couple of Tange Less Morse taper drills and other accessories that have had to have an extension fitted to the rear to ensure normal quill ejection will function.

 

[parvum]

Hi Nige,
The tangs are there to allow a wedge to bear on them through a slot, when extracting the the taper fitting from say a drill or mill quill where it is not possible to use a knockout bar.If your lathe has a through bored tailstock and headstock spindle, which will allow a knockout bar to shift the taper from behind with a smart clout, ( don't go mad on the headstock though as you risk damaging the bearings) then by all means cut off the tang to allow the taper to seat fully.

regards Paul

 

[Nige52]

Ah, now I see.......thanks
I have a good 1/2" of play before the chuck is seated, maybe a bit more and all the tang does is reduce the between center measurement and as mine is the Axminster Hobby 1218VS lathe, there's not much room anyway so cutting the tangs off will serve 2 purposes
Thanks again

Oh and yes, I have both a hollow tailstock and headstock

 

[woodpig]

As Chas alluded to, the tang is there to prevent the Morse taper rotating in the socket. You should not ideally remove the tang, it's there for a purpose! You can buy tapers without a tang but these normally have a thread inside them for a draw bar. If needed you can buy screw in tangs to fit them.

 

[CHJ]

....
Oh and yes, I have both a hollow tailstock and headstock

Be very cautious using such a tanged or blank drill or other accessory Morse taper in the headstock unless it is used on spindle work with tailstock pressure to ensure it stays seated.

Best case scenario it may just fall out on the lathe bed, worst case it may get flung out with considerable centrifugal force in your direction.

As Woodpig mentions above, Morse taper fittings intended and safe to use in a headstock have a rear end thread to take a draw-bolt to retain them in position, the taper only being utilised to provide accurate concentric location.

 

[Tazmaniandevil]

My old MT1 drill chuck had a tang on the end, but my new MT2 ones don't. I still have to advance the quill a tad in order for it to seat properly.
As has been mentioned, I believe this is part of the ejection mechanism. My tailstock is hollow, and the lathe was supplied with a knock-out bar. I find it easier though, to crank the quill back a quarter turn than to bang a bar through. I lose perhaps ½-¾" of the travel of the quill, but that is fairly insignificant.
That said, I doubt you will harm the taper by cutting the tang off if it is the same design as my MT1 chuck. On mine the tang was much narrower than the bottom of the taper, and there was nothing inside the hollow tailstock to hold it.

I think it is a case of "on your own head be it."