Self-ejecting chuck keys Y/N

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ctwo
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Re: Self-ejecting chuck keys Y/N

Post by ctwo »

I wouldn't even want a safe-place lockout. Sometimes I'm still holding the key as I'm setting things up and sometimes I use it as a taping tool. Of course, forcing me to put it away would probable save me hours of looking around for the bloody key!
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SteveM
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Re: Self-ejecting chuck keys Y/N

Post by SteveM »

ctwo wrote: Mon Jun 11, 2018 2:22 pmOf course, forcing me to put it away would probable save me hours of looking around for the bloody key!
That's as good a reason as any!

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Harold_V
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Re: Self-ejecting chuck keys Y/N

Post by Harold_V »

ctwo wrote: Mon Jun 11, 2018 2:22 pm I wouldn't even want a safe-place lockout. Sometimes I'm still holding the key as I'm setting things up and sometimes I use it as a taping tool. Of course, forcing me to put it away would probable save me hours of looking around for the bloody key!
To address that problem, I mounted a small piece of aluminum angle on the headstock banjo cover of my Graziano. It covers the entire outside of the headstock, top to bottom. I made the hole large enough to accommodate either of the two chuck keys I have (one for the three jaw, one for the four jaw). It was easy to do on my Graziano, but smaller lathes may not offer such a mounting point. In that case, you may have to turn to the bench on which the lathe is mounted. Adjacent to the chuck key is another piece of angle which accommodates the square drive wrench for my tool post (it's an O.K. Rubber Welders square block. Perfect for production runs with small work. I specialized in small when I ran my business those many years ago).

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John Hasler
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Re: Self-ejecting chuck keys Y/N

Post by John Hasler »

I've got nine or ten items that ought to be in a rack on or near the lathe instead of in a drawer where I have to scrabble for them among twenty other things. Another project.
jcfx
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Re: Self-ejecting chuck keys Y/N

Post by jcfx »

I agree with Magicniner, they're there to limit their liability.
None of my chuck keys have springs or I've removed them.
After after having them thrown at me in my early days of self learning to use a lathe
I started to spin the chuck manually before turning on the power, pretty quick to know
if you've left the key in the chuck.
I say no to the sprung chuck keys.
Rwilliams
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Re: Self-ejecting chuck keys Y/N

Post by Rwilliams »

I had a chuck in a school setting that came equipped without a spring on the chuck key. Was only a day or two before it was left in the chuck and the green button pushed. Next thing was an airborne chuck wench and a well educated student. Same thing happened the next day in a different class. This time I modified the chuck key and added a spring. Suddenly all the students hated the chuck wrench. Problem solved by removing the lathe to the back room before someone got hurt. Kids often think that they are above the safety rules rapidly becoming a danger to themselves and the students around them.

My biggest issue is the spring when trying to deal with fine adjustments of a 4 jaw chuck watching a dial indicator. Removed the spring and never looked back.
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NP317
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Re: Self-ejecting chuck keys Y/N

Post by NP317 »

When I managed the Univ. of Washington Seattle ME student Shop, I set up a row of 6 new Clausing-Metosa 14-40 lathes. Nice machines.
And they ALL had chuck keys with ejection springs attached.
My student learned to use them and most did not know they could be different.
No thrown chuck keys.
~RN
pete
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Re: Self-ejecting chuck keys Y/N

Post by pete »

Yep, if you didn't retrain yourself after the first or at the very most second time forgetting the key then anything mechanical might not be in your best interests. I'm all for making things safe as anyone should be, but it's common sense that it's impossible to totaly idiot proof anything. Drill and lathe chuck safety springs are insulting to those that already know not to leave them in the chuck. Mother Nature is cruel but efficient, interfering with the natural selection process isn't healthy for any species and that could be why we keep building more and better fools that can defeat any safety device. :-)
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liveaboard
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Re: Self-ejecting chuck keys Y/N

Post by liveaboard »

The microswitch safety cutout chuck mount rack is a cool idea, but like so many others, (I think) the time it would take to make and install it would be just more than its value.

There are many habits we need to adhere to to keep safe around the lathe; remembering to remove the chuck key is one of them.

I have a magnetic tool holding strip lying around, and I think I just found out what its function is going to be.
John Hasler
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Re: Self-ejecting chuck keys Y/N

Post by John Hasler »

liveaboard wrote: Wed Jun 20, 2018 4:24 am The microswitch safety cutout chuck mount rack is a cool idea, but like so many others, (I think) the time it would take to make and install it would be just more than its value.

There are many habits we need to adhere to to keep safe around the lathe; remembering to remove the chuck key is one of them.

I have a magnetic tool holding strip lying around, and I think I just found out what its function is going to be.
Surely you know what is going to happen to a magnetic strip near a lathe.
earlgo
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Re: Self-ejecting chuck keys Y/N

Post by earlgo »

John Hasler wrote: Wed Jun 20, 2018 8:22 am Surely you know what is going to happen to a magnetic strip near a lathe.
Ha! This reminds me of long ago when I found one of the big horseshoe type magnets at a Surplus store. It was from an army communications phone, the type you see users cranking to ring another station. Anyway we didn't have a keeper for it so my dad stuck it to the post of his snagging wheel. When someone finally noticed, it looked like a woodchuck was trying to climb the post. I haven't thought about this in years. Thanks.
--earlgo
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liveaboard
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Re: Self-ejecting chuck keys Y/N

Post by liveaboard »

John Hasler wrote: Wed Jun 20, 2018 8:22 am
Surely you know what is going to happen to a magnetic strip near a lathe.
Good point; I was thinking to just mount it above somewhere, but it might still turn into a chip animal after a while.
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