Lathe Chuck Scroll Cleaning

Hi

Was reading an article in the latest MEW and a topic came up that has bugged me for years that I have never quite been able to gain a satisfactory solution for, that being what is the best way to keep clean or clean swarf out of the scroll in your lathe chuck. I'm sue I'm not the only one that's had issues with jaws getting sticky due to that small bit of aluminium or steel stuck between the jaw and the scroll. I'm normally pretty festidious with this kit but occassionally I still get caught out, especially after doing a bit of through boring.

Any tips greatly appreciated.

Cheers

Michael

Michael The only proper way is to dismantle the chuck Mark all mating parts so that reassembly is correct and I would not grease the scroll

Roy

Hi Zigfire

If your chuck is in good condition the scroll will be a very close fit in the body, There is little room for chips to get behind it via the gap around the edge. In fact when disassembling the chuck it is not an easy job to get it out, if it is angled slightly it will stick, requiring gentle taps with a brass drift through the jaw slots to straighten it and enable it to be eased out.

I use compressed air to keep the area between the scroll and the jaw threads clean.

After removing the jaws and using a compressed air nozzle held against the square groves in the scroll and against the corner of the body (At the back of the Jaw slot) and at the same time slowly rotating the scroll with the key you can clean out the grooves. the muck will be blown out the opposite hole.

The scroll will guide your nozzle along cleaning the entire spiral as it turns if the nozzle has an edge that will engage the groove.

If you do this in both directions the chuck will be clean. The jaws themselves can be cleaned in a little spirit.

There is no risk of blowing swarf deeper into the chuck due to the large jaw openings. pressure is not built up.

I only ever lightly oil the scroll so it does not attract dirt.

I had to do a lot of boring recently... a process always inclined to fill the chuck with swarf particularly on larger diameters where the scroll is exposed, and the boring bar passes the inside end of the work. I had to do this cleaning process a couple of times.

Any time when adjusting the chuck and I feel the key resistance increase as the scroll hits an obstacle (swarf) I use this method to clear it. It works

I now only dismantle the chuck very occasionally.

Regards
John

One other way to clean the scroll, without dismantling the chuck, is to remove the jaws, and use an old, clean, toothbrush. Wash it thoroughly to clean it and allow to dry. (Useful for cleaning Taps and Dies after use; also)

It may need narrowing to fit into the jaw slots.

Then, hold in contact with the scroll, and using the chuck key, rotate the scroll, so that any swarf is gradually moved towards the centre of the chuck.

It goes without saying that every time that the jaws are removed, (To change Interior to Exterior, or vice versa) the back of the jaws and the jaw slots should be cleaned of any swarf.

If the brush gets dirty with swarf or grease, throw it away and get another clean one, or wash it in a solvent such as white spirit, turpentine, or paraffin, (kerosene). If you use petrol (gasolene) to clean the brush, or any other item, do it out of doors and away from possible source of ignition, and dry before use.

Howard

This video shows the dismantling and cleaning of a three-jaw scroll chuck, posted a few weeks ago by Lyle Peterson (aka Tubal Cain aka mrpete222)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CP6tW2ge2xs

Steve

Mine gets cleaned about twice a day.

Not to sound bragging but I don't go a day whereby i don't have to swap the jaws over from internal / external/ umpteen types of soft jaws [ delete as necessary ]

Often wish it wasn't as often.

Cotton buds slightly squashed with flat pliars and pressed into the outer end of the scroll, then use the chuck key to wind the cotton bud to the centre of the scroll. Repeat a couple of times and the chuck is clean. Toothbrush for the individual jaws, a dab of slideway oil on each jaw before replacing and the job is done.

Doug

Thanks for all the great tips guys, really appreciated, I'll give them all a go. Sounds like the best advice is to be a bit more regular in my chuck cleaning routine.

Cheers

Michael

Incidentally I was always told to store chucks including drill chucks with the jaws down to prevent ingress foreign matter

Roy

I use old toothbrush as mentioned above. Get the cheap solid plastic sort and if required saw a bit of to make head narrower, just two rows of bristle. Handle end can be shaped to a narrow chisel point for scraping the harder stuff out. Sometimes need a metal point to pick out some harder stuff stuck in grooves. I lube with thin (hydraulic ) oil. Old toothbrushes are very useful for all sorts of cleaning jobs.