smaller chuck for 3520b

[Ben Pierce]

It looks like most of the smaller chucks come w/ 1" or 3/4" spindle threads. I have a Hurricane 125 but I would like to be able to grasp smaller recesses and smaller tenons. Suggestions? Swapping out the jaws isn't really an option; I need to switch back and forth too frequently. Might just need another 125.

[Brian Kent]

The Hurricane 100 comes with various thread sizes including 1-1/4 x 8 that I think the 3520 uses.

[David Delo]

One option is a spindle adapter from your 1/1/4" to whatever. Some complain about run-out issues with adapters but mine works fine with a cheapie PSA tommy bar style chuck.

[Bert Delisle]

I have two lathes, one with 1 1/4-8 and the other 1-8. I use an adaptor when using the small chucks on the big lathe. No issues to date. In fact the extra room from the head stock side is an advantage.

[James Tibbetts]

Ditto what Bert said. Got mine at Craft Supply. Solid chunk of steel and maybe just lucky; but it is dead on center.

[Marty Tippin]

Multiple chucks makes life a lot easier. I've got 4 chucks at the moment, and probably 8 sets of jaws. So I still end up swapping jaws from time to time, as the "right" set is never on a chuck...

[David C. Roseman]

+1 on the Hurricane HTC100 for a smaller chuck. Just specify the 1-1/4 x 8 insert when ordering.

Minor point, but the chuck keys for the HTC125 and HTC100 are interchangeable. So you won't have to stop each time and think about which key is which, as I do with my Strongholds and Talons. :)

[John K Jordan]

Ben,

I don't know anything about the Hurricane 125, but I went through the same issue years ago. I decided to buy more chucks so I can spend more time turning instead of changing jaws. I bought both new and used when I could find them. I think I have 12 or 14 chucks at the moment and almost never change jaws. I even keep several chucks with the same size jaws so I can leave an unfinished piece in a chuck and start another one with a different chuck. Extra chucks are also handy when I have students in the shop.

I stuck with the Teknatool chucks, Supernova, Supernova2, and the G3. The G3 is a smaller chuck if you prefer that. Amazon sometimes has the G3 for less than $100 and the SN2 for about $120. (I notice the prices are higher at the moment.)

Teknatool has a wide variety of jaws including pin jaws for small work that I use a lot. My most used jaws are 35mm and 45mm since they will hold the sizes of turning squares I use most often for spindle turning. Most of these chucks come with the standard 50mm jaws and a screw for turning face work such as bowls and platters.

All of these chucks use inserts to match to the lathe, about $20 each. I keep 1-1/4"x8 inserts in most of the chucks so they will fit my PM3520b and my Jet 1642 lathes. I keep one chuck with a smaller insert to fit the Jet Mini lathes I carry to demos on occasion. I keep a couple of other size inserts on hand to fit other lathes so I can lend out a chuck to friends if needed. The inserts are quick to change - much quicker than changing the jaws!

There are plenty of people who swear by more expensive chucks but these have worked well for me over the last 15 years for everything from 1/2" high goblets to 16-20" bowls and platters.

JKJ

[Joe Kaufman]

I have a 3520B and a Jet with 1X8 spindle. I have several chucks, HTC125, HTC100, couple of Nova G3's and a Grizzly H6265 (Vicmarc copy)
The HTC100 standard jaws will fit in a 2 5/16" recess, the Grizzly is a 3 3/4" dia body and the jaws will fit a 1 3/4" recess. The Grizzly is less that $130 in the 1 1/4" thread (not user changeable) and jaw sets are $25. I have had the Grizzly for 10 years, 200+ bowls and have had no issues with it. I personally don't care for the open back Nova chucks, the reversed operation and the chuck keys.

Joe

[Ben Pierce]

Thanks everyone for your input. I think I will start collecting chucks. Might just buy whatever I can find cheap and go with the thread adaptors so I can have options.

[Bob Bouis]

I recently got a couple Hurricane 125 chucks and couldn't be happier. They're a real bargain. By just about every measure they're superior to the Nova titan chuck they've (mostly) supplanted. And not having to swap jaws is great!

[Brian Kent]

I recently got a couple Hurricane 125 chucks and couldn't be happier. They're a real bargain. By just about every measure they're superior to the Nova titan chuck they've (mostly) supplanted. And not having to swap jaws is great!

Bob, in what way are they better than the Novas. I have not decided between Nova and Hurricane yet.

[Bob Bouis]

Bigger, heavier, larger jaws, larger screws, better finish, open wider, larger key (the nova has a small handle that's obviously intended to limit how much you can tighten the jaws). Cheaper, too, by about $60.

A downside would be the relatively limited selection of jaws, especially smaller ones, though that's not really an issue with the larger chucks. The Hurricane jaws aren't interchangeable with smaller chucks like the Novas are, either. I also keep the Nova because there's no replacement for the "powergrip" jaws the Titan chuck comes with. I have two HTC 125 chucks -- one has the "large" dovetail jaws and one has the "jumbo" jaws, which are huge, so big that they come with longer screws to attach them.

All that being said they're probably not strictly necessary as I never really had holding issues with the Nova chuck and its largest dovetail jaws. Still, it's nice to have multiple chucks available if you're roughing out a lot of pieces, which I have been lately.

[Geoff Whaling]

The Vicmarc VM100 geared chuck, or the VM90 tommy bar chuck, is a very high quality small chuck with a full range of jaws and inserts. The HTC 125 looks to be a copy of the Vicmarcs. They are available in the USA through Craft Supplies & others.

VM 100 - http://www.vicmarc.com/default.asp?contentID=685
Inserts - http://www.vicmarc.com/default.asp?contentID=686
Jaws -- http://www.vicmarc.com/default.asp?contentID=770