Where do you put your chuck key?

In similar vein...

someone on here suggested ages ago that one should have 2 small keys for the 4 jaw chuck to make setting up easier. Good Idea thought I, so today I made 2, and yes it really speeds up setting something true rather than using the proper key. Of course one uses the proper key for a final nip. Now all I have to do is find somewhere to keep them. I was going to use a couple of magnets, but I've made the keys out of SS bolts, so that didn't work too well. I'm not going to post a photo of my workshop, it's not in the pristine palace league of some on this thread

Edited By duncan webster on 08/05/2020 19:30:40

I saw a guy in YT using a cordless drill with, what I assume, was a suitably sized socket adapter. Very neat idea. Might make one up later. Meanwhile I have a couple of spare, oversized chuck keys I bought when I first got the lathe but never got around to setting up the grinder to 'adjust' them. I think I'll set them up as keys for the four jaw and shorten the tee bars.

Under the pile of swarf in the drip tray.

Seriously though I have improved a little, I do have clips for a dozen QC toolholders and a board for chuck keys, lathe dogs etc and a wall mounted stand for 2MT tooling all at the tailstock end of the Myford in easy reach of my right hand so not everything end up in the drip dray.

regards Martin

When not in use my lathe chuck keys hang up behind the lathe but mostly live on the top of the headstock when in use, QCTP key mostly on the topslide as shown here of the cross slide just infront. Toolholder on shelf behind lathe to the right so not reaching across moving parts. Keyless drill chicks solve that one.

Wherever I put it the gremlins move it, the small flat circular magnets seem to work for me with drill chuck keys but the lathe chuck key is always in the suds tray somewhere.

Mike

Just leave my shortened one in the chuck all the time, held in place with some duct tape so it doesn't fall out when the lathe's running.

No of course I don't. Two woodscrews into a piece of chipboard on the wall behind the lathe. Allen keys in a block of wood screwed to the chipboard. Two round-head screws carefully spaced allow QC toolholders to drop over them; a small chunk of wood stops them falling down.

Hmmm....

Tidy, clean workshops...!

Thought I would share this. Although woodworking and not metal,

retired legendary wood guru Frank Klausz shows his retirement shop.

It's the stuff of my dreams

Edited By Daniel on 09/05/2020 07:19:56

I keep chuck keys, spanners etc well away from any b****y magnets!

John

Circular magnet from a pre-loved floppy drive attached to the gear cover of my C3 mini-lathe,

You can see it at the left end of the lathe in this photo

.

* Danny M *

I have the same opinion as John MC, using magnets can magnetise tools, then swarf sticks to them.

I agree with John MC. Magnetism is an absolute curse.

As for chuck keys: When the chuck is not in use and off the lathe, it lives with the chuck. When the chuck is fitted to the lathe and not being used, on the shelf behind the lathe with the other lathe tools. When the lathe is in use, it is usually found, after a search, on the fitting bench four yards from the lathe (I am not sure how it gets there).

JA

I have a demagnetiser so anything that gets magnetised soon gets demagnetised. Magnetism is either your best friend or worst enemy, it all depends on the situation. A demagnetiser put you in charge.

Mike

Edited By Mike Poole on 09/05/2020 08:55:40

I have block of wood screwed under a shelf that is above and behind the tailstock.
This has drilled holes of the appropriate size to take the key handles.
This works well as long as i rember to put the key back!

My chuck keys live on top of the headstock, thankfully my current lathe has a chuck guard that prevents the lathe being started with the chuck key in situ, bad memories of the day in tech college, during the 60’s , when I started the lathe with the key in the chuck, do not wish to go there again.
Dave W

Interesting that it took Colchester until the 1960's to work out that a shelf on top othe headstock was a useful feature. The previous "round head" headstocks like my Chipmaster, are not conducive to storing the chuck key on top of the headstock.

I used to use a lovely long bed Harrison M300 at work and that had a rubber lined “tray” built into the headstock. There wasn’t much kept on it but nothing ever fell off.

Made this simple tray from a bit of MDF with drawer liner on the inside.

Use at the headstock end for changing chucks or at the tailstock end for keeping rules, mikes, spanners etc. Sometimes even keep the chuck keys there although they normally reside on the headstock tray.

John

Good practice is safe practice, if you always stop the lathe it's safe, I keep all of my tail stock tooling and head stock tooling on the wall behind the lathe, along with most of my QCTP holders.

To reinforce Nick’s comment - If you not about to actually make a cut on a lathe, or milling machine, or to check the running speed, that big red button should be pushed fully in.

Most work alone in their workshops - What is going to happen to you if something goes very, very wrong?

JA