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4 Jaw Chuck clean it or not?

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Nige18/07/2017 17:18:41
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370 forum posts
65 photos

The 4 Jaw chuck for the ML4 is looking a little sad, see photo below and I am wondering if it is worth stripping it down and giving it a good clean. If so are there any pitfalls?

face.jpeg

Removing the jaws will not be a problem but I am concernd about the results of removing those 4 big slot headed bolts which appear to go right through to the back, see below.

back.jpeg

Am I going to have concentricity problems if I take it completely apart or because it is an independent 4 jaw chuck mean it doesn't have concentricity problems? As always I am greatful for any advice.

Thor 🇳🇴18/07/2017 17:25:59
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1766 forum posts
46 photos

Hi Nige,

If it is an independent 4-jaw all you need to do is remove a jaw and clean with a brush or something similar. I apply a small amount of grease on moving parts when reassembling my chucks.

Those 4 big screws to me seems to hold the chuck and backplate together, or am I missing something?

Thor

Nige18/07/2017 17:35:37
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370 forum posts
65 photos

Ahh, light bulb moment, thanks Thor Yes of course those 4 screws hold the chuck onto that back plate!! Doh

SillyOldDuffer18/07/2017 17:48:14
10668 forum posts
2415 photos

Normally I'd say 'if it ain't bust don't fix it'. With chucks this is when they feel gritty or I suspect excessive run-out . Usually, as Thor says, you can do a reasonable cleaning job just by removing the jaws.

However, it's theraputic and educational to take stuff apart for a good clean and reassamby can be doubly educational. If I suspect that parts have to go back where they came from, I mark them with felt tip in various stripes and colours, separate the bits into trays, and maybe take notes &/or digital photos. Good idea to do this on a clean bench in case tiny screws, washers and springs fall out and you don't notice.

I've not taken your style of chuck apart but I guess it's the same as mine except the bolts go through the chuck into the baclplate, rather than the other way round. If so, undoing the screws should allow the body of the chuck to come away from the backplate, revealing the innards. Shouldn't be a problem unless something's stuck; basic 3 and 4-jaw chucks aren't complicated.

Dave

Ian P18/07/2017 20:27:48
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2747 forum posts
123 photos
Posted by Nige on 18/07/2017 17:18:41:

The 4 Jaw chuck for the ML4 is looking a little sad, see photo below and I am wondering if it is worth stripping it down and giving it a good clean. If so are there any pitfalls?

face.jpeg

Removing the jaws will not be a problem but I am concernd about the results of removing those 4 big slot headed bolts which appear to go right through to the back, see below.

back.jpeg

Am I going to have concentricity problems if I take it completely apart or because it is an independent 4 jaw chuck mean it doesn't have concentricity problems? As always I am greatful for any advice.

Nige

Intriguingly neither the scroll nor individual worms are visible in your photographs. My first impression is that this is an independent 4 jaw chuck (and you state that), but if it is independent I wonder why concentricity is even mentioned.

On closer examination I see that the jaws are reversible so it is an independent chuck (also the scroll if there was one, would struggle to rotate with those four bolts passing through it!).

In use, when you take out the jaws to reverse them you are in fact 'dismantling' it. Taking all four jaws at once allows you to give the worms a good clean and apply a little oil (stand to the side and run the chuck at a fair like to throw off the excess) enough will remain to lubricate the surfaces.

Regular cleaning and lubrication is a good thing although i can very clearly remember from my schooldays being told that bike chains should never be oiled, because it stretches them!

Ian P

SillyOldDuffer18/07/2017 20:48:35
10668 forum posts
2415 photos
Posted by Ian Phillips on 18/07/2017 20:27:48:
Posted by Nige on 18/07/2017 17:18:41:

...

Regular cleaning and lubrication is a good thing although i can very clearly remember from my schooldays being told that bike chains should never be oiled, because it stretches them!

Ian P

The pleasures of misleading the young: wonderful! I told my kids that Ice Cream Vans only play a jingle when they've sold out.

Dusty18/07/2017 20:50:08
498 forum posts
9 photos

Take it apart, you ain't going to do any damage. At the end of the day it is only two lumps of cast iron with four screws holding it together. Yo can give it a good clean and grease and also find out how it works. Give the screws a good dose of penetrating fluid and use an appropriate screwdriver, if the blade is too narrow you will bugger the screws. Go for it, its a learning process.

Nige18/07/2017 20:55:58
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370 forum posts
65 photos

Ian: Just to confirm that it is an independent 4 jaw chuck and the photo below shows one of the worm drives.and the presence of worm drives i guess precludes the necessity for a scroll drive.

side.jpeg

roy entwistle18/07/2017 21:17:16
1716 forum posts

You have no need to remove it from the back plate. Doing so will not show any innards of the chuck and there will be nothing to clean or lubricate

Roy ( If it's not broke, don't fix it )smiley

Nige18/07/2017 21:19:01
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370 forum posts
65 photos

Thanks Roy, I'll just remove the jaws and clean anything I can get at then

John Haine18/07/2017 21:20:08
5563 forum posts
322 photos

But it looks nicer if you clean it up....!

mgnbuk18/07/2017 21:28:19
1394 forum posts
103 photos

You have no need to remove it from the back plate. Doing so will not show any innards of the chuck and there will be nothing to clean or lubricate

By the look of it, you may need to remove the backplate to remove the jaw screw retainers ?

Can't see for certain from the photos, but many 4 jaw chucks have the jaw screws retained axially by a thrust "plug" that engages with a groove in the screw. These plugs are inserted from the rear of the chuck body & removal (to allow removal of the screws) will require the removal of the backplate.

But it's nothing to get worked up about - it was made as individual parts, should dismantle back to those same individual parts for cleaning up & then re-assemble again.

Nigel B

HughE18/07/2017 21:29:32
122 forum posts

Nige,

If you are taking it apart, make sure you mark it so the same holes are used. Centre punch the backplate and chuck body so they can be realigned.

Hugh

Nige18/07/2017 22:23:25
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370 forum posts
65 photos

Nigel B: Thanks, removing the jaws should show me if the jaw screws are retained as you describe, I'll find out tomorrow.

HughE: Thank you for the advice to mark it all up before removing stuff.

Maurice18/07/2017 23:14:29
469 forum posts
50 photos

I have a six inch four jaw, that, from new, felt a bit odd sometimes if the the jaws were moved far. Eventually I removed the back plate and then the countersunk plate covering the works. The stuff that came out, disguised as grease, was all gritty when rubbed between the fingers. Awful stuff! It was almost as if it had been sabotaged. All fine now with new grease. Take it apart; you don't know what you may find. It would be quite difficult to damage it in the process and you will know that its all clean.

I.M. OUTAHERE19/07/2017 02:28:21
1468 forum posts
3 photos

A good scrub and a bit of elbow grease with some scotchbrite will do wonders to it , while you have it apart give the front face a light stoning to make sure there are no high spots and the go around knocking off any sharp edges with a stone .

Ian.

Edited By XD 351 on 19/07/2017 02:28:49

Neil Lickfold19/07/2017 06:27:41
1025 forum posts
204 photos

Remove jaws, noting their position. Also remove scrolls and also noting their positions. Those are the only parts to dissemble. Clean all well and reassemble. You can't have chuck parts too clean. Clean especially if you have had material that leaves abrasive swarf behind. Like cast iron or high silicon aluminium alloys etc. It won't wear out because you cleaned it. Neil

Bazyle19/07/2017 08:54:36
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6956 forum posts
229 photos

The jaw adjuster screw are likely to be held by a slug that is a force fit from the rear. If this is the case, as opposed to a loose slug held by a screw do not attempt to remove them. With the jaws removed hold upside down over a dish of white spirit and brush with a toothbrush while rotating the screw. This will be enough to dislodge swarf.

Perko719/07/2017 11:27:26
452 forum posts
35 photos

A reversible 4-jaw like this is dead easy to clean, and the dismantling procedure is no different from reversing the jaws. If it's a quality chuck then all the jaws, and their slots, will be numbered so it's a simple matter of matching numbers when reassembling. Looking closely the photo i can easily see the numbers 2 and 3 stamped on the face of the chuck beside their respective slots, so the others will be easy to identify. When you take out the jaws just check that they have matching numbers (mine were stamped on one side). If not then the ubiquitous Sharpie pen will do the trick. The adjusting screws may not be numbered (mine weren't) so it would be best to tie them together with their respective jaws with a twist-tie until you are ready to clean them. Make sure they stay together when cleaned. I found that some of the adjusting screws were a better fit with one jaw than another. If they do get mixed up then a bit a trial and error will soon get you to the smoothest combinations.

Cheers.

Philip Rowe19/07/2017 12:09:28
248 forum posts
33 photos

I've been following this post with interest, as I have always lubricated my chucks with a smear of oil. Never considered grease as I have always thought it would attract small swarf particles and make cleaning an even greater requirement.

One thing I have thought about but never tried, is the use of a dry lubricant e.g. ptfe spray or similar but I don't have any experiences of using such products and there may well be a very good reason for not doing so. Has anyone here tried it or has any thoughts on the idea?

Phil

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