head stock adapter

[buzzby]

Hi Everyone,

So in short i wanted to try my hand at wood turning and saw and bought the very cheap work zone lathe that Aldi old a few months ago. I have very slowly got better at using a lathe and wanted a chuck so that i don't spend half my lathe time trying to attach things to the lathe and truing everything up.

I had mistakenly thought that the head stock was a 3/4x16tpi thread so happily ordered the new RP2000 chuck as this was within my price range. I then discover that the super cheap workzone lathe has a thread that the lathe word has almost never heard of 18x2.5mm.

So my question to you all is where can i either buy an adapter to convert 18x2.5mm into a 3/4x16tpi or does anyone know somewhere that can make me one.

I'm not in a position to return the chuck or the lathe. I know that there are a couple of chuck (more expensive) that have the right insert but i am very aware that i have a very cheap lathe and if i use it more and more i will end up buying a new lathe that has a more standard thread size so i don't want to make anything i buy now redundant as i upgrade my kit.

I did find a topic on here covering this but i couldn't see how the OP actually got his (or her) adapter

Thanks in advance for the help

 

[chipmunk]

Hi Buzzby,
You really need an engineering firm to make you an adaptor but the 18mm and 3/4" diameters are so close that it will mean that your adaptor will have to be quite long - In an ideal world the female thread for the headstock fits inside the male threaded section of the adaptor.

Does your chuck have an insert or is the thread form in the body of the chuck? If it has an adaptor or insert it may be better to have a thread adaptor made to replace the insert.

HTH
Jon

 

[buzzby]

No insert that i can see. Seems like the chuck is just one piece otherwise your idea would work. I mistakenly picked up a adapter from axeminster so i can see how long the adapter would be. In my case this might work out better as it will give slightly better access all around the piece.

Any recommendation on firms that could do it? I have contacted to engineering firms close to me but they haven't even bothered with a reply.

 

[chipmunk]

Unfortunately, making a thread adaptor is not trivial and requires several steps to ensure it runs true.

It will require someone to turn and tap the adaptor female thread (luckily taps are easily available http://www.tracytools.com/taps-and-dies/metric-taps-dies/18-x-25-metric), then turn an M18x2.5mm nose the same as your lathe before installing the adaptor and finally cutting the male thread on the adaptor.

You could expect a special of this sort to cost almost as much as you paid for your chuck unless you can find a friendly local hobbyist I'm afraid.

You could try asking in the metal-bashing section - you may be lucky finding a local...
HTH
Jon

 

[Tazmaniandevil]

£20 from Record Power. Found this via a long rambling thread on a money saving site.

 

[buzzby]

Not sure that adapter helps me as its designed for the supernova chuck. I'm assuming that these inserts have a non standard thread?

 

[flh801978]

Theres a few ways to go

You can make an adapter but it needs to be at least 20mm longer than the length of your spindle thread ( 18x2.5) so it may end up being 40-50 mm longer than needed

I can do you that but i would need your spindle and chuck to do it ( £25 )

The other and best option is to make a new spindle to a more common size...the size of your chuck springs to mind
again I'd need your spindle and chuck to do it (£35 )

This way keeps your overhang down and makes the lathe more saleable

Ian

 

[Tazmaniandevil]

Ahhh.. gotcha. I assumed the chuck was M33 with an adapter to 3/4 x 16. That'll teach me to pay attention.

 

[Dalboy]

This may seem like an expensive way around, but do you enjoy what you have done so far and are you likely to continue turning. Then if the answer is yes then buy another lathe with a 3/4" x 16 thread because once you are hooked there is no going back. You will also be able to buy things straight off the shelf to fit it. Once you have the new lath or second hand then put the cheapy one on E bay or somewhere similar.

 

[procell]

A word of caution! As has been pointed out on another recent thread by Inspiras. The tools that came with your lathe are NOT fit for purpose. The metal is soft and will bend/break and may cause serious injury. Please do not use them. If you feel you want to continue with turning then get a few good quality tools. They will work far better and if looked after will pay for themselves many times over.

As far as the spindle is concerned I have an old ELU lathe (currently not working due to electrical fault) with the same spindle size. It came with a craft supplies collect style chuck which is directly threaded for the spindle. It is not as versatile as the scroll chucks but I managed to turn a 12" bowl using it so it can be done. They do still turn up on ebay occasionally and go for good prices as most use scroll chucks now.

The idea of a new spindle made with a standard thread sound good at the price and I may even consider it if I get my ELU working again.

 

[Paul Hannaby]

Are you sure the 18x2.5mm thread isn't actually 3/4 x 10tpi? The pitch is identical but the angle of the threads would differ.

 

[J-G]

Are you sure the 18x2.5mm thread isn't actually 3/4 x 10tpi? The pitch is identical but the angle of the threads would differ.

The pitch is not 'identical' - the difference is 0.04mm - which is significant over 2" but might not matter over the length of a spindle nose.

3/4" is 19.05mm - so [Theoretically] it might be possible to fit a chuck with a 3/4 x 10 Whitworth (55º) thread to a spindle with an 18 x 2.5 Metric (60º) thread. The limiting factor would probably be the core diameter of the chuck thread. It is normal engineering practice to make internal threads only 5/8 full depth so the likely thread engagement would be something less than 0·5mm. IF (and a very big if) the chuck has been manufactured with a 100% thread depth then the engagement could be just over 1mm - no where near enough in my opinion.

The drawing below should explain more fully.

 

[flh801978]

Received chuck and spindle safely today

Ian

 

[buzzby]

I had thought about buying a new lathe but i just don't have that amount of money at the moment. Ian is sorting me out a new spindle so that i have a standard size.

Don't worry about the tools that were supplied. I used them for 10 minutes before I got rid and ordered a better set. The difference was instant.

 

[flh801978]

Heres the spindle and chuck and modified drive centre and faceplate

 

[flh801978]

Just out of interest this is a graduate spindle and one of my sorby chucks at the side of the aldi spindle and record chuck

 

[monki magic]

I have also recieved one of these aldi lathes for Christmas. What is the best option for fitting a proper chuck? I have found the back plate as useful as cardboard and need a better way to secure the job. Buy a chuck that fits (if there is one) or get a new spindle made with a common thred size?

Ps. The tools that came with it are usless bordering on dangerous. Thrown away and proper tools purchased.

 

[monki magic]

I'm thinking a new spindle and purchasing a chuck. The back plate is too soft and flexes/bends so will not stay square!

Back plate is unfit for purpose and dangerous!!

 

[procell]

As you have shown above the back plate is not fit for purpose and is dangerous. Likewise the tools. If the Lathe is still within guarantee period then I would suggest writing to the manufacturer and asking for a full refund of the price. You could also suggest a recall of the lathes before someone is seriously injured. I am sure it would be cheaper than paying out compensation for lost limbs/life.

 

[pmacme]

Hi lads,

I have a similar issue to the first poster, I bought the aldi lathe before realising that accessories were not readily available.

I would like to get a bowl turning chuck that would not be completely obsolete once I do upgrade the lathe to a better make

From what I understood from these posts, the person bought a cheaper chuck and Ian was able to make an adapter?

Could you advise me both on which would be the best chuck to buy and then whether it would be possible to get an adapter made?

Many thanks,
Paul