Please recommend a chuck for a Jet Mini lathe!

[Callie Ledrich]

Can you help ? I have purchased a Jet Mini lathe, and want to turn thin spindles, Knitting needles, hair picks, etc. I'm confused about which size and what jaws might work better. Some chucks are stating to be used on larger lathes ie Barracuda 4. Will a micro chuck hold up as well as a Talon, or Nova? Are the two rod chucks harder to get a true turning center? I'm just starting this venture would like to avoid some major pitfalls. :D
Thank you !
C. Ledrich

[Grant Wilkinson]

For turnings as small as you are talking about, you would like be better off with a Beall collet chuck instead of a scroll chuck. You could turn a square blank to a cylinder between centres, then mount it into a collet chuck. If you've not seen them before, go to bealltool.com.

[robert hainstock]

For chopsticks, I use the cheaoest barracuda with the long nose jaws. :)
Bob

[robert hainstock]

I should have mentioned that I use this chuck for all size turnings that I make on my 1236 HF lathe. I am adding a Jet 1220 to the shop, and will ise the chuck on it with great confidence.
Bob

[Jim Becker]

I have the Talon and the Spiggot jaws have been very handy for a variety of "thin things". You may need a spindle steady to do the work you cite, too...homemade or commercial doesn't matter, but something to control the "whipping" that can happen as things get very thin and long. I even use one for chair spindles to keep quality intact.

[Curt Fuller]

For chopsticks, I use the cheapest barracuda with the long nose jaws. :)
Bob

Me too. I have the Barracuda II that comes with a set of spigot jaws perfect for small spindle work, along with 3 other larger sets. It works very well for an inexpensive chuck on a small lathe. Usually Amazon has the best price but right now they are out of stock. Craftsupplies has the same chuck listed as the Apprentice Chuck for the best price I could find right now.

[Leo Van Der Loo]

Callie, for the things you mention there, you don't need a chuck like a Talon, though that chuck would also be able to be used for it and larger turnings also.
For small turnings like you mention I would get a Drill chuck with a morse taper (#2) and mound that in the headstock spindle, it would be much less in your way when turning small and thin pieces, also much less in $$$, a collet chuck could also be used.
The Basic Oneway chuck with the two levers (bars) is just like the Talon self centering, do not buy one of those independent 4jaw chucks, they are not for wood turning, and centering anything with those would be a very time consuming nightmare if you had to do that all the time.
Oh almost forgot, you should get a Morse taper for that drill chuck that has a threaded hole in the end to use a drawbar in it, so anytime you turn something without the tailstock pushing it, you can use a drawbar to keep it from coming loose and out.

[Callie Ledrich]

Hi, Thank you all very much for taking the time to share your knowledge on spindle turning. Sometimes, I will have to put a point, or other ornamentation on each end so a morris tapered chuck probably won't fill the duty. What do you think would be an alternative to Hut Crystal Coat for a finish? Someone wrote that it is usually close to the expiration date when you get it.
Future turner,
Cali

[Leo Van Der Loo]

Callie here's a link right to the a picture of what I was talking about, it should give you a better understanding of the thing I do believe, The Hut finish I can't help you with, I never used the stuff, sorry.

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=49251&cat=1,330,49238&ap=1

[dennis kranz]

Woodcraft has one on sale this month. I have used it for over a year with no problems. I also have a jet mini.
Dennis

[Scott Conners]

It's hard to beat the value of a PSI barracuda 1/2 chuck. I wish I'd saved the cash and bought the older barracuda 1 with the tommy bars instead of the new barracuda 2, I don't think the single chuck key is much more useful and it would save bed length and overhang on my mini lathe.

http://www.pennstateind.com/store/CSC2000C.html

[RL Johnson]

Cali
You might try the Mylands friction polish. Woodcraft carries it and also Craft Supply. It is easy to apply and you can build multiple coats without too much trouble.

[Jerry Rhoads]

Mylands Friction polish is very good. Also the hut is very good.
If you buy these kind of products ion a store, they may or may not be old.
Buying from HUT or Craft Supplies. They go through enough that it does not get old on the shelf. As far as expiration dates, I have used friction polish that was a couple of years old with the same results as fresh.
I dispence it for use in a 2oz. bottle. Squeeze out the air when putting the cap on.

Jerry