Next Chuck

[Jenny Trice]

I have a Jet 1642 EVS lathe and enjoy turning just about anything on it. My more recent interest is in larger pieces, specifically hollow forms, diameters up to 6-10 inches and varying length (maybe 10-14 inches). My go-to chuck has been a Oneway Talon but I am thinking about getting a more robust chuck for hollowing. Several questions to you out there with experience using a similar size lathe for similar turning:

- Is the Talon good enough? I have heard that the recommended tenon should be 40% or so of the diameter of the piece and the Talon doesn't get me there.
- If not the Talon, what would be a step 'bigger'? The Oneway Stronghold is massive. Overkill for my lathe? It is heavy and the jaws would not be interchangeable with my Talon jaws.
- Is there a Nova chuck that would be a good fit? Is the dovetailed tenon a stronger hold compared to the straight tenon used with the Oneway chucks?
- Is it a pain to go between Oneway and Nova? Again, all different jaws, chuck key, etc. . . .
- What jaws are best for this application? I'm not sure I want to invest in the full suite of jaws immediately.

Interested in your thoughts.

[John K Jordan]

I can't answer all your questions but I really like the Nova Titan chuck for larger work. The thing is massive. Maybe a club member or someone local has one you can look at or try. You could come here but it may be a long walk.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0064JJ5S4/

The jaws are not interchangeable between the Oneway and Nova.

But one thing you will probably find: nearly all recommendations are for tools the person bought and likes (or at least has no problems with) but few people have experience with more than one brand so it's hard to get real-world comparisons. Often it's Ford vs Chevy, and sometimes from hard-core fans! (Personal disclosure: I am quite happy with 19 Teknatool/Nova chucks and have limited experience with Oneway.)

JKJ

[roger wiegand]

I used a Nova for a long time, it sits mostly unused since I got a Vicmarc. I just bought a second Vicmarc to avoid having to change jaws so often. It will hold anything I can turn on my 16" Conover lathe, and I suspect much more. I've used several others at club events and find the ones that use a chuck key for adjustment to be constantly irritating in that (as on my drill press) it is difficult to keep the chuck key centered and engaged while trying to both support the blank and tighten it with one hand. The positive engagement of the hex key on the Vicmarc makes the difference for me. (I found a reasonably priced used keyless Albrecht for my drill press so now I'm almost free of chuck keys in my shop -hooray!)

[Dennis Ford]

Consider using face-plates for the larger pieces.

[John K Jordan]

The positive engagement of the hex key on the Vicmarc makes the difference for me....

Is the hex key on the Vicmarc the same or similar to the hex key on the Nova Supernova2? I know the geared key for the original Supernova is a real pain and the one for the G3 is not much better. The SN2 and Titan have the much-easier-to-use keys.

Supernova2-chuck.jpg

I don't like the ball end so I grind it off.

JKJ

[Bill Boehme]

The Talon chuck with #3 jaws would be perfectly adequate for the size of hollowforms that you are interested in turning. I mainly use Talon chucks on my Robust AB unless turning something really large.

[roger wiegand]

Yes, that looks very similar. No ball on the wrench that comes with the Vicmarc, but as you say, that's no big deal if you don't like it.

Is the hex key on the Vicmarc the same or similar to the hex key on the Nova Supernova2? I know the geared key for the original Supernova is a real pain and the one for the G3 is not much better. The SN2 and Titan have the much-easier-to-use keys.

I don't like the ball end so I grind it off.

JKJ

[Michael Mills]

I have an SN2 but you may need the Titan from Nova for that size. The strength of the chuck body would be the question.
With either you will need the Powergip jaws (I believe they come with the Titan).
The Powergips do have a dovetail inside but you do not use them for hollowing. Instead you cut a straight long tenon, about 1.5"+, and it is held with the serrations below the dovetail. No way you should ever break a tenon that diameter or have it wrenched out (about a 3.5" diameter tenon).

[Edward Weingarden]

I've done a good number of hollow forms on a Jet 1642 with a Talon chuck. A number of them have been twice turned (a technique I learned from Steve Sinner) so I'll use a steady rest for the larger ones. The max diameter and depth have been about 8" and 12" - 13" respectively. The pictures show an Ash vase after the first turning. The diameter is about 5" and the depth about 10", so I didn't use the steady rest. It will take 3 - 4 months to dry, at which time I'll remount it for the second turning. One picture shows the diameter of the tenon for the Talon chuck, the other one shows how there is a "drive shaft" between the bottom of the vase, and the base where the chucking tenon is. That allows for the bottom of the vase to dry at about the same rate as the rest of it. I've gone on a little bit about the technique, but the bottom line is...a Talon chuck will work fine. For your larger pieces, I would definitely use a steady rest; it takes a lot of the stress off of the base and tenon.

__tenp1.jpg __temp2.jpg

[Edward Weingarden]

Looks like the photos uploaded in the wrong orientation, but you get the idea.

[Alex Zeller]

I can't answer much but on my Vicmark 120 it's a 10mm hex key. The one that comes with the chuck is ok (everything else about the chuck is great) but I also have a Bondhus T handle that's a ball drive. The ball drive end is a lot nicer. Like Roger was saying trying to hold a heavy project with one hand while tightening the chuck with the other is easier with a T handle hex key is much easier than trying to use a chuck key. Adding the ball end style just makes it even easier as you can be at an angle when putting the T-handle into the chuck and tightening it up.

[robert baccus]

I assume you are thinking a tenon hold on the piece. Like Dennis I don't like a tenon/chuck grip on long heavy pieces. The problem is not the chuck--heavy like titan is over kill IMUO. I do vases to 130# but usually use a super strong wood(Beech or dogwood) glueblock on a single screw chuck grab. A good tenon on this same idea would hold much better than the green, sappy wood we usually turn vases from. Use thick CA glue if you try the glue block route. The weak place when doing heavy, long green pieces is not the chuck but grabbing the wet, soft wood with anything. Ca just loves wet, green wood--I,ve done hundreds of vases-urns this way. By the way I still use my 2 Nova-2 chucks for this heavy duty and I shape. hollow and finish with this grab on the wood. CA on he bottom seems to prevent cracking on the end grain bottom--also I twice turn these with endseal only on the outside.

[Kevin Jenness]

Robert, when you twice-turn a piece do you use the same CA- adhered glue block after drying the blank?

[Edward Weingarden]

John:
Thanks for re-orienting the photos.

[terry mccammon]

I have to put in a plug for the Hurricane line from The Woodturning Store. Also available on Amazon. I have both sizes and find them high quality and an excellent price point.