Hurricane HTC Chuck review

[Mike Cruz]

Months ago, I decided I was going to get one of these chucks. I got it on EBay. The guy that sells them has them made for him (in China). But he isn't a middle man. He has them made FOR his company. Go to EBAY and search Hurricane HTC 125 and you'll find the chuck. You can search his "store" to see the other stuff he has for sale, too.

Anyway, he sells the 125 (a 5" chuck) and the 100 (a 4" chuck). I opted for the 5" chuck because I already have 4 Strongholds (#1 spigot, #2, #3, and #4 jaws), and wanted something really hefty for the big blanks I'll be turning. At the time, the largest jaws offered were the Large Dovetail jaws. Now he has Large Serrated jaws as well. They are just about the exact same size at the #4 Stronghold jaws, except that the jaws are slightly thicker so while the inside (compressing) dimensions of the large 125 jaws and the #4 Stronghold jaws are the same, the large 125 jaws can go slightly bigger on the outside (expansion). So, the two combinations are redundant. I believe there are plans for more (bigger) jaws to be coming out in the future. Like Oneway chucks, these chucks take insert adapters, so you just order the one you need for your lathe.

When I first got the chuck, I have to say, I was impressed. It is markedly larger than the Stronghold. It is NOT open in the back like the stronghold, and it weighs a ton. VERY sturdy feeling chuck.

Today, I finally got a chance to try the chuck out. WARNING: Before you actually use the chuck, mount it up, put paper towels up, and turn your lathe on... It is almost as if this thing was soaked in oil or something, because it spun like freshly cut green wood! I got a facemask full. :o Once I trued up the tenon of this 17" x 4.5" ambrosia maple bowl, I mounted the chuck up on it. I spun it around and mounted it to the lathe. Turned the lathe on, and BINGO, it ran perfectly true. The chuck held the blank perfectly throughout the turning. It never need retightening (though I checked a couple of times).

All in all, I was very pleased with the chuck. The number of jaws that are available is growing. And for about $150 (including the insert, standard jaws, and shipping), I think it is seriously worth it!

BTW...NO, I am not getting any kickbacks from the seller. No, I'm not in any way affiliated with him. No, I don't stand to gain anything from this review. I simply told him that if I got this chuck, I'd be happy to review it for him on some online sites after I tested it...if he wanted me to. He seemed quite willing to have me do it. I told him that the review would be an honest one...good or bad. He was confident I'd like it...he was right. :D

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[Richard Madden]

Thanks for the review, Mike. I'll keep this one in mind.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Thanks for the review. I had looked at those a couple of times.

[Eric Gourieux]

Thanks for taking the time to share your experience.

You have some nice ambrosia, there!

[Mike Cruz]

You guys are certainly welcome. Eric, from your avatar, I can only guess that you've got some in there, too somewhere!

[David C. Roseman]

Good review! Thanks, Mike. This looks like a nice product. I see that a couple of videos on it were uploaded to youtube a few weeks ago. One shows all nine of the jaws sets currently available.

David

[Roger Chandler]

Thanks for the review on this Mike......I too was interested in this ...........it looks like a good setup and I think I will check out the youtube videos mentioned by David. I was glad the owner cleared up the issue about what one poster mentioned a while back.....the jaws are steel and not aluminum, which would have made no sense to me, but you hear all kinds of inaccurate info online sometimes!

That copper monster is a sweet looking machine!

[Montgomery Scott]

Looks like a copy of the Vicmarc.

[Mike Cruz]

Again, you guys are welcome! Glad to pass on my experience with it.

David and Roger, he not only has the video of the chuck up on YouTube, but he has a video of his CPM-10V 5/8" bowl gouge that is made in the USA, too. His list price is $79.99 on EBay, but he has "make an offer" on it, so, you might be able to save a couple of bucks...

Roger, thanks. I have to admit, it isn't the quietest lathe around, but it is serving me well.

[Mike Cruz]

I have the Grizzly Vicmarc knockoff, Montgomery, which is the knockoff of the Vicmarc 100, I believe. Yes, they do look similar. Not sure what the actual dimensions are of the Vicmarc 120. At 1/2 the price, I can say it is worth it! Yes it is indexed on the back, like the Vicmarc. However, instead of a plastic handled hex key, it has an all metal square drive key.

[Roger Chandler]

Mike.......what are the largest and smallest diameters for the jaws......closed and opened maximum?

Edit: after I posted this question, I took a minute to click on the youtube video.........he explains all the dimensions of all the jaw sets..........good information.......no need to respond, Mike!

[Kim Gibbens]

I've been watching these as well, I am new to turning and was looking for a chuck. The price is nice, but there is no stated warranty, there is no proven record and who do we get service from in a few years down the road if needed and he isn't selling these anymore? He stated in the previous thread that he was wanting to supply turners with a good quality tool at much cheaper prices, but I don't think a penny savings for his CPM-10V 5/8" over a Thompsons Tool of the same quality is any kind of savings.

I was all set to order the chuck and some jaws and the 5/8" bowl gouge, but decided after a lot of reading here I that I would probably be better served with sticking to a proven performer with many years of experience and many happy owners ( Vicmarc or Oneway - not purchased yet). When I first started looking a few weeks ago he was selling that bowl gouge for 59.99 BIN. His BIN prices have gone up incrementally over the past few months.
Maybe my thinking is off base, I don't know, but I just wonder if the savings are worth the trade off in peace of mind.

Thanks for the review, I appreciate the time and effort for doing this. If I was an experienced turner with a good solid chuck and jaws and was looking to supplement my collection, this would be very attractive to me. But I don't have a chuck and jaws and would hate to invest in this and then they go out of business. Then I would have to invest in another different company and not be able to use the jaws on a different chuck. Am I making any sense? I would really like the savings, just wish I didn't have these reservations.

Thanks again for the review.

[Mike Cruz]

Ken, you make some good points! Part of what you are paying for when you pay $285 for a Oneway Stronghold is the name and the company behind them. Does that make the product necessarily any better? No. However, the Stronghold, for example, IS a proven chuck with a good track record. That said, I got one directly from Oneway, and it needed to be taken apart, cleaned, lubed, and put back together... The thing is, if you can afford Strongholds, then have at it. Heck, I've gotten all of mine used (except the one straight from Oneway, but that was a mix up...I ordered an adapter and got a chuck! They gave me a discount on it, rather than send it back on their dime...). Anyway, you can pretty much buy two of these for each Vicmarc 120 or Stronghold. I, for one, hate changing jaws. That is why I have so many chucks. One advantage to having all the same chucks is that you have only one key! I have Supernove, Stronghold, Grizzly (Vicmarc knockoff), and the Hurricane. I have 4 different keys to play with. And on another note, of the 4 Strongholds I have, one of them needs a specific key. Don't ask me why. Maybe older than the others, I don't know. But the key that operates all my other Strongholds is very "grindy" in that one Stronghold. So, I actually have 5 keys. I had NO plans to have this many chucks...I've just accumulated them. And you are correct. The jaws on the Hurricane 125 will not fit Strongholds. Whether or not they'll fit Vicmarcs is another story. I don't know.

Kim, I'm not sure what size lathe you have. But if it is 16" or less in swing, you'd probably be fine with the Hurricane HTC 100. It is about $120, I think. The HTC 125 is for very large blanks.

As for why the bowl gouge used to be $59.99 BIN, and is now $79.99, I don't know. Are you sure it is the same gouge? Either way, I've spoken with the seller. He is a turner (a member here as well). He understands what good quality tools are. His goal is to get as much of his product in the market as possible so that people will see the quality of his product. THAT means selling low sometimes.

And I don't want to sound like I am advocating his tools as the best on the market, or that everyone should run out and buy his stuff. I'm simply giving a review, and saying what I know/have heard about the seller and his company. As of yet, I haven't had any issues. You DO have a point about longevity and warranty. It was a concern I had as well. And I completely understand your reservations. You have to do what is right for you.

[Kim Gibbens]

Mike
Thanks for the reply. I have a Powermatic 3520B, so that is why I was looking at the HTC 125 vs the HTC 100. And yes I am sure it is the same one, had it in my watch list for a couple of weeks and was shocked when it went up $20 for the BIN. I've watched all of Steves' videos a few times each and checked out the qualifications he gives out and he is who he says and seem very knowledgeable .
One question, doe the HTC have a set screw on the insert to secure it for reverse mode? I think the Oneway has this, don't know if the Vicmarc has it either.

Thanks

[Mike Cruz]

No, Kim, it does not. That could be a deciding factor for you, if you turn in reverse. I don't, so it doesn't matter to me. And if you have a PM3520B, then I can see that spending the extra on a Stronghold for piece of mind isn't out of the question. Again, I'm not saying that the HTC 125 is better than the Stronghold. From my experience the other day, it was certain "as good". And for 1/2 the price, I think worth it. Having 4 Strongholds, if they were bought new, I would have saved about $600 getting HTC 125s rather than getting new Strongholds. I suppose that is my point, too. But there is a good reason that there are so many manufacturers of chucks...each one appeals to different people for different reasons.

[David C. Roseman]

Mike Cruz wrote:

And on another note, of the 4 Strongholds I have, one of them needs a specific key. Don't ask me why. Maybe older than the others, I don't know. But the key that operates all my other Strongholds is very "grindy" in that one Stronghold

I've noticed this also. I have two each of the Oneway Stronghold and Talon. Great chucks, but one of the Strongholds is about 12 yrs old, and it's key is "grindy" if I use it in the newest (one year old), and the same is true using the new key in the old chuck. No big deal, they both work. But the 12 yr old Stronghold is noticeably smoother in adjustment than the newer one, and smoother than our 1 yr. old Talons, as well. It may be a gear lash issue. Again, not a big deal, I'd still buy the Oneways, but at those price points it's a bit surprising.

Hmm, lack of set screws on the Hurricane HTC 125 for turning/sanding in reverse is disappointing. Kim, great point, and Mike, thanks for being there to alert us to it! It's unfortunately a deal breaker for me on a chuck that I was seriously thinking of ordering. Would be so easy for the factory to add that feature. Does the Vicmarc, and the Grizzly clone, have that, I wonder?

Apart from that, the absence of a track record for the chuck and the vendor doesn't particularly worry me.

David

[Roger Chandler]

if you are concerned about a grub screw to make reverse turning possible, then one could just drill a hole and tap it and put their own grub screw in. If you have a drill press and a tap & die set, then you could be off to the races for about 50 cents.

Just an idea and it might be well worth the small effort for the savings you would realize.

[Olaf Vogel]

I've been watching these as well, I am new to turning and was looking for a chuck. The price is nice, but there is no stated warranty, there is no proven record and who do we get service from in a few years down the road if needed and he isn't selling these anymore?


Well in this case, you can almost get 2 chucks for the price of one Stronghold. And have different jaws set up, so there's a convenience advantage.
OK - i'm overstating the case. I've got 2 Strongholds and am very happy with them. Oneway has done a great job on most of their products.

But they are expensive. And I have two because I don't like changing the jaws. Its also nice to leave the chuck attached between sessions, while you work on another piece.
If these had been available a few years ago, I just might have bought 4 (well 3)...

I like the fact that someone is creating extra competition and providing an alternative product. The fact that its made in China is not a factor for me (even though Oneway is in my backyard), but the product had to prove itself. And there are likely many people who don't want to (or can't justify) the cost of a top end chuck.

So thanks for the review.
Olaf

[Dennis Nagle]

While, you convinced me.....I just ordered one along with the big jaws.

[Jeff Nicol]

Mike, Thanks for the report and since we know you have experience with a number of different brands of chucks your report is undoubtedly unbiased and complete. That being said in this day and with the economy in turmoil, money is an issue for plenty of folks, either new or seasoned turners so anytime a piece of equipement can be bought at a fair price for a quality product should be given a fair shake. I too have a plethora of chucks with 2 strongholds, an old Tommy jaw nova chuck and 2 Barracuda II chucks from PSI that I use on all of my lathes from the old Chinese jet knockoff my Delta 46-460 and my PM3520B using an adapter to go from 1x8TPI to 1 1/8x8TPI without any problems at all.

So I guess the chuck ones buys is the one he can afford and if they can work up to a bigger "BRAND" name in time they can buy one or potentially get to use multiple different chucks from other manufacturers to make an educated decision on which to purchase in the future. But for my last little bit of wisdom as long as you use the chuck in the manner it was intended and treat each one well it will return the favor and give you years of service no matter the name stamped in the steel. This issue has been revisited a number of times each time a new product comes on the market and it will be brought up again when the next best thing comes along. None of us is just alike and we all have to make the choice that fits our own situation and sometimes the Ferrari is always going to be a dream for most of us, so be happy with the sedan or mini van in the driveway!


Keep the curls flying,

Jeff

[David C. Roseman]

Roger Chandler wrote:
if you are concerned about a grub screw to make reverse turning possible, then one could just drill a hole and tap it and put their own grub screw in. If you have a drill press and a tap & die set, then you could be off to the races for about 50 cents.

Just an idea and it might be well worth the small effort for the savings you would realize.

Agree, Roger, although with a chuck that beefy, I'd feel more secure with two grub screws to avoid slippage that could score the spindle boss. Common 8mm x 1.25 Allen head set screws are what's used on the Strongholds.

But, I've just looked at the photo of the back side of the chuck on the Woodturningstore.com's web site. Can't be sure from the pic, but it looks to me like there may in fact be a threaded hole in the insert for a grub screw. That's the way the Stronghold is set up. Here's the link I'm referring to:
http://www.thewoodturningstore.com/products/Hurricane-4-Jaw-Woodturning-Chuck-5-w-Dovetail-Jaws-HTC125-150.html?cPath=5_6&sid=22d56082129db30ccfd8ae18eda0faa6

Don't know what else that hole would be for. Mike, do you think maybe it's the particular insert that you bought for your copper monster that does not have that hole? Or maybe it's for something else.

David

[Mike Cruz]

David, ya know, it might just be my insert... I have 1 1/2" x 8tpi threads. So, maybe that is why there is no grub screw... You can always ask Steve. But Roger has a point that you could always drill a hole (or two) and tap it/them.

[Dennis Nagle]

What is a grub screw for

[Mike Cruz]

Denis, I'm assuming the term grub screw is another word for a set screw. I think set screws usually have a hex head. Maybe grub screws have the flat heat screwdriver slot...

[Dennis Nagle]

Thanks Mike.

[Tai Fu]

I have a feeling this wasn't about a particular phone made by HTC...

[Roger Chandler]

Denis, I'm assuming the term grub screw is another word for a set screw. I think set screws usually have a hex head. Maybe grub screws have the flat heat screwdriver slot...

I should have used the term "set screw" more people call them set screws than grub screws.....they are the same thing!

[Mike Cruz]

Hehe, it is the newest and greatest phone you'll ever own, Tai. It can do things your Android can't!

[Michael Kellough]

I read the thread about Hurricane chucks a couple of months ago with great interest because I'm a new turner with a limited budget already overtaxed by the necessary accessories. A good chuck at half the price of name brand is what I needed to make turning more convenient and fun and as a beginner I had no experience to judge chucks.

The fact that Steve responded knowledgably and appropriately prompted me to take a chance and buy one of the Hurricane 100 chucks via Amazon. I haven't posted about this chuck before because it's the only chuck I've ever used so what do I know? I'd hate to steer someone wrong.

Initially I had a problem with too much run out and I called Steve on the phone and he sent me a new adapter. At first I didn't think the new adapter really solved the problem (but how would I know how much runout is okay anyway?) but then I realized that the adapter could be rotated and installed in one of three positions. I got out the dial indicator and tried all three positions with both adapters and found one with incredibly good readings.

The chucks works well for me. I've had some problems with poorly formed tenons or recesses and forgetting to re-tighten while turning green wood but those are beginner problems that would happen with any chuck.

I've accumulated two more sets of jaws and a set of Cole jaws and my total cost is still well short of $300. (Shipping was free on all chuck and jaw orders) I do hope there are more sizes of jaws in the works.

My friend (we bought bought Rikon Mini lathes when WC had a Black Friday sale) bought a Oneway Talon chuck. He said the Hurricane is more substantial and looks like a much better deal (but we're both beginners). He likes the chrome plating on the Hurricane and the fact that the back is enclosed and he likes the integrated indexing holes on the rim of the back.

I just bought an old Oliver lathe and was considering trading most of my Hurricane stuff to my friend in exchange for the Talon because I can get an adapter for the Talon which would fit the unusual spindle size on the Oliver. Now I'm not sure what I'll do because I wrote Steve and he said the factory is in the process of making 1-1/8", 8tpi inserts so the Hurricane chucks will be able to fit directly on the smaller Oliver and Yates lathes. The only problem for me is that it will probably take 8 weeks for the adapters to get to the stockroom shelf.

[Mike Cruz]

Michael, very interesting, honest, and fair review on your part. I had the same problem with a Stronghold insert. I had to take it out twice, cleaned it all three times (once before I put it in, and on each reinsertion), finally got it to seat well. Not sure if I twisted it or not...maybe that was the key. So, I think this could happen with any brand. Now, I had to go through 3 of the Grizzly (Vicmarc knockoff) chucks to get one with no (reasonable) runout. The first two were bad. I don't think they use inserts (could be wrong), so I don't think it was an insert issue. But from what I hear, I just had really bad luck with those Grizzly chucks...others have said theirs were just fine on the first try.

I ended up ordering some more stuff from Steve recently. He said he saw this thread and will be responding to it shortly.

[Mike Cruz]

Olaf, that is pretty much my point/thoughts in a nutshell...

Dennis, I wasn't trying to "convince" you, but I hope you are as happy with yours as I am with mine. ;)

[David C. Roseman]

I just spoke with owner Steve at The Instrument Store, LLC ("The Woodworking Store") about the set screw issue. Thoughtful guy. He has seen this thread and plans to post on it when he has a chance, so I'll just summarize my takeaways.

The hole that we see in the photo of the back side of the HTC 125 insert on his website is not threaded. It’s for a rod or lever to assist removing the chuck from the spindle, instead of using the chuck key for leverage.

There are four sizes of inserts available for the HTC 125, but at present only the 33mm x 3.5 insert is machined for set screws. This is intentional, although he is still evaluating whether to add the feature to the other sizes. The set screw location in the 33mm x 3.5 exactly matches the groove, or race, in the spindle of the Oneway lathes, so when tightened it has a shoulder to bear against should the screw slip while turning in reverse. It also avoids the risk of galling the smooth surface of the spindle, even if there is no slippage.

For the other sizes of insert, he knows that some lathes have no groove in the spindle at all, and with those that do, the location of the groove may vary. He has some concern about the risk of the set screw not being in the right place, hence being less secure in reverse, or simply galling the shaft from normal tightening. So up to now he’s intentionally left that feature off all but the 33mm x 3.5. But several of his customers have asked about it, and it’s come up before elsewhere on the web. One idea he’s considering for folks that want the feature is offering to have them measure and mark on their insert where they’d like set screws. Then they could send it back to him in New York and he’d do the drilling and tapping, if they did not want to do it themselves.

I know from my own experience what Steve’s talking about. The set screws on our Oneway inserts don’t center exactly on the groove in our Grizzly G0733’s spindle. I could easily align them by adding a very thin spacing washer between the insert and the shoulder of the spindle, and may do that. But the area where the set screws bear is not critical, so IMO a couple of gall marks aren’t a problem as a trade off for safety when spinning in reverse.

David

[Dennis Nagle]

You might want to check this out before you sell all your stuff. I have an Oliver lathe with a 1-7/8" 6TPI spindle and these guys have an adapter to fit. Scroll down to the bottom of the page.

http://bestwoodtools.stores.yahoo.net/precspinad.html


I read the thread about Hurricane chucks a couple of months ago with great interest because I'm a new turner with a limited budget already overtaxed by the necessary accessories. A good chuck at half the price of name brand is what I needed to make turning more convenient and fun and as a beginner I had no experience to judge chucks.

The fact that Steve responded knowledgably and appropriately prompted me to take a chance and buy one of the Hurricane 100 chucks via Amazon. I haven't posted about this chuck before because it's the only chuck I've ever used so what do I know? I'd hate to steer someone wrong.

Initially I had a problem with too much run out and I called Steve on the phone and he sent me a new adapter. At first I didn't think the new adapter really solved the problem (but how would I know how much runout is okay anyway?) but then I realized that the adapter could be rotated and installed in one of three positions. I got out the dial indicator and tried all three positions with both adapters and found one with incredibly good readings.

The chucks works well for me. I've had some problems with poorly formed tenons or recesses and forgetting to re-tighten while turning green wood but those are beginner problems that would happen with any chuck.

I've accumulated two more sets of jaws and a set of Cole jaws and my total cost is still well short of $300. (Shipping was free on all chuck and jaw orders) I do hope there are more sizes of jaws in the works.

My friend (we bought bought Rikon Mini lathes when WC had a Black Friday sale) bought a Oneway Talon chuck. He said the Hurricane is more substantial and looks like a much better deal (but we're both beginners). He likes the chrome plating on the Hurricane and the fact that the back is enclosed and he likes the integrated indexing holes on the rim of the back.

I just bought an old Oliver lathe and was considering trading most of my Hurricane stuff to my friend in exchange for the Talon because I can get an adapter for the Talon which would fit the unusual spindle size on the Oliver. Now I'm not sure what I'll do because I wrote Steve and he said the factory is in the process of making 1-1/8", 8tpi inserts so the Hurricane chucks will be able to fit directly on the smaller Oliver and Yates lathes. The only problem for me is that it will probably take 8 weeks for the adapters to get to the stockroom shelf.

[Dennis Nagle]

No worries Mike. I've been looking hard at all the chucks out there and this one wasn't even on my radar. I've read all the reviews and watched all the vids. It looks good to me.

[Steve Fulgoni]

Hi Guys, Thanks for all of your comments on the chuck. I will try and answer some of the comments here but if I miss anything please let me know and email/call me. First, the grub screws .... Ideally grub screws should not bite down on the spindle shaft but should bite down in a milled recess on the spindle. This is so that if the set screw dimples the spindle, it does so inside the slot. But more importantly, if the grub screw screws down into the slot, it will still positively hold should the screw back off a bit. If the grub screw is tightened simply onto the spindle shaft and loosens even 1/16 of a turn you will lose all of your holding power. So if you use grubs screws, you should have a mating slot in your lathe spindle for maximum safety. Now, with that said, since the adapter bottoms onto the spindle shoulder, we really don't know where the slot is on each lathe, if there is a slot at all. The best way is to screw the adapter onto your lathe, mark a point for a set screw which will align with the slot in your spindle and drill and tap the hole yourself. If you don't have a slot and are comfortable using set screws directly on your spindle shaft then it doesn't matter where the holes are. I just didn't want to put holes in the wrong place so I did not spec holes in the adapter (except M33, more on that later). However, I have had many inquiries on grub screws by customers and I am open to any input and suggestions about locations on various lathes, etc. I did put 2 grub screw holes on the M33 version of the adapter because to my knowledge only Oneway offers that spindle (although I see Robust is now too). These should line up properly on Oneways but I would like feedback to see if all Oneway's have the slot located identically relative to the start of the threads. Last is a comment on turning in reverse. I think it is a very unsafe idea to "turn" in reverse (too much force wanting to remove your chuck). I have friends who claim it is better sometimes for access, etc, but the risks are too great, even with a grub screw. Please never "turn" in reverse with cole jaws!! Now, if you want to "sand" in reverse, that requires a lot less force and I do that sometimes, very carefully. Thanks again for your comments and I will reply to some of the other questions in a separate response

[Steve Fulgoni]

Hi again guys, after I posted my comments I just saw that David Roseman posted what we discussed on the phone and got my thoughts right exactly ... thanks David!

[Michael Kellough]

"You might want to check this out before you sell all your stuff. I have an Oliver lathe with a 1-7/8" 6TPI spindle and these guys have an adapter to fit. Scroll down to the bottom of the page."

http://bestwoodtools.stores.yahoo.net/precspinad.html

Thanks for the tip Dennis! An adapter like that would solve my problem and moving the chuck out some might be good since the headstock on my Oliver 51-D is quite deep front to back.

[Michael Kellough]

I think having tapped holes in the hub would be nice but the chance of a grub screw seating in the right spot on any given spindle is pretty slim.

It's very important for the chuck to be screwed tight against the shoulder of the spindle and if the grub screw is the slightest bit off in the wrong direction it will back the chuck away from the shoulder. In that case thin precision shim washers could be used to back the chuck out to the point where the grub screw wants to seat.

It might be better to supply the chucks with un-threaded holes sized to match the pilot hole of the specified tap and let the buyer do the rest.

The "rest" would be tightening the chuck onto the spindle then running the matching drill bit through the pilot hole into the spindle. Then remove the chuck. There should be little or no galling since the chuck adapter either prevented outward displacement of swarf or there is enough clearance for whatever swarf was displaced.

Use a countersink bit to chamfer the shoulders of the hole in the spindle.

Screw the chuck back on and slowly and carefully thread the hole in the adapter with a tapered tap.

Blow the debris out with air and or WD-40 or the like. (Rotate the hole in the spindle/chuck down below 9 o'clock so the stuff goes down rather than in your face)

Follow with a plug tap and then repeat above and finish with a bottoming tap right into the spindle.
An eight to 3/16" should be just right and I can't think of a more precise way to locate the hole in the spindle.

[Mike Cruz]

Michael, I don't think anyone is suggesting that there should be a grub HOLE on your spindle. Rather a GROOVE in the spindle. That way the set/grub screw would seat inside that groove. Having a single hole would mean that it is aligned for THAT adapter and that adapter only. If you put another adaptor on the spindle it will not line up with the hole you made.

One more thing... while you might be willing to drill out a hole in your spindle (which I mentioned above isn't the right thing to do), and then tap the adaptor, I don't think the general public is willing to do that sort of thing. So, I don't think that is a business decision for Steve.

But it is good that you are thinking about this... Does your lathe have a "groove" in the spindle, Michael? If not, you could drill a hole in the adapter, thread it onto your spindle, mark the center of the hole in your adapter, remove the adapter, then cut a groove in your spindle....

[Michael Kellough]

Michael, I don't think anyone is suggesting that there should be a grub HOLE on your spindle. Rather a GROOVE in the spindle. That way the set/grub screw would seat inside that groove. Having a single hole would mean that it is aligned for THAT adapter and that adapter only. If you put another adaptor on the spindle it will not line up with the hole you made.

One more thing... while you might be willing to drill out a hole in your spindle (which I mentioned above isn't the right thing to do), and then tap the adaptor, I don't think the general public is willing to do that sort of thing. So, I don't think that is a business decision for Steve.

But it is good that you are thinking about this... Does your lathe have a "groove" in the spindle, Michael? If not, you could drill a hole in the adapter, thread it onto your spindle, mark the center of the hole in your adapter, remove the adapter, then cut a groove in your spindle....

My lathe doesn't have a groove but turning in reverse is too advanced for my skills anyway.

But, it seems like a groove in the spindle would be just about as specific to an adapter as a hole...still hit or miss with a different adapter.

[Mike Cruz]

Apparently the lathe manufacture that Steve listed (Oneway?) has a groove. The point is that the groove is a consistent distance from the shoulder. All the adapters would have a hole at that same distance from the end of the adapter. But WHERE the hole is drilled in relation to the beginning of the threads would be inconsequential. If you had only a hole in the spindle (as opposed to a groove), the hole in the adapter would need to be exact to the beginning of the threads as well. And from one manufacturer to another, that might be quite difficult. For example, some manufacturers might thread 1" of an adapter, while others might thread 1 1/16 or 1 1/8 or 1 1/4".

And as Steve mentioned above, turning in reverse really isn't a good idea... Sanding in reverse is, on the other hand, standard practice for a lot of turners because many feel they can get a better finish that way.

[Michael Kellough]

Mike, I've never seen a groove in a lathe spindle so maybe I'm thinking about it all wrong. I figured the groove would be parallel to the spindle like a keyway. I realize now that if it went around the circumference of the spindle it would fit your description.

Such a groove would keep the chuck from un-threading (it also keeps galling below the surface) but it could allow the chuck to move enough that a long blank to wobble quite a bit.

A hole drilled into the spindle like I described would keep the adapter tight against the shoulder even in the case of a catch. That adapter would be dedicated to reverse turning but it could still be used for CW turning.

[Jeffrey J Smith]

Just for the record, I measured the groove in my Robust AB and compared to the grub screw hole in the Oneway adapter for the Stronghold, OneWay and Talon chucks and they all center up on the groove.
Even though the Robust spindle is really well hardened, I've been using brass tipped set screws on all my chucks since galling the spindle on my older Jet 1642 with nicely hardened set screws a while back.
I do turn in reverse on occasion, and often hollow in reverse so the set screws see a lot of action.

[Mike Cruz]

Okay, if you feel that is the best way to do it... It seems Oneway, one of the best lathes you can get uses a groove. Just sayin'.

[Michael Stafford]

Maybe you already answered this question and I missed it.

Do jaws from any of the big name chuck manufacturers fit on these chucks? You know, like from Oneway, Vicmarc, Nova etc.

The price certainly is tempting and I would jump all over it if the jaws from any of the chucks I own would fit on this chuck. I just don't want to invest in another chuck and have to buy more sets of jaws.

[Mike Cruz]

Michael, I DO know that the Stronghold jaws do not fit this chuck. Since it looks to be a Vicmarc 120 knockoff (not sure if it is, it just looks a lot like a Vicmarc...very much like the Grizzly chuck looks very much like the Vicmarc 100), the Vicmarc 120 jaws MAY fit it. But since I don't have a Vicmarc 120, I cannot say for sure. I would assume that IF any other jaws fit it, it would be the Vicmarc 120. I suppose one option would be to get the HTC 125 with a jaw size you don't have in your other chucks, and either your Vicmarc 120 jaws will fit and you can interchange those, or it would be a proprietary chuck.
On other option, and I can't believe I'm saying this, is that you could do what I'm actually considering... Sell all your other chucks, and get 4 of these. Or if you are a "jaw changer", sell your other chucks, get this chuck and all new jaws. You'd end up with money in your pocket either way. Even used, Strongholds and Vicmarcs get more than this chuck is new...

[Steve Fulgoni]

Hi Guys,

The jaws on the Hurricane Chucks are not compatible with Oneway, Vicmarc, etc. I want it that way. I am not trying to copy anyone else's chuck and the HTC125 is not a copy of the Vicmarc VM120. The chuck's you mentioned are great. I own a Vicmarc VM120 and it is fantastic, but expensive. They have great jaws, especially some deep jaws, and I hope to develop Hurricane jaws like them in the future. The Vicmarc copies that I have seen are not as well made as the Vicmarc products but they are less expensive. That is a personal choice. My goal has been to develop a high quality chuck that is affordable. I am president of both AAW chapters on Long Island and this all started so I could provide reasonably priced chucks for my club members. The internet helps get the word out, rather than selling through dealers, which keeps the cost way down. I do know what it is like to not want to "change jaws" but "change chucks" and that is easier to do with a lower cost chuck. I posted a Youtube video comparing a few chucks and I will be adding more. For the Oliver lathe owners, the 1 1/8" x 8 TPI adapters should be here by the end of April. I am also going to research the grub screw position on various lathes (PM, Robust, MIDI) and see if I can make them avalable in the adapters.

[David C. Roseman]

Steve Fulgoni wrote:
(snip)
My goal has been to develop a high quality chuck that is affordable. I am president of both AAW chapters on Long Island and this all started so I could provide reasonably priced chucks for my club members.
(snip)
I am also going to research the grub screw position on various lathes (PM, Robust, MIDI) and see if I can make them available in the adapters.

Steve, I for one appreciate your initiative in developing this product. Think I'm going to give the HTC 125 a try.

Was curious how a fellow who specializes in music and musical instruments came to developing and selling woodworking equipment as well. :) In a quick look-up, I also discovered your community work in saving the John Coltrane House in Dix Hill, NY, and with Kids for Coltrane. Very nice.

On the use of grub screws in the chuck inserts, here's a thought that might be useful regardless of what you ultimately decide to do. One of the previous posters in this thread mentioned brass-tipped set screws to eliminate galling on the spindle shaft. It's an interesting idea, especially for spindles without a dedicated channel to receive the set screws, or where the channel is not on center with the screw holes. I haven't looked into how well they hold versus standard steel-tipped set screws that create a dimple, but I think I will order some to try with my Oneway chuck inserts on our Grizzly G0733 lathe. Don't know what size set screws other chucks use, but here's the size that should work with the Oneways: http://www.reidsupply.com/sku/BTS-1260/ (The OEM Oneway screws measure 8mm x 3.5 x 10mm, but I think a length of 12mm will be good to add thread contact, since the 2.8mm added by the brass tips puts the threads that much farther from the contact point on the spindle).

Maybe some of the engineers on this board can offer some wisdom on friction coefficients of steel vs. brass-tipped set screws. I'm sure there is a table somewhere for that. :)

David

[Steve Fulgoni]

Hi David,

Thanks, yes I am one of those busy people who get very little sleep. Actually I am an engineer and was Director of New Product Development for a large manufacuring company until they relocated to Germany, leaving me "displaced". After that I decided to pursue my passions and start a musical instrument company. I love what I do because selling musical instruments makes people happy. However, I miss my engineering work which is why I decided to apply it to my main passion, which is woodturning.

[Tom Harder]

I just wanted to throw my 2 cents in...I just received my HTC 125 and I am more than impressed. I build custom fishing rods as my profession (37 years). I use my lathe constantly. From turning cork handles to my specially designed and built exotic wood reel seats...it is in constant use. I just bought this chuck and it is miles, miles, beyond any other chuck I've owned. As for it's accuracy, it has literally added balance to my JET lathe. I used to turn it on and the force alone would move/shake the machine around. Not alot but still unsettling. Since I installed this chuck, the apparent imbalance (or directional force) has dissappeared. The shear size of the HTC 125 is wonderful. I'm not sure it can be stressed enough to carefully and slowly draw in the spindle insert. It's just like the Clear Vue motor to fan insert. Do it right, take your time. Small advances and it will seat beautifully. Before you just start screwing it down, see where it wants to sit. Rotate it loose before you start and let it tell you where it should be seated. Mine did. I turn 4 woods only; African Blackwood, Lignum Vitae, Quabracho and Desert Ironwood. This is VERY expensive wood. I can ill-afford a piece of equipment that is not rock solid. I can attest to this chuck...it IS rock solid!

As for reverse operation, do/buy as you think best for you but I've learned that final hand sanding, with the grain, far superior to any other method. I sand to 2,000 grit and I can attest to proper directional sanding. It simply needs to be along the grain, so, from my perspective, reverse operation of this chuck is of little benefit. If you want pristine wood surface finish...take the time and sand it by hand. Cork as well. Just a little hand work makes all the difference.

Nice Chuck Steve! I'll be buying more from you! Probably 1 or 2 more. Love the chuck keys too...love the backing plate on the HTC 125. I cut the reel seats using the indexing on the chuck...superb. Not sure of the tools though I've not bought any. These woods kill anything other than the toughest steels. So love my EWT tools. Unlike anything else I've used, they just mow it down like grass. Even Lignum Vitae. They are simply the best lathe tools I've ever used.

Good luck and good will to you all!

[Mike Cruz]

Tom, welcome to the Creek. Would love to see pics of your fishing rods (parts).

[Tom Harder]

Thanks for the welcome Mike. Regards... Okay, here is one. I'm reticent since my orders are already backordered by several weeks. This is one without the final finish. Just the handle and the design work. This one is a walleye rod. 7'6"...used for Steelhead and Salmon too. This is a superb blank from Northfork Composites (Gary Loomis). One thread at a time. Soon to be sent out.

259883

[Mike Cruz]

Looks great! Thanks for sharing it. You should start a new thread introducing yourself and showing off some of your work.

[Steve Fulgoni]

Hi Tom, Thanks for your comments and your work looks great. I wish we had fresh water fishing here on Long Island but we don't!

[Steve Fulgoni]

Thank you Jeffrey for the info. I will take a look at the Robust AB 25 and see what I can do. Steve

[Bill Summerlin]

I also have this chuck on my model 90 and am very happy with it. Do you have any plans to use it on outboard turnings and if so, is there an insert available for the 1 1/8 LH thread?

[Bill Summerlin]

Steve, can u use the 125 on the outboard side of a pm 90?

[Roy Turbett]

I like the idea of the manufacturer drilling a pilot hole in same spot relative to the thread for every adapter and having the user cut a groove or a grub hole in the spindle because it will match should he use more than one chuck. Also, if the user has more than one lathe like I do, it seems it would be easier to cut a groove or a grub hole in the spindles than it would be trying to match an existing groove or grub hole to a new spindle adapter. This would also solve the problem of spindle thread lengths being slightly different from lathe to lathe. I know, for example, that not all Powermatic 90 spindles are identical.

[Mike Cruz]

Bill, if you are asking me, I no longer have a PM90. And my new lathe does not have outboard capabilities. So, no, I don't plan to do that. You'd have to contact Steve to see if he has that insert. Not sure...

[Jim Underwood]

The woodturningstore domain has evidently expired. Are these only available on Amazon? Are there only the two sizes available?

[Michael Mills]

The woodturningstore domain has evidently expired. Are these only available on Amazon? Are there only the two sizes available?


No idea what happed with the web site.
They are also available on the bay, search for - hurricane chuck (jaw,jaws) - to get to chucks and jaws and weed out the bay garbage.

As far as I know there are only the 100 and 125. I got the 100 for my daughter; it is larger and with it's standard jaws it is 4 oz heavier than my SN2 with powergrip jaws mounted. I assume the 125 is about like the Titan?.

[Jim Underwood]

Thanks...

Y'know, I thought it was probably a good idea to buy a few bodies and several chuck jaws all of one brand. But then it occurred to me that one might regret it if the company didn't stick around... Wondering what Steve's long range plans are?

[Steve Fulgoni]

Hi Bill, Thanks for your post. We won't be offering any Left Handed inserts for outboard turning. I know the PM90 has a thread spindle on the outboard side, but it is generally unsafe to do so. The standard speed range of the PM90 is too fast for large turning and also you would need to have an outboard turning stand, which because it is detached from the lathe, is less than ideal from a performance standpoint. So from a performance and liability standpoint, we don't offer it and can't endorse it.

[Steve Fulgoni]

Hi Guys, thanks for your posts and concerns. Our website is down temporarily because our webhost in the Chicago area had a power surge and their servers fried. The "supposed" offsite backup didn't exist. Any lawyers out there? ;-). Anyway, we are here and everything is fine, but our site will be down for a few more days as they replace hardware and rebuild their servers. Our email is back (using Google now). Our phones were always fine and please contact me if you have any questions. Thanks, Steve

[Steve Fulgoni]

Hi Jim, Thanks for your post. Our long range plans are to keep growing as long people continue to be happy!

[Steve Fulgoni]

Hi Jim, the domain hasn't expired, the servers that were hosting our site went down, it should be back up in 2-3 days we are told. Steve

[Roger Chandler]

I for one appreciate Steve coming on this thread and letting folks know the situation. I got one of his HTC 125 chucks and an additional set of 5" jaws.........that thing has been great, and filled a gap for me on several turnings where I needed to remount something............I could not be happier with the chuck and the service I got from him.

A 4" HTC 100 chuck is in my plans to purchase as well............I already have 5 supernova's and will keep them, but I really like the HTC chuck......best value on the market as far as I can tell from a price and quality standpoint!