Chuck advice please

[Tim Passmore]

I turn mostly bowls (14" diameter max.) on my Nova 1624-44 using a Nova Midi Chuck, and I'm considering an upgrade. I would like your thoughts on the Oneway Talon. Thanks.

[Dale Miner]

I turn mostly bowls (14" diameter max.) on my Nova 1624-44 using a Nova Midi Chuck, and I'm considering an upgrade. I would like your thoughts on the Oneway Talon. Thanks.

Skip over the Talon, and get the Stronghold.

[Robert Henrickson]

Anther vote for the Stronghold.

[Joe Bradshaw]

Tim, I use the Talons on my Robust Liberty quite a bit. They are a robust little chuck. But, I also have the strongholds for my big lathe. I don't think that you could go wrong with either one of them.
Joe

[Steve Schlumpf]

Tim, I have both the Talon and the Stronghold and still use the Talon for 95% of my work. It is a great chuck and I have turned some really large pieces with it. If you know that you won't be turning much larger than a 14" bowl, the Talon will work out great! I do recommend getting the #3 tower jaws to go with it as the regular depth #3 jaws can't handle a deep tenon and with large blanks, it is nice to have a little more to hang onto!

If you have any specific questions on either chuck, please ask!

[Thom Sturgill]

Nothing against the Talon and Stronghold chucks, but if you go with the Nova SN2 any jaws that you currently have will fit the heavier body. For 14" bowls you want 5-6" jaws (@ 40% diameter) though most 'get by' with smaller. I greatly prefer the dovetail (either recess or tenon) to straight tenons with the profile jaws. JMHO, others will disagree..

[Michael Mills]

+ what Thom said.
I have a Nova 1624 also and do not expect to turn anything my SN2 can't handle.
Maybe you have had problems with you mini chuck and are looking to change brands?
Amazon has the SN2 for 151 and free shipping.
http://www.amazon.com/NOVA-SuperNOVA2-23055-Turning-Insert/dp/B0064JJ5F2/ref=sr_1_sc_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1415293529&sr=8-2-spell&keywords=suupernova+2+chuck

For jaws I would suggest the Powergips (100mm) should handle any bowl in your diameters as well as hollow forms.

[Robert Henrickson]

Nova jaws being usable on more than one model is a very definite plus, although some of the largest Nova jaws are not recommended for use on smaller Nova chucks.

My selection of chucks is something of an accident. I got a Nova G3 first, because my first lathe was a mini (1014) -- a larger chuck would have been overkill. When I got a 1642, I started turning considerably larger stuff. My mentor at the time was a great devotee of the Stronghold, rather than Nova chucks, so I got one. I have been very happy with it.

I have since gotten a second G3 (my excuse -- the sale price was very good) and a number of Nova jaws -- some of my work requires two different sets of jaws for a single project, and not changing jaws is convenient though perhaps self-indulgent. I tend to use the G3s for spindlework and other smaller things. For large diameter or heavy stuff, however, I have the Stronghold and several jaw sets. If I were to need an intermediate-size chuck, I'd get a Nova SN2, since all the Nova jaws I already have would also work on that.

[Kyle Iwamoto]

I have Novas, (4) and are happy with them, mostly for the jaw interchange. Mount one set and not have to change jaws, I swap chucks since they're relatively cheap. Buy 1 jaw assortment set, and use them on all the chucks. No question in my mind which is a better chuck though, the Oneways are way better, but you get what you pay for. No plan for me to ugrade.
Good luck in what you choose. I think you'll be happy either way.

[Tim Passmore]

Thank you to all for your suggestions and insight-----I appreciate the time you took to help me.

[Leo Van Der Loo]

I have a few Talon chucks all the jaws mounted and the jumbo jaws as well, quick and easy chuck change that way, consider me lazy :)

As Oneway tells you it’s good for 16” and I have turned larger with it, for the 14” lathe you have now, it can handle that and more, and if/when you upgrade to a larger lathe, just a new insert needed if the threads are different.

One of the reasons I have the Talons and Stronghold chucks is the patented jaws Oneway has as standard, (dovetail are available also, if you insist) with the Oneway Profile jaws you have a better grip over larger or smaller tenon or recess than that you can make/use with the dovetail jaws, where you are forced more or less to just one size per jaw set size, so as to have the best grip.

There is no doubt in my mind that the Oneway chucks are the best there is, have used mine for many years already, and they still work like new.

[charlie knighton]

plus 1 on Leo's comments, I only own 1 stronghold with #3 and #1 jaws, I jam chuck for the bottom but have the wide jaws(jumbo jaws) for that, just prefer jam chucking

I always take the jaws off after turning session

[Harry Robinette]

I've been using Nova chuck's for over 10 years. I have I believe all the jaws they make and chucks also Titan,2-SN,2-SN2,Original Nova,G3 and even 3-Compacts which they discontinued. I have never had any problems with any of it. Chucks are a personal thing, which ever one you start with that's usually the one you use the rest of you turning time.
I do have a Oneway Talon which is a very nice chuck and I use it but I like my Novas.
Just my $.02

[Justin Stephen]

Chucks are a personal thing, which ever one you start with that's usually the one you use the rest of you turning time.


Very true. I am a bit of an exception, though. I started with a SN2 and then bought a Talon for a second chuck. Picked up a Stronghold when I got my PM3520. I still use the SN2 occasionally but strongly prefer Oneway chucks to Novas.

[Tim Passmore]

Thanks again to everyone for their input-----both seem to be quality chucks and have their own advantages. I prefer to hold my bowls using a recess and I assume both will allow me to do this if I have the appropriate jaws----recommendations?

[Bill Boehme]

Tim, I have both the Talon and the Stronghold and still use the Talon for 95% of my work. It is a great chuck and I have turned some really large pieces with it. If you know that you won't be turning much larger than a 14" bowl, the Talon will work out great! I do recommend getting the #3 tower jaws to go with it as the regular depth #3 jaws can't handle a deep tenon and with large blanks, it is nice to have a little more to hang onto!

If you have any specific questions on either chuck, please ask!

I am in full agreement. I also have Talon and Stronghold chucks and 95% would describe my use of the Talon. I also have a Vicmarc 120 with 7" jaws that I use to hold really big stuff. My lathe is the Robust AB, but it's what is being turned and not the lathe that determines what size chuck to use. It is advantageous to use the smallest chuck that is big enough for the job. The Talon is more than adequate for a fourteen inch bowl. I have no experience at all with Nova chucks so I can't say which of those to use.

[Justin Stephen]

Thanks again to everyone for their input-----both seem to be quality chucks and have their own advantages. I prefer to hold my bowls using a recess and I assume both will allow me to do this if I have the appropriate jaws----recommendations?

Yup. The Talon comes with "#2" profiled jaws and the SN2 comes with 50mm jaws. Both will work just fine for recesses.

[Peter Blair]

Tim, yew, both chucks will hold in a recess. I like others above have a Stronghold and several Nova's with about 7 jaw sets.
I think this may be one of those 6's things.