John -- There are lots of good threads in this forum that discuss chuck recommendations. Allow me to make two recommendations:
First, consider the SC4 chuck from RecordPower. It is a clone of the Supernova2 chuck from Teknatool, but the RecordPower has slightly better fit and finish and seems to be made from slightly better materials. One advantage of these chucks is that any of the jaws from Teknatool, Sorby, or RecordPower will fit any of the chucks from these brands. That gives lots of options. I have, IIRC, three SC4 chucks and use them frequently. I have no complaints. I prefer my Vicmarc chucks, but I cannot say they are worth the $50 - $100 (depending on the size) they cost more than the SC4.
Next, consider NOT buying a chuck. Instead, buy, and learn how to use, faceplates. Chucks weren't available to woodturners until relatively recently. (IIRC, the first became widely available in the 1990's.) Before that, woodturners used faceplates. The advantage of chucks is speed. If you're turning for a living, that's a big deal. If you're a hobbyist, it's not nearly as big a deal. While chucks have the advantage of speed, faceplates have lots of advantages over faceplates. I'll only mention three: 1) They're less expensive, so it's practical to have several. B) As long as you keep your work mounted to the faceplate, the work can be taken off and on the lathe without worrying about the blank being off center. It's hard to remount a blank into a chuck and have it be perfectly centered. That's not an issue with faceplates. In my shop, I typically have several projects going at once. Some of them are mounted to their own dedicated faceplate. When their turn to go back on the lathe comes, they'll be perfectly centered. III) Faceplates hold more securely and introduce less vibration. This compares a blank mounted in a chuck with a properly sized and shaped tenon (or mortise) with a blank that is properly attached to a good glue block that is properly screwed to a faceplate.
As I said, I use chucks. I also use faceplates. I think most new turners would be well served learning how to use faceplates before adding a chuck or two to their arsenal. I wish I had learned that way. However, as often as I have shared that advice, I seriously doubt anyone has taken it. So, let us know how you like your RecordPower chucks!
Last edited by David Walser; 02-27-2022 at 5:08 PM.
David Walser
Mesa, Arizona