Newbie choice between Talon & SuperNova2

[Jamie Straw]

I'm a new turner trying to decide on which chuck to get for my Jet 1236 lathe. My understanding of chucks is minimal at best. First set my eyes on the Talon chuck, because Oneway has a good reputation and there's a Hartville Tool deal that includes 4 Raffan DVDs (Total is $204). Now I see that Woodcraft has the Teknatool SuperNova2 on sale for $140. Some concern that their description states "SuperNova is designed for a wide range of wood lathes. (http://www.teknatool.com/products/Lathe_Accessories/adaptor_page.htm) However, it is most suitable for those lathes with a 16" diameter swing upwards." My lathe is smaller than that.


Any opinions on the relative quality and useability of these two chucks? Teknatool claims that the SuperNova2 has the most optional jaws and accessories. Important to note (maybe) is that I'm not turning large bowls or vases, but smaller items to start -- probably for many months, LOL.

Thanks in advance -- Sawmill Creek has been suggested as the place to go for advice.:cool:

[Cody Colston]

I've never used a SN2 but I have a Talon that I use on a JWL 1236 lathe. The Talon is a great chuck, very smooth to operate and the insert adapter can be changed out to fit different size spindles if you change lathes. You will want a 1" 8tpi adapter for the 1236.

[Dan Forman]

I have both, prefer the Talon. I like the serrated jaws without the dovetail. The SN has noticeable runout, while the Talon has none. I can't swear to it, but I think Hartville might have a discount for Sawmill Creek members, wouldn't hurt to ask.

Dan

[Alan Trout]

I have used All of the major chucks and they all work well. My personal chucks are Nova chucks, because I feel they are a very good value and all the jaws interchange across the entire Nova line of chucks. I own a G3 and a SN2. I have never had any runout issues, and I like dovetail jaws better as they re-chuck with much greater accuracy and if the tenon is sized and shaped correctly they do not crush fibers the same as a serrated jaw will. If I were going to buy a chuck for a mini lathe I would get the Nova G3 chuck because of the smaller size however I have seen many who use the SN2 on a mini lathe. If you do not mind tommy bars the Nova midi will be on sale at the end of this month at woodcraft for $79 with two sets of jaws. You can get the G3 from Woodworkers specialties on e-bay for $125 and that includes the insert and free shipping.

Again you won't really go wrong with any of the chucks from the major manufactures, they are all of good quality and are more than capable of servicing your needs.

Good Luck

Alan

[Jim Slovik]

I have a Supernova2 that I use on a Jet 1220. I love it. It's very smooth and has no runout. It will be on sale @ Woodcraft for $140 and if you get the flyer there will be a coupon for an additional $10 off attached to it.

[Rob Cunningham]

I just bought the Talon deal from Hartville Tool. It's my first chuck so I don't have anything thing compare it with. In my opinion, it's a very well made chuck. I put the adapter in, mounted on both lathes and it runs perfectly true. I've roughed out a few bowls and the chuck held the blank securely. I'm very happy with the Talon:)

[Cyril Griesbach]

I've used my Novas on most all lathes with swings from 10 to 24 inches.

[Keith Harrell]

I have two talons now. I used them on my shopsmith and then replaced the inserts to fit on my Nova DVR XP. They have 3 set of jaws and I have turned bowl, platters and HF.
My only suggestion would be to find one manufacture you like and stick with it so you don't have to buy more jaws as some are not interchangeable between brands.
Good luck

[Joe Adams]

I have the same lathe (Jet 1236) and really like my OneWay Talon chuck. To be honest, this was my second choice. I originally wanted a Vicmarc but ultimately decided against it because of the higher price and total absence of local availability.

The Talon is sized for up to a 12" lathe so it will handle anything within reason you want to turn with it. OneWay now offers dovetail jaws as an option if there are situations where you don't want to use their serrated jaws.

Nova manufactures at least some of their jaws in China to "their specs". I'm not sure about the chuck bodies themselves. They're kind of sneaky on the packaging - You have to open it and examine the item to determine country of origin. This whole thing was a total deal breaker for me.

[Jamie Straw]

If I were going to buy a chuck for a mini lathe I would get the Nova G3 chuck because of the smaller size however I have seen many who use the SN2 on a mini lathe. If you do not mind tommy bars the Nova midi will be on sale at the end of this month at woodcraft for $79 with two sets of jaws.

Alan

Thanks Alan. I can see a main decision is dovetail vs. serrated jaws. But first....... I've not thought of my lathe as a "midi", let alone "mini", since it's a fairly heavy floor model (see pic below), and the headstock can be swung out to turn bowls larger than the swing of the lathe. The advice on the Teknatool site seems based solely on the swing numbers -- e.g., they suggest the Nova Precision Midi Chuck for "up to 12" diameter swing." I assume because it "Minimises [sic] load on small spindles and bearings."

Do I really need to worry about that on a lathe such as the Jet 1236? (Note: the pristine environment of this photo is not my shop. ;) This was the ad picture from Craig's List)

http://home.mindspring.com/~jrae4/Forums/2007/JetLathe.jpg

[Jamie Straw]

I have a Supernova2 that I use on a Jet 1220. I love it. It's very smooth and has no runout. It will be on sale @ Woodcraft for $140 and if you get the flyer there will be a coupon for an additional $10 off attached to it.

Thanks, Jim, that's the flyer that gave me a head's up on the chuck. What kinds of items do you turn? Does it work well for the smaller stuff?

[Jamie Straw]

I have the same lathe (Jet 1236) and really like my OneWay Talon chuck.

OneWay now offers dovetail jaws as an option if there are situations where you don't want to use their serrated jaws.


Thanks, Joe, it's good to get feedback from someone with the same model lathe. I'll check out the dovetail jaws.

[Alan Trout]

I agree that while your lathe is not truly a mini or midi it has similar capabilities because the slow speed is relatively high for large bowls. My lathe which is a DVR has a 16" swing over the bed and 29" outboard I use my G3 all the time and have no problem with using it in the 14" bowl range. However right now the SN2 is a great deal. And the midi is also a great price if you are not going to be doing a bunch of big stuff.

Good luck

Alan

[Ron McKinley]

I have both and prefer the Talon. I use both on a DVR XP and a Jet Mini. Just bought another Talon from Hartville Tools and got the 4 DVDs. This makes my 3rd Talon..........Ron

[Brodie Brickey]

I have a Stronghold which is the next size up from the Talon and a Supernova. I'd recommend the Talon for a couple reasons:


Clock wise tightens, couter clock loosens. - I started with the Oneway, so I'm predisponsed, but its also second nature if you tightening down on a bowl you should turn the key clockwise.
Serrated jaws - hold better on wet wood. Your lathe will turn 12 inch blanks so you are pretty likely to turn larger bowls.
Talon Key - The talon key locks into the chuck and you can use it to back the chuck off the spindle. I tied this with the Nova and had problems, the fancy allen key pivots (SNova), which caused problems for me. May not be an issue for you.
I also like the insert better on the Talon. Both hold, but the Oneway friction fits into the chuck and then is secured with screws. SNova screws into the chuck and can back off if you go in reverse or try to back the chuck off the spindle using the body instead of the tiny insert nut.

Both company's stand behind their products, but Oneway is closer (Canada) vs. NZ.

There are more jaw options for the Nova and you may be able to find a kit that includes a bunch of them for a really nice price through a retailer.

[Jamie Straw]

Thanks to all who have provided such "experientially based" info and advice! I'm leaning toward sticking with the Talon, pick up the DVD's with it (I have Turning Wood and it's a great DVD!), and get other jaws when I need them.

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone, see you here later!

[Jamie Straw]

I have a Stronghold which is the next size up from the Talon and a Supernova.

Oops, one more question. I've posted at Fine Woodworking too, as that's my usual hangout (you guys are providing much more information :cool:) Anyway, does the following sentence apply to the Talon??

"The nova jaws take a straight tenon on the piece your trying to hold which is easier than a dovetail tenon that some jaws require."

Thanks!

[Jake Helmboldt]

Jamie, I have a Talon and like it, including the fact that production has not been moved to China (like Nova).

That said, I'll echo Alan T's comments regarding the jaws. The Oneway profiled jaws grip green wood well, but I think they are over-hyped. A traditional serrated jaw is better for re-chucking (more consistent) and leaves less marring which is a consideration if you intend to leave a foot on a bowl. I plan to buy some of the Oneway dovetailed jaws or maybe the tower jaws just to have the variety. So the Talon is a great choice, but just be aware of the jaw implications.

Oh, and the Talon is officially recommended for up to 16" so on your 1236 it should cover anything you turn.

[Ryan Baker]

Oops, one more question. I've posted at Fine Woodworking too, as that's my usual hangout (you guys are providing much more information :cool:) Anyway, does the following sentence apply to the Talon??

"The nova jaws take a straight tenon on the piece your trying to hold which is easier than a dovetail tenon that some jaws require."

Thanks!

That sentence is completely bogus. All of the Nova jaws (except the spigot jaws) use a dovetailed tenon/recess. The Oneway chucks (Stronghold and Talon) normally use the "profiled" jaws that work with a straight tenon or recess. Oneway does now offer dovetail jaws too. Dovetail jaws are better for some things, while profiled jaws are better at others. You will figure out over time which is better for you -- and will likely end up with both.

The bottom line is that you really can't go wrong with either of these chucks. I have SN2s and Strongholds.

The SN2 chucks are my workhorse chucks, and my preferred ones most of the time. They are a very good price/performance point. The SN2 will handle anything you will ever put on that lathe. It is not 'too large' for your lathe either. Never mind the wording on the Teknatool site -- I don't know why they say that, other than leaving marketing room for the G3. Nova has the bigger line of jaws, that all work across the chucks. Any runout problems are usually the result of a bad thread adapter. They are all made in China now, but I have three of them and don't have any quality problems with any of them. You may have a few rough edges with Nova jaws, which can be resolved in a few seconds with a file. Not a bad compromise for the price savings. The so-called 'backward' jaw closing is a non-issue, as you will adjust to it almost immediately. Now the Oneway is the one that seems backward to me. Trying to remove a Nova chuck with the allen key is just a bad habit resulting from Oneway refusing to put any flats or spanner holes on their inserts. It's not good on a Oneway either, and their manual says not to do it (not that you have much choice).

The Oneway is a nice chuck too. It has fewer jaw sets, but you don't really need as many jaws to cover the range with the profiled jaws. They are well made, and will last. They will also easily handle anything you will ever need to put on that lathe. The Talon is probably a little easier to start out with, since the shaping of the tenon/recess is easier and less size-important. Note that the profiled jaws will mark the wood, so you can't use them on a finished surface (same for dovetail jaws opened too far) -- not often an issue in the real world.

Most people will rank Oneway chucks above Nova, and Vicmarc over Oneway. All are good chucks (as are some others beyond the big three). Pick the one you like and can afford. You will be happy with either.

[Robert Ivy]

I just purchased the SuperNova 2 and and a set of spigot jaws for the chuck.
After cleaning the goop off of everything I tried installing the jaws and was surprised when it made a point of ensuring that the nos. on the jaws matched the chuck's nos., ie. 1 to 1, 2 to 2 ..... After installing I tried closing the jaws and it was not pretty. More reading and it said to tighten the jaws then back off a little bit then close the jaw and tighten. Tried that but one of the jaws refused to align. Messed with that a bit then noticed that it was made in PRC.
My thinking is that this stands for Peoples Republic of China but I could be wrong. Anyway, bottom line is that I packed the whole mess up and returned and bought the OneWay Talon.

Bob

[Keith Harrell]

Don't want to side track this tread but what set screw did you find to fit the Talon to allow reverse turning. I have not been able to get one to screw in easy and don't want the strip the tread if I'm wrong.

[Ryan Baker]

If you want to grab small items -- less than 1" diameter -- forget about the Nova. They don't have any jaws that function adequately in compression mode under an inch as far as I am concerned. The pin jaws (like many others on the market) are really only designed to work in expansion mode. The combination of a single screw (that lets them flex), and the lack of an interior dovetail (smooth inner jaws) make it impossible to get an adequate grip on small objects. I've heard a rumor that a new jaw is coming, but it's not here yet. So if you turn a lot of small stuff, the Nova would not be a good choice.

[Kyle Iwamoto]

Have you gotten your chuck yet?
Woodcraft on line has the Supernova on sale for 140, 23 bucks for the insert and a 10 buck coupon. Makes it 153 bucks, and they have free shipping right now.

[Jamie Straw]

Have you gotten your chuck yet?
Woodcraft on line has the Supernova on sale for 140, 23 bucks for the insert and a 10 buck coupon. Makes it 153 bucks, and they have free shipping right now.

Thanks, Kyle. That's the special that made me consider the Supernova2 -- got the flyer in the mail last week. I think I'll stick with the Talon, though, I really like Raffan's videos (4 included with the Talon from Hartville Tool) and as a complete novice, I need all the visual demonstration I can get!

[Dave Rudy]

Thanks, Kyle. That's the special that made me consider the Supernova2 -- got the flyer in the mail last week. I think I'll stick with the Talon, though, I really like Raffan's videos (4 included with the Talon from Hartville Tool) and as a complete novice, I need all the visual demonstration I can get!

Ironically, Raffan only uses Vicmarc (dovetailed jaws) chucks.

:)

[Jamie Straw]

Ironically, Raffan only uses Vicmarc (dovetailed jaws) chucks.

:)

Ooops, hope Vicmarc doesn't jerk his chain too hard!:eek:

[Kyle Iwamoto]

You're welcome. I just ordered it, mainly because I have the G3 and Midi. Interchanging jaws is nice. I'm sure the Talon is a better chuck, I turned on one and was very impressed. Out of my budget though. Now I gotta sell my guitar amp to pay for the new Nova.:(