Lathe/chuck question

[mchain]

ok, so pretty much the best Lathe option for me here in Mexico would be on this page.
http://www.truper.com.mx/ingles/catalogo2006/129.html
I can get the one on the left for just under $400.00 USD right down the street here (the american brand mini lathes are more than that here) and will probably do so soon. So I was wondering if lathes are pretty standard as far as attaching a chuck goes. How likley am I to encounter a problem with that?
Also I want to go buy a chuck at woodcraft while I'm in Pa this weekend for a friends wedding, I noticed that there are a lot of different sizes of chucks. 3/4" x 16 TPI; 5/8"; 1" x 8 TPI; 1-1/4" x 8 TPI. which one should I get? Do I have to worry about some of them not fitting my lathe?

I have made 2 pipes so far, Niether of them great but I'm excited about getting better and learning to work with a lathe!

Thanks!

[RadDavis]

Hey Mchain,

You need to find out the spindle diameter and TPI on your lathe.

Most lathe chucks require a backing plate (not included) so that they can be installed on many different sized lathes. The backing plate is what's threaded and it screws onto your lathe spindle with the chuck attached.

Most people have to get a machinist to attache a chuck to a backing plate.

Rad.

[kbadkar]

You need to find out the spindle nose threading on the headstock for the lathe you are buying. Buy a chuck with threads that match. Some brands have a different chuck body for each thread style, some have adapters for the same chuck body. Hey, Rad just answered the same thing pretty much... Anyway, first the lathe, then the chuck... that's your purchase order.

[mchain]

ok, so to make sure I understand. in the example " 3/4" x 16 TPI " the "3/4" should be the spindle diameter and the "16 TPI" is the thread count? I am guessing that "TPI" is threads per inch.

Thanks for the info.

[RadDavis]

ok, so to make sure I understand. in the example " 3/4" x 16 TPI " the "3/4" should be the spindle diameter and the "16 TPI" is the thread count? I am guessing that "TPI" is threads per inch.

Correctomundo.

Rad

[bscofield]

ok, so to make sure I understand. in the example " 3/4" x 16 TPI " the "3/4" should be the spindle diameter and the "16 TPI" is the thread count? I am guessing that "TPI" is threads per inch.

Correctomundo.

Rad

Rad, your spanish is outstanding!!

[RadDavis]

Rad, your spanish is outstanding!!

Much grass.

Rad

[bscofield]

Much grass.

Rad

See... that shows how much I know... I could have sworn that was "grassy ass"

but what do I know...

[RadDavis]

See... that shows how much I know... I could have sworn that was "grassy ass"

Well, that would be true for a non native speaker.

Rad

[mchain]

ok, so I have been looking through the manual for this lathe and I can't find the spindle/TPI information anywhere. I've also looked online and nada. So I either just buy a chuck that kinda looks right and take my chances or I buy a different brand lathe for a couple hundred more... either way I could be out a buncha money. Unless there is some way to measure it.

[Frank]

Yes , there is a way to measure it. Measure the diameter of the spindle & use a thread gauge to measure the TPI on the spindle.
If the machine is manufactured in Mexico for local sales, the thread might be metric. I've totally forgotten how metric threads work.

If you don't have a thread gauge, you could try measuring off an inch of the threaded spindle & counting the number of threads. There's probably an easier way to do it, but it's almost 1:30am & my brain is starting to fuzz up.

Just randomly buying a chuck that looks about right is not a good idea. Chances are it won't fit & you'll have wasted your money.