Chuck reccomendations?

[Radek Kowalski]

I have the Jet 1442. I am looking for a chuck for bowls, and vases for now. Pen blanks too. WC has the TEKNATOOL SuperNova2 on sale now. I have read some pretty good reviews about it. Any tips or ideas on a similar chuck for about the same price? Thanks for your time.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Radek,

I have a SN2 chuck given to me along with a Jet VS Mini. The SN2 worked well on that lathe and when I upgraded to a PM3520B, it was just a matter of buying a $18 threaded adapter and moving it to the PM.

[Joshua Dinerstein]

There seem to be 2 main routes people go. The "great" chuck route. This would be the Oneway Talon chunk, the Super-Nova chucks, etc... You know exactly what kind of quality and durability you are going to get when you do this. The other is the cheaper/knock-off/copy route. This would be the PSI Barracuda2 chuck, the Grizzly $99 chuck, the new HF chucks, the CSUSA Apprentice chuck, etc...

Personally I went the second way when I got my first lathe. I just couldn't pay more for the chuck than I did for the lathe and the tool I was going to use on it. So I bought the PSI, Penn State Industries, barracuda 2 chuck. I have used it for about 18 months now and I have been very very pleased with it. At the time I got it over some of the others because I got 3 or 4 sets of jaws with the body, the wood worm screw, etc... for about $159 off of Amazon. I liked it so much that I bought a second one from CraftSuppliesUSA. They call theirs the Apprentice chuck.

I did however discovered a few things. I never change jaws. For the type of turning I do I just don't need too. So getting lots of jaws? might not matter to you once you decide what you are going to turn. But things change. I am now faced with wanting to do some very small finial turning and I have been thinking about getting a collet chuck. I can also try using the spigot/alligator jaws that came with my chuck rather than buying said new collet chuck for $90 - $160 depending on brand. So finally some of these other jaws might come in handy.

Second, I just bought a new lathe. This new lathe goes from a 1"x8tpi threaded spindle to a 1.25" x 8tpi one. The expensive chucks have changeable inserts that let it altered to go right on this lathe. The ones I have do not. They are pre-threaded 1"x8tpi. so I can get adaptors but the length of it now has me pretty worried about runout in doing that.

As always YMMV. I have been happy with mine but now face growing pains. Knowing what I know now I wish I had just bought a Talon and could change the insert. But that is me.

Much of this was covered recent in someone else thread about chucks. To get lots of information try a search for chuck and go back only a few weeks or so.

Joshua

[jason lambert]

I went the more expensive was and got the vicmark chuck. I love it the only issue I have is I also got the bowl jaws and I hate having to switch jaws. It is just time consuming so I may get a second chuck instead of switching back and forth for the same project.

However I do like the chuck and I like the sence of security with the good chuck and tapered jaws to hold big things. I would recomend it. I have not used many cheaper chucks but I have seen people struggle with them a bit and I wanted something I knew was good and secure also has the insert so I can change it on different machines.

[Neal Addy]

I also drive a 1442 and chose the Talon chuck. IMO it was definitely worth the investment.

[Bill Bolen]

I started with a cheapie psi tommy bar chuck with several sets of jaws included. After swapping jaws a number of times the screws holding the jaws in place started rounding out. Had the same hex headed screws found on most chucks. I used the chuck on my Shopsmith. I bought a jet 1014VS at Rockler with an included Nova Midi chuck. Operated under the same principles as the psi chuck but the quality seemed so much better. The jaws move smoothly and never seem to come loose from the tennon as the psi did on occasion. Quality just feels much higher. When I moved up to my jet1442 I ran into a great deal on a Nova G3. Realllly like this chuck. It is a bit heavier duty than the nova midi and is key operated. The key end is just like a drill chuck key. I've found it to be an excellent chuck and much prefer the key operation compared to the Tommy bars. Got lucky and caught a close out on the nova sn2 a few months back and snatched one up. The sn2is much heavier, larger in diameter and the key operation is with a big T handle hex bit. This is my favorite. Smooth operation, grips so well and I bought a set of 100MM jaws to hold a bigger tennon for my larger bowls platters and hollow forms. Guess you get what you pay for with chucks. They all hold wood but some hold better. They all turn wood but the Nova's all gave me a more comfortable feeling knowing the wood was not going to launch from an inferior chuck. just my $.02 worth....Bill..

[Steve Schlumpf]

Radek - I started turning on a Craftsman Mono-Tube lathe, circa 1954, and wanted a chuck that would grow with me when I decided to upgrade. Picked up the Talon chuck with all the jaws and still use it today on my Jet 1642. Great chuck and does everything I ask of it.

[Reed Gray]

I started with a Vicmark, and now have 5 of them. The Vicmark, Super Nova, and Oneway are the best ones out there. I don't like to change out jaws, so that is why I have so many. I could use more actually. I agree that a keyed (either hex, or like the one for your drill press) are better and easier to use. Also, I prefer dove tailed jaws to the straight ones. They just hold better. Inserts are a must if you need to use another lathe like at demos, or have a second lathe in your shop.
robo hippy

[David Walser]

Radek,

In response to a previous question, I recommended starting out with an inexpensive set of HSS turning tools rather than buying name brand tools. Just to be inconsistent, I'll make the exact opposite recommendation when it comes to chucks. Buy a name brand chuck. The chuck is what holds the wood onto the lathe. A failure of your chuck -- while the lathe is spinning -- could have catastrophic consequences. I've never felt good about putting the cheapest possible tires on my car, nor do I want to skimp on safety equipment for my shop. (That doesn't mean I buy the most expensive option, but I definitely don't skimp in these areas.) Your chuck is a tool for turning, but it's also safety equipment. Keep that in mind when buying.

Another reason to go with a name brand chuck is, unlike turning tools, chuck's aren't supposed to wear out. A decent chuck should last your lifetime. Turning tools are consumables, chuck's aren't. You'll benefit from the greater accuracy of a name brand chuck for a very long time. In contrast, I've a cheapo chuck I bought soon after I started turning. It sits on a shelf because the small amount of run out the chuck had when new became a large and unacceptable amount of run out as the chuck was used over the course of a year. By contrast, my Vicmark chuck has received a lot more use and is still as accurate as the day I bought it.

Lastly, ask yourself if you really need a chuck now. Scroll chucks are a relatively recent innovation for use in woodturning. Their primary advantage is speed, which can mean a lot to a production turner. But virtually everything you can do with a chuck can be done in some other manner. Sometimes these other methods are better, but slower, than using a chuck. Just something else to consider.

[Bill Blasic]

My choice was and is the Nova chucks. The entire line of jaws excluding the Titan Power Grip Jaws (Only fits the Titan Chuck) fit on any of the current line of Nova chucks. This means that you can get a set of jaws for the Precision Midi and those jaws also fit the G3, Super Nova, Super Nova 2, and the Titan. The Oneway chucks are very good also but jaws for the Talon do not fit the Stronghold or viceversa if my memory serves. The Grizzly chuck at $99 plus shipping was a fair deal (a close knock off of the Vicmarc) but the screws that hold the jaws have given me fits (stripped heads and breakage). I bought better and longer screws that have made it usable again and I'd only buy another if they sold them with out the jaws at a reduced price as I bought the two other jaw sets. As previously mentioned I too do not like changing jaws and have at least one of each Nova Chucks - yes, and thats one of the reasons they call it a Vortex! Good luck with your choices.

[scott schmidt grasshopper]

I started out with a talon chuck and though it is well built, I have an issue with it . the standard jaws they send you are nondovetail and have two ridges instead for holding the block on the inside. This at times has allowed the wood to compress away from the bottom of the tenon changing the oreintation of the block and also making it unrepeatable remounting. I am a student of robohippy and got to use his vicmarks, when I moved up to a pm3520 I bought a vicmark 120 and a new insert for the talon. next will be a purchase of true dovetail jaws for the talon, other than that a good starter chuck
ps I turn greenwood and have never seen the usefullness of bowl jaws. I prefer a donut clamp ring for my reverse turnings... 2 more cents,,,,

[Bernie Weishapl]

I bought a Vicmarc VM100. It has a good variety of jaws. Then I found out the Grizzly $99 chuck is basically the same chuck and all the Vic jaws will fit it. I now own 3 of them with different Vicmarc jaws on them because I am to lazy to change them out. I have not had any trouble at all with these chucks.

[Richard Madison]

I have two of the $99 Grizzly chucks and wish I had a third one. They do have the interchangeable inserts. Like Steve, I swapped the first one from 3/4-16 to 1-1/4 - 8.

[Radek Kowalski]

Thanks everyone. I picked up the Supernova 2 today. 50mm jaws that come with it. Built like a tank, everything is great exepct the jaws GRIP. They damage the piece when I am working on it. Would the rubber jaws be a good idea, or am I doing something wrong? Thanks.

[Scott Conners]

Most people either turn a tenon to grip that will eventually be removed, turn a glue block into a tenon, or turn a recess into the blank, which can either be turned out later or left in the finished piece. A tenon is generally accepted to be better, because you can't split the bowl in half by tightening the chuck too much. It's important that the face of the jaws be seated firmly against a flat, true & square shoulder turned on the piece in order to index properly and have the best grip.

[Don Eddard]

Thanks everyone. I picked up the Supernova 2 today. 50mm jaws that come with it. Built like a tank, everything is great exepct the jaws GRIP. They damage the piece when I am working on it. Would the rubber jaws be a good idea, or am I doing something wrong? Thanks.
The tenon you grip with the jaws is typically removed as part of finishing the bottom of the bowl. If you don't clamp the chuck down hard enough to dent to the wood, chances are it's not going to be tight enough to hold the blank through the whole tuning process. Especially on green wood. Rubber gripped jaws would be a problem, because they would flex and allow the blank to move while you're turning it.

[Wilbur Pan]

I don't have a Supernova 2, but in the photos of the Supernova 2 that I've seen, the jaws that come with it have a dovetailed profile. If you're making a tenon on your workpiece for holding, it should have a dovetailed profile. You will see some dents from the jaws, or you will see your bowl flying through the air at some point. DAMHIKT.

Another approach for holding the piece is to cut a dovetailed recess in your workpiece, putting the jaws in the recess, and expanding the jaws to grip it. I don't like this method as much as gripping a tenon, but I've used it in the past as well.

[Gordon Seto]

Would the rubber jaws be a good idea, or am I doing something wrong? Thanks.

No, you don't want flying objects. Those soft jaws have very limited usage/

Learning to use the chuck correctly as previously posted is vital. The security of the grip is not merely the brutal force of how hard you turn the key. A good clean shoulder fit is the important part. Crushing too much on the wood would cause the tenon or recess to fail.

Turning away the tenon or removing the recess in reverse turning is a common practice. Some wood (high in tanning) would leave a black mark at areas where they contacted metal.

[Leo Van Der Loo]

Hi Radek.
Don't use the rubber jaws for holding the bowl, unless you like Identified Flying Objects :eek: :D

It is for these reasons/problems (damaging and less holding power) that I use the Oneway chucks with the profiled jaws, I also use recesses 90% of the time.

But as you have your Nova chuck now, it is too late for that, still there are ways to minimize the problem you have.

I'll add a picture here,it shows the problem with the smooth jaws (dovetail jaws), it also shows when you have the least of a problem with this.

And that is at the exact size were the jaws make a precise circle, that is where you have full contact with the jaws and the least likely problem with damaging the wood, and also the most holding power.

Hope this helps you some :)

Oh ja one more thing, don't crank the living daylight out of the chuck, tight is all you need/want, without crushing the wood fibers :-)

http://homepage.mac.com/l.vanderloo/PhotoAlbum26.html

[Allen Neighbors]

I'm a SuperNova2 man. I have Two, and wish I had more. I also have the Titan, and haven't found a piece of wood it won't hold. The Titan PowerGrip Jaws are the only set of Jaws that won't switch around to the SN2s.
I also have a Nova Compac Chuck that is dedicated to my Little Vic.
Nova is quality!

[Leo Van Der Loo]

Hi Allen, glad to hear you are happy with your chucks, I am with mine.
I was trying to show how to hold the wood with the least amount of damage, and a picture is worth a thousand words IMO, have fun and take care :D