Chuck Wobble

[Ron Drew]

Hi all - I'm new to the forum here, thought I'd start off with a question about work piece wobble when mounted in the chuck. Doesn't seem to matter weather I'm working with a between the centers trued piece, or a face mounted bowl, when I mount the tenon in the chuck, I get wobble - seems to me much more than it should. As an experiment, I smoothed an 8" piece of maple between centers, carefully made a tenon with a smooth shoulder on both ends. I then mounted one end in the chuck, and I get wobble at BOTH ends. Granted it's subtle at the chuck end, and much more at the tailstock end, but still some even at the chuck. I then true the piece and the tailstock tenon again while in the chuck, flip the piece end for end, and still get wobble. I have the same problem if I face mount a workpiece, shape the outside, make a tenon, flip it to the chuck. I'll have as much as an 1/8" wobble at the outside edge on a small 5 or 6 inch dia bowl.
Am I being too critical? I know we're working with wood here and not metal, but this still seems excessive to me. I guess my question is - is some wobble normal and acceptable? And you just work around it? Or might I have a problem with this chuck? Many thanks, and great forum.
By the way, I'm using a Talon chuck on a Nova DVRxp.
Ron Drew

[Gordon Seto]

Don,

Did you check the alignment of your lathe. You lathe has a pivoting head. When you return the head to inboard, the indent may not register zero degree.
Get an alignment tool:
http://www.packardwoodworks.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=packard&Product_Code=113121&Category_Code=lathes-acc-mrstool
It would make re-alignment easy and accurate.

If that is accurate, then check the chuck insert and see whether it sits square.

1/8" off is a lot.

Gordon

[Ben Gastfriend]

I don't think you're being too critical for an 1/8" of wobble. You obviously have found that the chuck is the problem. The first thing I'd do is take the jaws off, clean them, and screw them back on, thinking that maybe one of the jaws was on crooked. If that fails, I'd try a different set of jaws, thinking that perhaps one of the jaws was bent. If all that fails, I'd look below this post for some more experianced support.

[Mike A. Smith]

Welcome to the Creek Ron!

Ditto what Gordon said. Before checking anything else I would stick a center in the headstock and bring up the tailstock to see if I had good alignment.

[Scott Donley]

I think I would try the insert first,take it out, clean it, put it back, making sure all screws are tight. Good luck and welcome to SMC.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Ron - Welcome to the Creek! Either it's the alignment of the headstock or the chuck insert itself. Easy to figure out - let us know what you find!