Harbor Freight Lathe Chuck

[Mike Willeson]

Does anybody have any experience with Harbor Freight chucks made by Central Machinery?

They list one with an MT-1 shank (which my old timer lathe has) for $29:
http://www.harborfreight.com/2-inch-mini-lathe-chuck-with-mt-1-shank-65132.html

I like a good deal as much as the next guy, but I also hate to buy junk....any experience with these?

[Gordon Seto]

This is not a chuck for wood turning. The 3 contact area are too small to hold the blank securely; the concentrated force would crush the wood. This kind of jaws can be a knuckle buster.
Look for a 4-jaw scroll chuck like this, which is much safer.
http://www.teknatool.com/products/Chuck_Accessories/Jaw_Sets/images/JS50N1.jpg
The jaws from a circle that would distribute the load more evenly. A 4-jaw chuck can also hold a square spindle.
You will be happier if you learn to use face plates, glue blocks without the chuck you are asking about.

[James Combs]

This is not a chuck for wood turning. The 3 contact area are too small to hold the blank securely; the concentrated force would crush the wood. This kind of jaws can be a knuckle buster.
Look for a 4-jaw scroll chuck like this, which is much safer.

The jaws from a circle that would distribute the load more evenly. A 4-jaw chuck can also hold a square spindle.
You will be happier if you learn to use face plates, glue blocks without the chuck you are asking about.


I agree with Gordon plus If you are looking for a woodworking chuck this one is way too small for most woodworking. You might be able to use it for turning pens and maybe small spindles but that would be about it. Get yourself a Nova or Barracuda 4 jaw.

[David Hostetler]

Forget about the HF chuck. But you don't have to mortgage the farm to get a decent chuck either. PSI, and Woodcraft both sell nice 4 jaw tommy bar chucks. Unless you have dainty hands, operating the tommy bars shouldn't be a problem...