Yes, a 3-jaw chuck will be just fine. It's what most pipe makers use, it's just that collets are totally awesome. You can get a 5C collet chuck (I posted a link) if you have the coin, but collets aren't necessary unless you get used to them. : )5277a124 wrote:So, I should look for a spindle taper that is MT5? After talking to PM about their 10x30, I believe the taper is MT3. Here's a couple more novice questions.
1) Will the three jaw chuck work for holding vulcanite rod stock? Or, is a collet required?
2) PM said the machine I'm looking at doesn't have a large enough spindle size to take the 5C collets, but he said I can add an adapter to the lathe that will accept 5C collets. Is this an acceptable workaround for stem-making?
3) J Howell, when you spoke of he 2 1/4" minimum spindle, 8 tpi screw mount and D1-4 camlock, are those specifications that I need my lathe to have for these purposes?
Thanks again,
Jeff
I don't think the spindle mount is an issue for you, you're more limited by the size of your shop. Or maybe not. Just because the picture in the catalog shows a cabinet doesn't always mean you have to put it on one. For most of the belt drive lathes, the motor hangs off the back and the cabinet is often an option that costs extra. You can bench mount a 12X36, it just takes up more room and requires a little lower bench. The 13 inch Jet I'm working on now is on a bench. The two spindle mounts I mentioned are the minimum for a MT5 spindle internal taper, so if you get the smallest machine that will take a 5C collet it will probably have one of those.
But don't mind me rattling on about collets, again, I reckon the vast majority of pipe makers use a chuck. If you don't get started with collets you'll never miss them. : ) You should probably just spend some time with your machinist friend, he can probably show you way more in 15 minutes than we can tell you in pages and pages.
