Before we go into detail, let’s answer the question, “what are morse tapers?” Morse tapers, also known as MTs, are tapered spindles that people use with drill presses and lathes. They allow a user to change tools quickly. If you do any projects with wood or metal, you likely need morse tapers. The size of the morse taper you use will depend on your lathe or drill press. Older machines typically use an MT1, while newer machines routinely use an MT2. If you're interested in learning more, this guide will explain the three most commonly used sizes of morse tapers.

The Different Morse Taper Sizes

These are the three main morse taper sizes you should know:

1. Morse Taper #1: While the exact measurements for every MT may differ slightly, the standard size of an MT1 is about three-quarters of an inch long and fits inside a 12 mm spindle.
2. Morse Taper #2: An MT2 will measure around half an inch and will fit inside an 18 mm spindle.
3. Morse Taper #3: While not as common as MT1 and MT2, there are still many drills and lathes that use an MT3. An MT3 measures around one inch long and fits inside a 24 mm spindle.

How To Know What Morse Taper Size You Need

These three sizes will generally be the most commonly used sizes of morse tapers. There are a couple of ways to figure out what morse taper size you need. If you already have morse tapers, take the tapered shank (the cone-shaped part) and measure it with a caliper at the broadest end. If you don't have an existing tapered shank, you can measure the opening of the hollow socket on either the head or tail of the lathe.

Morse Taper Adaptor Sleeves

Generally, lathes will use identical sizes at both ends. Sometimes there will be a difference in sizes on a lathe, such as a smaller taper in the tailstock ram and a larger one on the headstock spindle. When this occurs, you can use an adaptor sleeve that can connect differently sized shanks and sockets. For example, you might use an adaptor sleeve with an MT2 shank and an MT1 socket.

At DZ Sales, we've got you covered with different morse taper adaptor sleeves for sale. Although we operate out of Tennessee, we can ship across the US. If you have any questions when checking out our website, feel free to contact us.