Vicmarc chucks - no set screw?

[Alan Heffernan]

In the humour to buy another chuck and I was considering a Vicmarc. I have a PM 3520B that it will be used on.

I have discovered that Vicmarc cannot be locked on the spindle via a setscrew like my Oneway Stronghold. That would make me worry about spinning it in reverse for sanding, etc.

Have you found a solution for that?

Perhaps I should stick with Oneway since I am down that path already??

[John King]

No set screw. No problem. Never had one unwind on me. - John

[Al Wasser]

Likewise, It has never been a problem

[Doug Ladendorf]

I haven't had an issue either. The machining is excellent.

[Kyle Iwamoto]

I don't have a Vicmarc, or a set screw, and have had no problems. Tighten the chuck on your spindle with your wrench, it shouldn't come off. I also turn in reverse, sometimes, not often, and have not had it come loose if I tighten it on the spindle. I don't see why you should avoid a Vicmarc if it doesn't have a set screw. BUT, since you already have (probably) the best chuck, why do you want to change? I'd stick with the Oneways. I can't afford them, but if I could, I'd stick with one brand. Mostly so I don't have to find 2 differnt keys.

[Alan Heffernan]

I don't have a Vicmarc, or a set screw, and have had no problems. Tighten the chuck on your spindle with your wrench, it shouldn't come off. I also turn in reverse, sometimes, not often, and have not had it come loose if I tighten it on the spindle. I don't see why you should avoid a Vicmarc if it doesn't have a set screw. BUT, since you already have (probably) the best chuck, why do you want to change? I'd stick with the Oneways. I can't afford them, but if I could, I'd stick with one brand. Mostly so I don't have to find 2 differnt keys.
I have Oneway SH and Nova thus far. I like the Oneway but would not buy an additional Nova. I bought a Nova package deal when I had another/older lathe and it has been okay but the SH is bigger and better from my perspective.

The Stronghold has a set screw and I am not afraid to turn in reverse. I have friends in the local turning club who tout the Vicmarc and that has spurred my interest. I then discovered the setscrew issue that I am investigating.

[Alan Heffernan]

John, Al, and Doug,
Thanks for the feedback.

For a little more clarity of your applications, are you turning wood as well as sanding in reverse? Or are you sanding only?
Thanks

[Reed Gray]

If I was turning wood in reverse, a set screw could come in handy, but I am not a lefty, so not necessary. I have heard of pieces unwinding when the lathe is turned off, never happened, but would consider that to be more of a case of the electronic braking needing to be adjusted. If you sand in reverse and it comes loose, as soon as you take your hands off, it stops unwinding. Also, if it comes off while sanding, you are using too much pressure.

robo hippy

[Geoff Whaling]

Vicmarc have actually designed a far better solution than set screws. Their safety collar is designed to fit into a Vee groove on the chuck insert an the spindle nose on the lathe BUT it will only fit newer Vicmarc lathes and chucks - no retrofit option.

A set screw is not a fail safe design so turners should critically look at the need to opperate a lathe in reverse for other than light sanding operations.

[Len Mullin]

Alan, unless money is the issue, I'd stick with the One-way chucks. That would make it so that any jaw sets you'd buy, would fit any chuck you would own. Plus there would be less changing of chucks, because the jaws don't fit the one your using.
Len

[John Sanford]

Alan, unless money is the issue, I'd stick with the One-way chucks. That would make it so that any jaw sets you'd buy, would fit any chuck you would own. Plus there would be less changing of chucks, because the jaws don't fit the one your using.
Len

This. By all accounts both are excellent chucks, but IIRC the jaws are not interchangeable between them. Unless there's some characteristic of the Vicmarc that you absolutely need/want, or the OneWay is woefully deficient in some area for you, stick with the chuck ecosystem you're already into makes more economic sense, unless you plan on changing completely. Mind you, I say this yet my one and only chuck is a Vicmarc, so I'm not a OneWay acolyte.

[David C. Roseman]

FWIW, a couple of years ago I had a big chuck (not a Vicmarc) with a heavy bowl blank unspool on me while experimenting with adjusting the VFD to speed up deceleration on ramp-to-stop. Fortunately had the tool rest up near the face of the blank, so it didn't spin off completely. Startled me, though. :eek: Now I'm less aggressive with settings.

When I sand in reverse, I just use light pressure and don't bother with set screws. If I were to actually turn in reverse, definitely would.

If you really like the Vicmarc chucks, I suspect it would not be a big deal to drill and tap a couple of holes in the insert for set screws. And then you'd be sure they seated on the right spots of your spindle. Some spindles have a dedicated channel to receive set screws, and don't align with those of some aftermarket chucks. If the set screws don't seat fully in the channel, it's easy to gall the spindle threads.

[Lee Watermann]

I turn in reverse on spindle hollowing all the time with my Vicmarc. Reverse sand large bowls and never had an issue.

[robert baccus]

Use some anti-seizing compound on your spindle threads rather than plastic rings ect. It prevents seizing and wear and can be found in any auto store. Most brands also have threads and metal dust in the stuff which seems to prevent backing off. I have never used a set screw and turn and sand in reverse.

[terry mccammon]

Under the heading of what it is worth. I have two Nova's and two Hurricanes, the Nova's have grub screws and the Hurricanes don't. I ended up with a mixture due to seizing cheap purchase opportunity without contemplation of consequence. I have had large and out of balance lumps start to spin off when shutting down. I am not a mechanical engineer but I believe this is called an overhauling load. My ramp down speed is set pretty conservatively but still there it is. To be fair it has always been only a turn or two, but it scares the @@@ out of me. Between that and my routine of reverse sanding between grits, I have made a decision to look for another chuck system that incorporates a grub screw and which is heavier than the Nova.

I have adjusted the ramp down but at some point one does not want to wait extra long for the lathe to stop to protect from the occasional problem. To be fair this is not always a chuck issue as I have had large lumps spin down slower than the lathe and proceed to drill themselves via the dead center. The little guy does not have a chance. :}

[Alan Heffernan]

Use some anti-seizing compound on your spindle threads rather than plastic rings ect. It prevents seizing and wear and can be found in any auto store. Most brands also have threads and metal dust in the stuff which seems to prevent backing off. I have never used a set screw and turn and sand in reverse.
Robert, not sure I follow the logic here of putting antiseize on. It actually reduces the coefficient of friction and would reduce the forces/torque necessary for a spin off.

[Tom Albrecht]

I have two Vicmarcs. I drilled and tapped for two set screws on each one to hold it in the spindle groove.

And, BTW, if you buy direct from Vicmarc it's less expensive than buying from anywhere in the US including the shipping from Australia.

[Alan Heffernan]

I have two Vicmarcs. I drilled and tapped for two set screws on each one to hold it in the spindle groove.

And, BTW, if you buy direct from Vicmarc it's less expensive than buying from anywhere in the US including the shipping from Australia.

Tom, what lathe are you using?

[Prashun Patel]

I turn in one direction and sand in the other. Never use the set screw and never had an issue. But, my bowls are all less than 12" and under 30-40 lbs. I am not sure what would happen with larger stuff if turned in reverse.

[Brice Rogers]

The following comments are in regards to chucks unscrewing rather than on the benefits of various chucks.

I have a Grizzly G0766 and a Grizzly chuck. The chuck does not have a grub screw. The spindle has undersized threads and because of this, it is a bit too easy to unscrew the chuck. If I am sanding in reverse, I have to be fairly light on pressure as I have encountered times when the chuck would start to unscrew. The immediate symptom is a significant vibration - - kind of like "what the heck is happening". But if I stop sanding, hit the off switch or turn the direction control knob to fwd, the unscrewing stops. Luckily I was only sanding and at lower RPMs. If I was turning in reverse, the results could have been quite significant. So, I wouldn't dare to turn in reverse and only sand in reverse very lightly.

When I get a "round tuit", I'm going to explore making a drawbar for the chuck.

[Tom Albrecht]

Tom, what lathe are you using?

Currently on my Robust, formerly on a Oneway.

[Geoff Whaling]

One thing to consider - most insert systems, Nova, Vicmarc etc, use an inner and outer thread on their inserts. The grub screw secures / locks the insert to the spindle thread but there is no grub screw to secure / lock the chuck to the insert. The Oneway Stronghold Taperlock adaptor / insert by its design does not have a second thread.

Even though the insert / adaptor is locked with a grub screw it is still possible for the chuck body to unwind from the insert when turning in reverse.

[Doug Ladendorf]

Actually the Vicmarc has a grub screw that goes from the insert to the chuck. Position is parallel to the lathe bed when mounted.

[David C. Roseman]

Under the heading of what it is worth. I have two Nova's and two Hurricanes, the Nova's have grub screws and the Hurricanes don't. I ended up with a mixture due to seizing cheap purchase opportunity without contemplation of consequence. I have had large and out of balance lumps start to spin off when shutting down. I am not a mechanical engineer but I believe this is called an overhauling load. My ramp down speed is set pretty conservatively but still there it is. To be fair it has always been only a turn or two, but it scares the @@@ out of me. Between that and my routine of reverse sanding between grits, I have made a decision to look for another chuck system that incorporates a grub screw and which is heavier than the Nova.

I have adjusted the ramp down but at some point one does not want to wait extra long for the lathe to stop to protect from the occasional problem. To be fair this is not always a chuck issue as I have had large lumps spin down slower than the lathe and proceed to drill themselves via the dead center. The little guy does not have a chance. :}

Terry, no need to change chuck systems. If you'd be more comfortable with set screws for your Hurricanes, Steve Fulgoni at The Woodturning Store will drill and tap your inserts and install set screws (aka grub screws) without charge. He'll also pay the return shipping. See his post #18 in an SMC thread from February 2016: http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?240665-Hurricane-HTC125-Chuck/page2
(http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?240665-Hurricane-HTC125-Chuck/page2)
I think he's also started shipping his 1-1/4" x 8 tpi and M33 inserts with set screws standard. If heavy is what you want, I don't think you'll find a beefier chuck than your Hurricane HTC125. Mine is about 8 lbs.


(http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?240665-Hurricane-HTC125-Chuck/page2)

[Bill Bulloch]

I have never set the set screw on any of my chucks to sand in reverse and have not had a problem. I don't have a vicmarc chuck, but do have the Grizzly chuck, which is suppose to be a copy. Of course it's not close to as good as the Vicmarc, but what I like about it is that the #2 jaws on the Grizzly expand larger and contract smaller than the #2 Jaws on the One Way or Nova. Since the Grizzly is suppose to be a copy of the Vicmarc I assume that the Vicmarc will do the same. Can anyone confirm this?

[terry mccammon]

Much obliged David. Now that you reference it, I do recall that Steve, who is a very nice guy, had posted to that effect. I was busy at the time and it did not register.

[Geoff Whaling]

Actually the Vicmarc has a grub screw that goes from the insert to the chuck. Position is parallel to the lathe bed when mounted.

That is correct for the later manufactured original Vicmarc inserts, however there are many out there without them which were manufactured well before VFD's were common.

Turners should get into the habit of checking the whole "system" and process for potential hazards asking themselves "what if?" "what happens when?" style questions for their existing processes and especially when they change an existing process or introduce a new process. It is easy to fall into the trap of changing something simple - and not take into consideration that their existing inventory of tools & accessories may not be such a good match now.

Changing something like a sanding process by using the reverse feature on a new lathe "to change direction between grits" may mean that older chucks & inserts are no longer compatible with that process and will present a significant hazard of a large work piece plus chuck or face plate unwinding from the spindle thread.