Soft jaws are one of the simplest methods of customized workholding. These jaws aren’t usually customized, but rather, are designed with beveled edges or teeth that can bite into a part. Generally, soft jaws are made out of mild steel, but they can be cut out of even softer materials, like aluminum.
Soft jaws for the lathe chuck are very useful, particularly for holding circular objects that might be crushed by normal jaws. These consist of three fabricated clamps that fit onto the normal outside jaws of a three-jaw chuck. The hexagonal soft jaws are separate and are bolted onto the clamps.
The diameter of the lathe chuck is about 130 mm for 5 inches, 160 mm for 6 inches, 210 mm for 8 inches, 250 mm for 10 inches, and 300 mm for 12 inches.
Length C-1*Width C-2*Height C-3; Slot width C-4; Screw hole center distance C-7
5-inch specifications: length 54mm*width 25mm*height 30mm; slot width: 10mm; screw hole center distance: 14mm; tooth pitch: 1.5*60 degrees
6 inch specifications: length 73mm*width 31mm*height 36mm; slot width: 12mm; screw hole center distance: 20mm; tooth pitch: 1.5*60 degrees
8-inch specifications: length 95mm*width 35mm*height 37mm; slot width: 14mm; screw hole center distance: 25mm; tooth pitch: 1.5*60 degrees
10-inch specifications: length 110mm*width 40mm*height 42mm; slot width: 16mm; screw hole center distance: 30mm; tooth pitch: 1.5*60 degrees
12-inch specifications: length 130mm*width 50mm*height 50mm; slot width: 21mm or 18mm; screw hole center distance: 30mm; tooth pitch: 1.5*60 degrees
15-inch specifications: length 165mm*width 62mm*height 62mm; slot width: 22mm or 25.5mm; screw hole center distance: 43mm; tooth pitch: 1.5*60 degrees
5 inches: 0.7KG
6 inches: 1.5KG
8 inches: 2.4KG
10 inches: 3.7KG
12 inches: 6.3KG
15 inches: 7.5KG
5 inches high: 40; 50; 60; 70;
6 inches high: 50; 60; 70; 80; 90; 100;
8 inches high: 40; 50; 60; 70; 80; 100; 120; 150;
10 inches high: 60; 70; 80; 110; 120; 140; 150
12 inches (18 slots in solid) height: 60; 80; 90; 100; 150;
12 inches (21 hollow slots) height: 60; 80; 150;
Tip chamfer 90: standard 5 inches; 6 inches; 8 inches; 10 inches; 12 inches; 15 inches.
Tip chamfer 60: standard 5 inches; 6 inches; 8 inches; 10 inches; 12 inches; 15 inches
Soft jaws for the lathe chuck are very useful, particularly for holding circular objects that might be crushed by normal jaws. The jaws can be machined to grip the object around most of its circumference. Another use is to hold thin workpieces.
Holding the jaws in position whilst they are being machined.
The simplest method is to fit a round piece of material in the chuck. This is the “plug”. When the jaws are tightened up they will be pushing inwards on the plug. The plug is fitted right at the back of the jaws.
Soft jaws are a common solution for holding parts that would be difficult to fixture with standard, flat vise jaws during machining. Often milled out of aluminum or steel, soft jaws can also be 3D printed with the help of continuous fiber reinforcement.
What are soft jaws? Soft jaws are a common solution for holding parts that would be difficult to fixture with standard, flat vise jaws during machining. Often milled out of aluminum or steel, soft jaws can also be 3D printed with the help of continuous fiber reinforcement.
Soft jaws are one of the simplest methods of customized work holding. You create an inverted version of your part within the jaws of your vise and clamp things down. These jaws aren’t usually customized, but rather, are designed with beveled edges or teeth that can bite into a part.
In a drill or a mill, a chuck holds the rotating tool; in a lathe, it holds the rotating workpiece. Chucks commonly use jaws to hold the tool or workpiece. The jaws (sometimes called dogs) are typically arranged in a radially symmetrical pattern like the points of a star.
Also called: a three-jaw chuck. a device that holds a workpiece in a lathe or tool in a drill, having a number of adjustable jaws geared to move in unison to centralize the workpiece or tool.
Four-jaw independent chuck:
This four-jaw independent chuck has four jaws; each of which can be adjusted independently by a chance wrench. They are used to hold wound, square, hexagonal, and irregular-shaped workpieces. The jaws can be reversed to hold work by the inside diameter.
3-jaw chuck with an accuracy level of around 0.010 and the accuracy level of 4-jaw chuck is between 0 and 0.001. The three-jaw chuck has only one hole for the chuck wrench or key to tighten or release the gripping, but a four-jaw chuck has four holes for controlling each jaw, one at a time.
After machining a true surface, then soft jaws come into their own. They are capable of very true chucking with no indication required. You can’t move anything anyway, since they grip as well as they do. On a machined round, with as much surface area as is available, they grip well.