Stupid Four-Jaw Chuck Tricks

Here are links for many of the tools that you see me using:
 (I earn small commissions on these links)

Want more content like this? Try these places:

#tipblitz19

[bluepeter]

Another tip for the four jaw that I believe I learned from Tom at 'Tom's Techniques' is to clone your four jaw chuck key and use both keys simultaneously on opposite jaws. This really facilitates matters when truing work.

[chod]

I just bought a lathe, old school Harrison. £250 delivered with a 3 and 4 jaw chuck and "loads of tooling". Wohoo! Can't wait to make something using these tricks :)

[randynovick]

Dang. I knew about the copper jaws thing, and about reversals, but the dead center trick took the ribbon home. Nifty!

[incubatork]

For the copper soft jaws i use a short offcut of copper tube/pipe, set the jaw point with a round bar held firmly in the chuck. Once tight squash the sides with grips, you then have to mark and cut the tabs similarly to the way you did but leave the rest closed as it helps stop the softjaws opening up once they have been used a few times. They end up the same as yours but closed at the back part.

[TheSuperCyborg]

Always get a warm feeling when in your intros you go from badass boss, to speaking with the sweetest children storyteller voice and demeanor. And it doesn't disappoint when your videos always range in between (more like the latter!). Excellent work, Quinn! Forever a fan!

[jimbos]

Excellent tip with the dead center! I’ve always used a 100 year old 10 to 1 “wiggly” & my calibrated eyeball, your method is better.

[etprecisionmachine]

A tip from a 45 year experience machinist: use a wiggler instead of a dead center. Wigglers are spring loaded so the tailstock won't need backing off. Put the indicator tip as close as possible to the work. The farther away the less deflection of the indicator. If you wanna really hold tenths then having the indicator tip 1/2 inch away from the work will not give accurate results. Furthermore, since one end of the wiggler is held in the chuck it won't fall on the cross slide.
All of my 3 jaw chucks are adjustable. If bought that way they are more money than hobbiest folks want to pay. I have modified several of my chucks to make them adjustable. Small chucks can be challenging but I have done 4 inch chucks that work very well. Please let me know if you would like to see how I have done this. I can take some pics. And who doesn't like pictures of metalwork?
Eric

[terryenyart]

I love the fact there are so many ways to do things. It seems you're only limited by your imagination. I bought my lathe & mill in 2021 & use it more everyday. My only regret is not buying a larger mill. I do a lot with my PM Tainwanese mill, but there are some things it just cannot do.
Thank you!😊

[CleaveMountaineering]

That double dead center trick is great! I would have only thought to use the dead center in the tailstock.

[leerogers]

Good stuff. None of us has a shed full of machines and the toys that go with them, we all have to get the job done with what we have at hand. Anything that makes more use of your lathe is worth knowing.

[TrevorDennis]

The last tip was something I'd not come across in 40 years as a toolmaker, and was pretty nifty to boot. An added bonus to this is that the #tipsblitz19 link brings up some engineering channels I was not aware of so doubly useful. I didn't see a tip from This Old Tony though.

[BuildSomthingCool]

I liked the centering up the off center bar trick😊

[toddfisher]

I like the dial indicator mount on the quick change. How about making a video on that?!

[JanBinnendijk]

a "Trick" i learnt at school, back in 1984/1985.. was opening the 4 jaws wide enough, to put the part against the chuck with the Tailstock Center, then bring in the jaws to clamp it, and then back off the tailstock, and put the deadcenter in between.. then you only have like 0.5-0.2 mm to adjust to get it dead in the middle..

[brandontscheschlog]

Very cool. An easy way to make the copper or brass jaws is to put the material on the jaw and then close the other jaws up tight. Use your favorite tool/hammer to shape it around the jaw.

[jlucasound]

Congratulations on project Egress! That accomplishment is forever.

[tomherd]

Like your tips. I made a 2nd chuck key for my 4 jaw and found it is somewhat easier to dial in parts using the 2 keys 180 degrees apart. Again thanks.

[rfo]

Thank you for posting these tips. They are quite helpful for those of us who are just beginning the machinist journey! 🔧🙂

[TheFishingHobby]

Very useful tip on using the dead center for checking runout. Thanks, you earned my subscription 👍

[clintchapman]

That's a pretty cool trick using the dead center to set up off center work.. Nice one!