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Thread: Screw chuck recommendation

  1. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by Richard Dooling View Post

    Does anyone have experience with the Vicmark 3 in 1 screw chuck?
    Not the 3 in 1, but I do use the Vicmarc screws... and have no complaints with those.

    If you are considering Vicmarc, have a look at their 'Dual Screw Faceplate'.

    Depending on what chucks/jaw sizes you have...

    Small dovetail side can be used with VM90 / VM100. Jaws pick up on a perfect circle.
    Larger dovetail side can be used with VM120 / VM150 by removing screw and reversing the face plate, replace on the opposite side

    That is a cheaper option than the 3 in 1 and it also allows you to remove the piece still attached to the screw to use the chuck for something else and then remount it in the chuck in exactly the same position while still attached to the screw. If you have the appropriate jaw sizes you get two backing plate sizes and you can always add your own spacer to get a larger backing plate size again, if needed.
    Neil

    About the same distance from most of you heading East or West.

    It's easy to see the Dunning-Kruger Effect in others, but a bit of a conundrum when it comes to yourself...



  2. #17
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    I have ordered the Vicmarc 3 in 1 from Packard Woodworks. I doubt I'll need it but they have a liberal 30 day return policy if for some reason I don't like it. https://www.packardwoodworks.com/118130J.html

    I had a nice conversation with someone at Packard who is familiar with both the Glaser and the Vicmark and he felt that the screw is equivalent to the Glaser. One thing that moved me over to the Vicmark is the fact that it has a steel body vs the Glaser's aluminum body.

    John, I'm okay with the dedicated 1.25 x 8 thread since I don't see me changing lathes anytime soon. The guy at Packard agreed with you that the stock screw has been fine for everything he's done, so Glaser's screw options became less of an issue.

    Neil, I had seen the Vicmark Dual Screw Faceplate but, like the Axminster, it appears to be matched to their jaws and all my chucks are Teknatool. Nice to hear that you are good with their screw quality.

    Again, thanks for helping me with this!
    RD

  3. #18
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    I’ve had a chance to play around with the Vicmark 3 in 1 screw chuck and thought I’d give my impressions.

    I like the all steel construction and the over-all build is very nice. The chuck has holes for a tommy bar and steel seems a better choice If I end up with a stuck chuck.

    The only negative is ta-daaa, the screw. It’s not very sharp. The thread geometry is odd and not like the threads in the Glaser. Vicmark says to use a 1/4” drill but the screw has a terrible time cutting into wood of any density. I tried it in some dense walnut and it just tore the wood out without cutting threads. It worked much better at 5/16” and some lubricant helps as well.

    I was going the try Neil’s suggestion and try to modify the threads with a dremel but thought of using a reground small scraper at slow speed. Some refining was also done turning the spindle by hand. I’ll work on it some more but even at this stage it’s much better. Of course this means I’m dealing with metal softer than the Glaser but it seems very useable,

    ChuckScrew-1.jpgChuckScrew2.jpgChuckScrew3.jpg

    And just to throw around another candidate, this looks like a very well thought out idea. They say it is compatible withe the Nova chucks.


    https://www.easywoodtools.com/produc...chucking-screw
    RD

  4. #19
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    Richard, thank you for your review on the VM 3-in-1.

    I'm surprised to see the thread on the VM screw as supplied. Not only does it look as though it wouldn't bite into wood, but from memory it doesn't look remotely like any of the screws that they supply with their standard chucks, well at least not the last time I bought one. That is puzzling!

    Well done on the modification and good to hear that you now have something that is working for you.
    Neil

    About the same distance from most of you heading East or West.

    It's easy to see the Dunning-Kruger Effect in others, but a bit of a conundrum when it comes to yourself...



  5. #20
    Quote Originally Posted by Neil Strong View Post
    Richard, thank you for your review on the VM 3-in-1.

    I'm surprised to see the thread on the VM screw as supplied. Not only does it look as though it wouldn't bite into wood, but from memory it doesn't look remotely like any of the screws that they supply with their standard chucks, well at least not the last time I bought one. That is puzzling!

    Well done on the modification and good to hear that you now have something that is working for you.
    The first photo looks almost like an acme thread more than a buttress thread with the peak of the thread flattened off so much, very strange. I don't remember the ones that come with their 4 jaw chucks looking like that either.

  6. #21
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    Quote Originally Posted by Richard Dooling View Post
    That screw does look very odd, like someone machined it without much thought, testing, or even skill.

    FWIW, I looked at the screws on both the original Glaser screw chuck and the newer, HiTech version. Oddly, they are different.

    Jerry's original has a taper on both top and the bottom of each thread, the edge being very sharp shaped somewhat like your modified screw but each thread looking thinner.

    The newer Glaser HiTec version has a different shape. It looks like each thread is a flat spiral with about .03" thickness with a taper machined on just the top (the side towards the wood). I can't tell the difference in their use - both hold very well with a 1/4" hole.

    This is a picture of the HiTec (cell phone pic, not very good) - you might be able to see the flat bottom and the tapered top on some of the threads on the lower side of the screw in the photo:

    glaser_screw.jpg

    Contrary to what I thought neither of the screws are hardened steel, as per the file test. Or perhaps they are somewhat hardened and annealed for strength.

    The one from easywood looks like it is machined to be self tapping. I've never found the need for that with the Glaser chucks, even with very dense wood.

    JKJ
    Last edited by John K Jordan; 06-17-2022 at 10:08 PM.

  7. #22
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    Quote Originally Posted by Neil Strong View Post
    Not only does it look as though it wouldn't bite into wood, but from memory it doesn't look remotely like any of the screws that they supply with their standard chucks, well at least not the last time I bought one. That is puzzling!

    .
    Quote Originally Posted by Edward Weber View Post
    The first photo looks almost like an acme thread more than a buttress thread with the peak of the thread flattened off so much, very strange. I don't remember the ones that come with their 4 jaw chucks looking like that either.
    I agree with you Edward, it's nothing like a buttress thread.

    I was going to have a closer look at the VM screws the next time I'm at my workshop, but a quick look at VM website shows clearly a buttress thread on the screws they supply with their Chuck's.

    https://vicmarc.com/product-page/chu...d-screw-detail

    Richard, I reckon they sent you a half manufactured screw. You can still see the turned surface where they took the metal down to the thread OD before the thread was to be turned, which appears to be only half completed.

    I know that VM acquired a new CNC machine recently and perhaps they are still adjusting their programs for that, but that does not excuse something like that screw getting through to a customer. Their quality assurance process should have picked that up. VM is known for the quality of their products, so this is quite unexpected.

    If it was me, I would be sending VM (directly with a copy to your retailer) the photo of the screw as supplied asking them for some consideration for the trouble they have caused you... I would be looking for at least a replacement for the screw, plus some refund for my trouble.

    If not adequately forthcoming, I would be sending them a link to this forum thread and having some further discussion about that here.

  8. #23
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    Another option is to buy a wood tap sized to your spindle and make your own. You can leave roughed out green turnings on it. I use SS lag screws, mostly 3/8" but have used smaller ones as well.

  9. #24
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    Quote Originally Posted by Neil Strong View Post
    My thoughts exactly, Richard.


    JKJ, I have no doubt that the Glaser is the best screw chuck on the market, but it is very 'exxy' for a small lump of machined metal and a custom made screw, especially when compared to the many other offerings available for around one fourth the price, eg...


    https://www.popsshed.com.au/Product_...id=26&pid=7259


    https://www.thewoodturningstore.com/...uckn-1-x-8tpi/


    https://www.ronbrownsbest.com/index....product_id=455


    https://www.pennstateind.com/store/CF3SC.html


    https://www.axminstertools.com/globa...il-jaws-810383


    Looking at the screw for that Axminster it seems to me to be not much different to the Glaser and way way cheaper...

    https://www.axminstertools.com/globa...e-screw-910466



    But. if anyone definitely prefers the screw on the Glaser then perhaps just buy that component and add it to one of the above backplates (or make your own as Walter has done)...


    https://glaserhitec.com/product/1-2-...acement-screw/


    Although, at US$50 for just the screw component, that is one very expensive small bit of machined metal... orthopedic titanium bone screws are cheaper... :~}
    It appears that all of the alternatives listed are 8 X 1". That might partly explain why they are cheaper. None of them seem to offer 8 X 1 1/4" choices.

  10. #25
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    Quote Originally Posted by Randy Heinemann View Post
    It appears that all of the alternatives listed are 8 X 1". That might partly explain why they are cheaper. None of them seem to offer 8 X 1 1/4" choices.
    Craft Supplies USA offers three dedicated screw chucks. One mounts in the spindle's Morse Taper. The other two come in both 8 x 1" and 8 x 1 1/4" spindle sizes. Are they as nice as the Glaser screw chuck? I cannot say. I've had their 3" screw chuck (which I bought before they offered their 3-in-1 version, which is similar to the Glaser design) for about 20 years. It's never failed me and works as well now as it did when new. If Glaser's chuck is better, it would be a case of my not being able to notice the difference in performance on my lathe. Mine holds securely and runs true with no wobble. I cannot fathom wanting more from a screw chuck.

    Here are some links:

    The one I have: https://woodturnerscatalog.com/p/109...=screw%20chuck

    Similar to Glaser: https://woodturnerscatalog.com/p/109...k#ReviewsPanel
    David Walser
    Mesa, Arizona

  11. #26
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    Quote Originally Posted by David Walser View Post
    … Mine holds securely and runs true with no wobble. I cannot fathom wanting more from a screw chuck.
    I don’t remember of it was mentioned here but one nice advantage I like with using a good screw chuck instead of a scroll chuck is if you remove the work from the screw chuck and remount it later it maintains exact registration. (at least with dry wood, which is what I primarily turn) I do this often, for example mount a platter or bowl by the top and turn the foot and outside of the bottom completely. If I do several of these, for example to take various stages of completion to a demo, they always remount with perfect registration. I use only the Glaser but I suspect the other good screw chucks with sharp machined threads will work the same way.

    JKJ

  12. #27
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    Quote Originally Posted by John K Jordan View Post
    I don’t remember of it was mentioned here but one nice advantage I like with using a good screw chuck instead of a scroll chuck is if you remove the work from the screw chuck and remount it later it maintains exact registration. (at least with dry wood, which is what I primarily turn) I do this often, for example mount a platter or bowl by the top and turn the foot and outside of the bottom completely. If I do several of these, for example to take various stages of completion to a demo, they always remount with perfect registration. I use only the Glaser but I suspect the other good screw chucks with sharp machined threads will work the same way.

    JKJ
    I agree, John. That is one of the great advantages of a screw chuck. Another is that they are so simple to set up and use. With a scroll chuck, you have to mount the piece between centers to turn a tenon (or mortise). With a scroll chuck, assuming one face of the blank is flat, you simply drill a hole in the blank of the appropriate size and depth.

    But, that's the great disadvantage of a screw chuck. If you start a piece between centers, you can change the center as you rough-out the bowl to better balance the grain. With a screw chuck, the center is much harder (if not impossible) to change. For a lot of work, this 'great disadvantage' is no disadvantage at all.
    David Walser
    Mesa, Arizona

  13. #28
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    Quote Originally Posted by David Walser View Post
    ...
    ...disadvantage of a screw chuck. If you start a piece between centers, you can change the center as you rough-out the bowl to better balance the grain. With a screw chuck, the center is much harder (if not impossible) to change....
    Good point. I haven't run into that for a long time, more useful perhaps with green, large, unbalanced, odd shapes. These days I rarely rough out a bowl, almost always turn dry wood and from squared up stock, often flattened on two sides. I just enjoy it more! I plan the orientation of the figure before I ever cut the blank. I'll often even run both sides of the blanks through the drum sander - this lets me see and evaluate the wood better and eliminate unpleasant surprises. Of course, some of the excitement of interactive discovery is missing but that's OK with me, just a different way of turning.

    These are my typical blanks for starting my favorite Small Squarish Dished Platters, ready for the lathe:

    IMG_7484.jpg

    - mark the center on the top
    - drill for the screw chuck and mount
    - turn the bottom
    - smooth and finish the bottom
    - reverse and turn the top, smooth, apply finish. Done.

    IMG_7506.jpg penta_maple_ellis_c_IMG_5435.jpg

    I do almost all face turning this way.

    JKJ

  14. #29
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    John, this is from the Glaser Hitec chuck description, "The Glaser Hitec Screw Chuck showcases a hardened medical grade stainless steel screw. . ." I imagine there is some compromise between hardness and brittleness. In any case I was a little surprised I could turn the Vicmarc screw so easily. John I know you're very busy but I would appreciate it if you would let me know the diameter of the Glaser screw shank when you get a chance.

    I have to admit, this has been puzzling. For the life of me I can't fathom why anyone would design a wood screw in a way that doesn't screw into wood. Whatever advantages there may be to their design, the form needs to be subservient to the function.

    I've sent Vicmarc an email with photos but I can't be the first person to point this out - so who knows if I'll get a response. I sent my retailer a similar message.

    This last image shows that the reground screw is doing a fair job of cutting into the wood.

    Thanks again to everyone who has contributed.
    Richard

    ChuckScrew4.jpg
    RD

  15. #30
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    I know the original Jerry Glaser info and the Hitec both say hardened stainless steel thread, but I used a small triangular file and unlike a hardened tool steel tool, I easily scratched the end of the shaft. I didn't try to file further down the shaft, near the other end, or on any threads - perhaps they are harder steel. I wouldn't be surprised if the entire screw was hardened then tempered for strength which reduces the hardness by some, usually controlled, amount, or hardened, tempered, then the just the threads rehardened. A hardened and untempered screw shaft could be brittle which could be a disaster for something that needs to keep the heavy blank from becoming a projectile!

    Next time I get to the shop I measure the shafts on both. I measured the thread OD on one the other day and it was about 3/8" which makes since since they sell replacement 3/8" screws. I drill a 1/4" hole and the chucks screw on easily by hand so I'm assuming the central shaft is somewhat less than 1/4". I'll let you know.

    I can't imagine they designed it to not screw into the wood. I suspect was what whoever it was that said you got a screw with with the machining unfinished. Either that, or the machinist was "under the weather" that day. I also can't imagine they wouldn't replace it once they see the photo. I'd probably give them a call.

    JKJ

    Quote Originally Posted by Richard Dooling View Post
    John, this is from the Glaser Hitec chuck description, "The Glaser Hitec Screw Chuck showcases a hardened medical grade stainless steel screw. . ." I imagine there is some compromise between hardness and brittleness. In any case I was a little surprised I could turn the Vicmarc screw so easily. John I know you're very busy but I would appreciate it if you would let me know the diameter of the Glaser screw shank when you get a chance.

    I have to admit, this has been puzzling. For the life of me I can't fathom why anyone would design a wood screw in a way that doesn't screw into wood. Whatever advantages there may be to their design, the form needs to be subservient to the function.

    I've sent Vicmarc an email with photos but I can't be the first person to point this out - so who knows if I'll get a response. I sent my retailer a similar message.

    This last image shows that the reground screw is doing a fair job of cutting into the wood.

    Thanks again to everyone who has contributed.
    Richard

    ChuckScrew4.jpg

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