"live" drill chuck for tail stock for a mini mill?

[BigSki]

I know that I've seen them somewhere but I'll be darned if I can find them now. Are they shop made or something that exists, ready to me purchased? It would be useful to me to be able to chuck the end of a piece of stock so that it could turn w/ the chuck and also use the steady rest at the same time.

[KMS]

o you mean one of these ,,,,,,,,, Sensitive Drill Feed and 1/8" (3 mm) Keyless Drill Chuck - LittleMachineShop.com,,,,,,KMS,,,,,

[SMR 510RR]

Yea they make them, should be able to find one at any tooling supply place just tell them what size and what taper you need for the tailstock. Be prepared to spend some money though, I dont think they are cheap.

[C*H*U*D]

What size taper?

[JeepinDoug]

The one in the link is a milking chuck, named for the type of action.
It is held in a collet. The operator milks the chuck down like a cow udder.
It's a nice tool for small drilling because you get a good feel for resistance.
Just don't over tighten the collet or else it'll crush the slip joint.

The original post has me baffled.
I know it's just a terminology barrier.
Typically......tailstocks are for lathes but this mini mill must be a mill/lathe combo. In this case I don't know what you need.

[C*H*U*D]

Originally Posted by JeepinDoug

Typically......tailstocks are for lathes but this mini mill must be a mill/lathe combo. In this case I don't know what you need.

I think post #2 has you confused. I believe he is looking for a live tail stock for a lathe.

I've seen them, but for smaller tapers...MT1-MT2. They are used for woodworking but could be used for metal lathes as well.

[SMR 510RR]

Yea live tail stock with a chuck on it is what I was thinking he was looking for.

[ekd]

Originally Posted by C*H*U*D

I think post #2 has you confused. I believe he is looking for a live tail stock for a lathe.

I've seen them, but for smaller tapers...MT1-MT2. They are used for woodworking but could be used for metal lathes as well.

I got a decently made one on ebay, for my metal lathe (Grizzly). Just make sure (if this is for a mini) that you get the short version. The standard length will cost you possibly precious bed length, the shorts are made just for us mini guys.

[C*H*U*D]

After reading the title of this thread again, I notice it does say mini-mill.

[BigSki]

Originally Posted by SMR 510RR

Yea live tail stock with a chuck on it is what I was thinking he was looking for.

That's it, I was having a brain fade moment when I typed the tread. I have a Micro Mark 7 x 14 it uses a MT-2 tail stock.

I use the lathe to hold axle shafts for alignment when I braze them together, it would be nice to be able to tighten a chuck on the tail stock end to hold the shaft and have it rotate w/ the chuck.

A bit more searching on Micro Marks site shows what I need-


Thanks for all of the replies, it's always appreciated!

[JohnRobHolmes]

If you are willing to spend a few hundred bucks at minimum, a Bull Nose live center should do what you need if you have a steady rest on the part. Otherwise you can bore a bearing pocket (or machine an adapter with the pocket on the back) into a regular drill chuck and make your own dead center to fit into the chuck bearings. That would be the cheapest way by far if you don't care about the time. Even at $60 an hour you could come out ahead making it yourself.

[C*H*U*D]

Originally Posted by BigSki

...I have a Micro Mark 7 x 14 it uses a MT-2 tail stock.

Not trying to get off topic, but how do you like that lathe? I've had my eye on it for awhile.

[BigSki]

Originally Posted by C*H*U*D

Not trying to get off topic, but how do you like that lathe? I've had my eye on it for awhile.

It's a decent little lathe. It will turn steel stock fairly well, I just have to adjust the feed and speed accordingly. I use modified tool holders made for 3/8" square tools, they are much more stable than the 1/4" tool holders. Mylittlemachineshop.com has a very nice quick change tool holder that uses the larger sized tools as well, I was just too broke/cheap to buy it but it's definitely something that I want to upgrade to.

The feed screws are .050 per revolution so it makes it easy to do quick math on your head instead of the metric threads that all of the other mini lathes use. If you can score a well cared for, used unit I'd jump on it in a second, but if you have to buy a brand new one I'd say that it's still money well spent.