Upside, we have a bunch of Jacobs chucks on #4 tapers kicking around at work… 
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Stuart’s big dumb lathe
- Thread starter Stuart Samuel
- Start date
Martin w
Super User
I will look tomorrow and see if I have a #4. I believe mine are all #5 though. The carbide tipped one is a dead center.
Martin
Ahhhh, misread.
Only way to go. 2nd choice is non-carbide live center.
I'm not a fan of dead centers in the tailstock. Only in the spindle or when they turn with the work like a live center would.
Dead centers do work just fine with a bit of grease or oil but why buy both kinds?
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Martin w
Super User
I have two like on the left. Made in. Sweden and one on the right. Not sure on that one. They are Morse #4. Your choice if you want one.
Cheers
Martin
Meh...I use both. Dead centers can be more accurate, have less stick-out, less chatter, much easier to true. I will use them for speeds under 250rpm.
I’ll take a Swede!
Martin w
Super User
I have a little can of grease from my Dad's toolbox. Works awesome on a dead center. I'm sure it is lead based though. Hence the reason I never use it.
Martin
Now I’m imagining opening a box only to find a rutabaga…
On the cleaning note, I've found TSP and hot water to be the absolute best for machine tools. Kerosene works well, but it pricy and smelly, and hard to dispose of after the fact, TSP is cheap, odorless (unless you buy the scented "concentrate", don't do that, buy the bag of powder), and more environmentally friendly. I've used it on everything from my lathe to my tractor. Everyone seems to be worried about the flash rust after the fact, but as long as its toweled dryish I've not had an issue. Another plus, is after a quick rinse it's ready to take paint, and boy will it stick good.
That hadn’t crossed my mind! I’ve used it to scrub walls before painting, thanks for the tip!
Anyone recognize these fittings, and have a name for them? Oil line is crushed on the outside of the headstock. Copper tubing OD is 2.97mm, body of the bead/ferrule/thingamagig, which looks like a brass alloy give or take, is 4.97mm. The tubing appears to protrude through at one end, making me thing they’re slid on and crimped from both sides.
Dan Dubeau
Ultra Member
Also called an Olive. I replace some oil lines on my Tormach, and got what I needed from Mcmaster. I'm sure there are local Canadian sources, especially in the GTA, but Mcmaster had one stop shopping from my couch at the time, and I payed the convenience tax.
You're not supposed to reuse them (or so I've been told), same way you're not supposed to resuse a copper crush washer, but use your best judgement and work with what you have. In the past I have annealed copper washers to reuse in a pinch. I'm sure you could do the same with an olive, if you could get it off. They tend to cinch down around the line.
You're not supposed to reuse them (or so I've been told), same way you're not supposed to resuse a copper crush washer, but use your best judgement and work with what you have. In the past I have annealed copper washers to reuse in a pinch. I'm sure you could do the same with an olive, if you could get it off. They tend to cinch down around the line.
Thanks Don, thanks Dan!
I’m bouncing between bigger stuff and smaller, more achievable stuff on the lathe. Took apart the threading dial and got it moving again. Took off that clearly damaged oil line. Spent a little time disassembling the 3 jaw chuck it came with and cleaning that out. Some rust, and a cracked pinion repaired with a bit of epoxy. :/
One more pinion retention screw needs to come out, but it’s stuck, and I’m not in a rush, so it can soak overnight.
Someone put some sort of silicone/etc sealant between the front and back of the chuck body, which I’d never run into.
One more pinion retention screw needs to come out, but it’s stuck, and I’m not in a rush, so it can soak overnight.
Someone put some sort of silicone/etc sealant between the front and back of the chuck body, which I’d never run into.
Dan Dubeau
Ultra Member
A quick and dirty trick that might work for that line is to take a 3mm wrench, and run the open end around the outside to reform the line. If it's totally pinched down flat it's screwed, but if it's just dented a bit flat on the side it might reform round enough to restore flow. If it's completely work hardened it might crack, but if you anneal it first you'd stand a better chance of reforming it round. Might be worth a shot if you're bored and pinching pennies. I've never done it on lines this small but it works great on larger copper tubing.
Good idea! My suspicion is I’m out of luck, but I don’t have much to lose there.
I’d also considered getting some copper tube and soldering (either silver brazing or higher strength tin/silver stuff) the existing ends onto new tube. Could machine a little collar to keep everything lined up at the joint.
Dan Dubeau
Ultra Member
I just popped out into the garage while making dinner to demonstrate it. 3/8" copper tube, I flattened the end (not all the way), annealed it (red hot, then quench in water). A 3/8" open end wrench was then run around the end reforming it round. It's obviously a bit of a bodge, and you could make a nicer tighter fitting forming tool than a wrench (you might have to for that 3mm), but it could get you out of a jam and restore oil flow for now.
https://i.imgur.com/2WVIXpq.mp4
https://i.imgur.com/2WVIXpq.mp4
Yep! I’m thinking that, if I’m going to try it, I might as well give it a best case scenario, and make some sort of split forming tool from some brass offcuts at work.