Shark Jaws

[Burt Alcantara]

I must say that I'm getting very attached to my Vicmarc 120, so much so that I'm going to buy another, hopefully, without jaws and with an insert, for less then the price of a full chuck with jaws.

I have the #2 and #4 jaws. The other sizes are available only in Shark configuration. Do these function the same as dovetails? I have a Stronghold so having a Vic with profiled jaws does not make sense, or cents.

I wish jawless Vics were available with inserts at a decent price. Actually, the price with the #2 jaws is not bad but what to do with a drawer full of #2 jaws. I can buy a Stronghold with any jaw set that I wish thru Oneway. I just like the keying and the mass of the Vic better then the Oneway chucks.

The vendors I've found so far are:
KMS, Woodworkers Emporium, Jacques Coulumbe and One Good Turn. If there are others, please let me know.

Thanks,
Burt

[Philip Morris]

Burt,
Craft Supplies USA sells Vicmarc.

[Dan Forman]

I think either Craft Supplies or Packard Woodworks used to have an option for the chuck body only, but I don't see it listed now for either place. May not hurt though to give them a call and see though.

Dan

[Glenn Roberts]

Burt, I know its not answering your question directly but have you considered the Vermec companion chuck http://www.vermec.com/id1.html
It is slightly smaller in dia than the 120/140.

Enzo from Vermec is the brother of Victor (Vicmarc) and makes speciality tools that have to be seen to be appreciated.

Well worth a look.
I hope this helps.

[Burt Alcantara]

Glenn,
I just sent Vermec an email about their Companion Chuck. The price in USD is $208. Don't know if that includes an insert or not. Don't know if my bank will ding me with a Foreign Service Fee, and what the shipping will be.

[Glenn Roberts]

Burt, you might want to check if Enzo is seeling them in USA. Something tells me he was ??? His tools are beautifully made. I own the version that accepts the Nova/Bonham small Vicmarc jaws, etc etc, And it is a nice size. With our dollar being so low recently, it would make his chucks well worth considering.
Glenn

[Burt Alcantara]

My original question was do the shark jaws function the same as the dovetails? Most of the literature I've seen suggest they are tenon grabbers like the Oneway profile jaws. On inspection, it appears that the shark jaws have dovetails.

I'd be curious about user experience in this case.


Thanks,
Bur

[Eugene Wigley]

Burt, I have that chuck and the large shark jaws. There is a dovetail on the outside of the jaws. The only thing I have used the large shark jaws for is end grain work. I turn a 6" X 2-1/8" tennon on the end of a 14" piece of wood. They support the work well enough that I can rough turn a 8" to 11-1/2" deep vase using the above setup. I have never used the dovetail.

[Burt Alcantara]

My Stronghold has serrated jaws. No UFOs or bump outs. I just like the Vics better.