I Need a chuck

[Art Elliott]

Hi guys this is my first post, hope you guys can help. I'll try to keep this brief. I just bought the mustard as you call it. Powermatic 4224 with an extension bed, to turn a large project of 250 2 1/4" alder spindles and 20 5 1/2" Newel Posts also Alder. I am going to pick up a Vega Pro 48 to help duplicate all of those spindles. Can you guys recommend a chuck that will make my project go faster? Or if you have any info or suggestions that will help out would be greatly appreciated. I am looking forward to having allot of fun with this lathe after this job is done. :confused:

Thanks Art Elliott

[Mike Minto]

Art, forgive this response - you are not new to turning, are you? What in the heck project cold drive you to make so many of the same items? A custom project for a wealthy customer? Surely with the kind of coin you are dropping on machines here, you would have experience with lathes, and certainly knowledge of ancillary items. I mean, these kind of architechtural pieces can be purchased at a 'borg'. Mike

[Steve Schlumpf]

Art - Welcome to the Creek! Sounds like you picked a great lathe - one capable of doing some very large projects! With that in mind I would suggest you check out the Oneway Stronghold chuck. Great chuck and one designed for the bigger lathes. There are a number of very good chucks out there and I am sure everyone has their favorite - hope you get lots of suggestions!

http://www.oneway.ca/chucks/stronghold.htm

Hope this helps.

[Art Elliott]

Mike, you are right i have landed a big railing project that will pay for the new equipment and also labor to figure it all out. Its been some time since i've turned, but being a stair builder by trade have always wanted one in my shop. For what the custom turning shops wanted i could buy the lathe i have always wanted, pay for the materials and have quite a bit of labor still to spare. I have a mill but that is too slow for this kind of project.
ARt

[Art Elliott]

Steve will that Chuck speed up the process of mounting and re mounting spindles? Also will it be large enough to mount a 5 1/2" post blank?
thanks ARt

[Steve Schlumpf]

Art - if it were me - because this is spindle work, I would just use a drive center and skip using a chuck. There are different styles of drive centers out there - #2 morse taper or the type that are held in the jaws of your chuck.

http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/cgi-bin/woodturners/dyna/dynaMcBCMr?page_number=1

Just to list s few of the different styles.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Welcome to SMC. Congrats on a great lathe. I agree with Steve as I would turn them with drive center rather than a chuck. Hope to see some of your work on here.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Art,

Welcome to the Creek!

I'm with Steve and Bernie. I'd just use the drive center and the tail stock. That is, of course, if the duplicator will allow it. It is possible, I suppose, that the duplicator might cause the blanks to stop should a catch occur. I doubt it, however.

[Scott Conners]

I love Steb drives, but I've never used a duplicator so don't know if it would be appropriate for that application.

A good chuck is a really versatile thing to have anyway, and Oneway makes some of the best. The Stronghold chuck with #3 jaws can accommodate up to 5 1/4" (+/- 1/8") square stock, and the #4 jaws up to 5 3/4".

[Dick Strauss]

IMHO 5.5" posts are too big for normal spur centers. Most spurs will slip unless the wood is approached very carefully at that diameter.

I own the Stronghold chuck and it is as good as it gets. With that said, you'll need at least two sets of jaws to cover that range of diameters. I usually mark the #1 jaw (of the 4 mounted on the chuck) on the wood to make sure I have the wood lined up with the same jaws when I return just in case...


Good luck on your new journey,
Dick

[Mike Minto]

That's a great deal, then, Art. Take some photos and post for us to see! Mike

[Andy Hoyt]

Skip the duplicator. Get practice in (and experience under) your belt by doing it the old fashioned way. Trust me, it will also be faster than the duplicator and leave a better paint-ready surface.

[Art Elliott]

Thanks Guys for all the great info. I will try the spur but i think i might have to try something for the bigger posts. I'll let you guys know what works the best. Andy i wish i had the time to go through the learning curve and turn all 270 pieces (250 Balusters, 20 newel posts) by hand and unfortunately I am on a time schedule. i haven turned anything since Jr High school, and you don't know how long ago that was (Late 60's). I am excited because this Job is buying the lathe for me and then i can play. I definitely will post the pics when its all said and done and i hear the fat lady sing or the Check clears the bank or which ever comes first. I'm sure i will have more questions and if anyone has input i can use all the help i can get.
Thanks ARt

[Bob Hallowell]

Art, I would use a chuck and buy a center that fits in your chuck for several reasons.

when making your thinner post they are going to have a habit of bowing if you put to much pressure on the seating the center. Next if you dupliactor slips as it is turning it you will have to put more pressure over an even thinner peice and thus more chance of it bowing. I would also recommend looking at the oneway spindle steady rest as it should be easy to keep out of the way then most of the homemade versions.

the bigger post are almost to big for just a center IMHO. I would buy any good chuck from psi, oneway, nova or such as everyone has their favorite. but also pick up a steb center that fits in your chuck so you can mount you peice and turn the tennon without removing your chuck constantly.

Bob