Stupidly purchased metal working chuck - can I still use it for woodworking?

[Erik Blank]

I am very new to this hobby, and while looking at the different chucks on Amazon, I selected the wrong one for my wife to purchase for my birthday gift. Is it still possible to sue what I amd now seeing as a metalworking chuck for my wood turning?
Here is the link to the chuck:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07XQ74H37/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Needing to know if I have to return this and get a new one with the dovetail" jaws or not...

Perhaps this one?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07PYFNFP3/ref=psdc_304789011_t1_B07XQ74H37

Thanks in advance for helping me through my newby questions!

BTW, I am using a Rikon 70-100 Midi-Lathe
https://www.rikontools.com/product/70-100

 

[Gary Beasley]

Since its self centering it can be used in a pinch, but you will not be happy with the jaw selection. Most of what I saw there would grip poorly and mark the wood big time.
Personally I wouldnt buy the Wen, takes three hands to mount anything up in it. I have a couple of Super Nova chucks and am quite satisfied with them. One of them is an Infinity and I have the full range of jaws, though for you a regular set would fit your budget better.

 

[Erik Blank]

Since its self centering it can be used in a pinch, but you will not be happy with the jaw selection. Most of what I saw there would grip poorly and mark the wood big time.
Personally I wouldnt buy the Wen, takes three hands to mount anything up in it. I have a couple of Super Nova chucks and am quite satisfied with them. One of them is an Infinity and I have the full range of jaws, though for you a regular set would fit your budget better.

Thanks for your quick reply!
A few follup questions:

1. When you say "regular set" are you talking about the chuck 'teeth' or the chuck itself?
2. Why is the Wren such a pain to set up? It says self centering... What more does a good chuck need?
3. As you suggested, I am on a VERY tight budget (this was a big splurge for our household) Can I get a Nova chuck in the same price range for some hidden supplier out there?

Thansk again for your response!

 

[Dean Center]

Eric,
I don't believe you will be happy with the metalworking chuck for woodturning. It might work for some things, but it will be difficult, have unique limitations and problems, and leave you thinking you wasted $66. I would recommend returning it.

The Wen woodturning chuck listed on Amazon for about $62 does not have additional jaws available, which would be quite limiting in your future.

Here are some bargain basement chucks that would serve you better in the long run and be far better than the metalworking chuck:

https://www.grizzly.com/products/Grizzly-4-Jaw-Chuck-For-Round-Pieces-1-x-8-TPI/G8784.
You can see in the picture that the finish of the grizzly chuck is not at the same level as more expensive chucks, but it's a significant step up from the metal chuck, and you can get more jaws.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0064JJ4NK/ref=twister_B07R9YSC4M?_encoding=UTF8&th=1.
This is basically the original woodturning scroll chuck from 30 years ago. It works, though most amateurs find the tommy bars used to open and close to be cumbersome. (Some pros prefer them as they can be faster) It will allow a large number of different jaws.

https://www.amazon.com/NOVA-48232-Reversible-Turning-Chuck/dp/B0074HJ1V6.
This is a good, modern scroll chuck, which will serve you well. If you can wait until May, they tend to go on sale as Father's Day gifts at woodworking stores.

Two other other strategies: look for a used one on Ebay, or check with your local woodturning club ( https://IndianaCountyWoodturners.org ) and see if someone has an extra chuck they would sell or loan you.

 

[Erik Blank]

Eric,
I don't believe you will be happy with the metalworking chuck for woodturning. It might work for some things, but it will be difficult, have unique limitations and problems, and leave you thinking you wasted $66. I would recommend returning it.

The Wen woodturning chuck listed on Amazon for about $62 does not have additional jaws available, which would be quite limiting in your future.

Here are some bargain basement chucks that would serve you better in the long run and be far better than the metalworking chuck:

https://www.grizzly.com/products/Grizzly-4-Jaw-Chuck-For-Round-Pieces-1-x-8-TPI/G8784.
You can see in the picture that the finish of the grizzly chuck is not at the same level as more expensive chucks, but it's a significant step up from the metal chuck, and you can get more jaws.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0064JJ4NK/ref=twister_B07R9YSC4M?_encoding=UTF8&th=1.
This is basically the original woodturning scroll chuck from 30 years ago. It works, though most amateurs find the tommy bars used to open and close to be cumbersome. (Some pros prefer them as they can be faster) It will allow a large number of different jaws.

https://www.amazon.com/NOVA-48232-Reversible-Turning-Chuck/dp/B0074HJ1V6.
This is a good, modern scroll chuck, which will serve you well. If you can wait until May, they tend to go on sale as Father's Day gifts at woodworking stores.

Two other other strategies: look for a used one on Ebay, or check with your local woodturning club ( https://IndianaCountyWoodturners.org ) and see if someone has an extra chuck they would sell or loan you.

Dean: thank you for your reply. All of your suggestions are beautiful (or at least rugged in the Grizzly chuck) but are still a good $30 out of my current price range, so I would have to wait a good 4-8 months before I could get my sweeaty hands on a new chuck even if I can return the current one for a full refund. You mentioned that the Wen chuck would be limiting because I could not change theaws. Would this one be more compatible for future expansion? (it also features a different tightening method than the original Wen chuck that I posted earlier)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07PYFC81F/ref=psdc_304789011_t1_B07PYFNFP3

 

[john lucas]

The web 4275 then last one you listed is far superior to the first ones. The Tommy bar chuck is are a.pain to use.

 

[Dean Center]

Dean: thank you for your reply. All of your suggestions are beautiful (or at least rugged in the Grizzly chuck) but are still a good $30 out of my current price range, so I would have to wait a good 4-8 months before I could get my sweeaty hands on a new chuck even if I can return the current one for a full refund. You mentioned that the Wen chuck would be limiting because I could not change theaws. Would this one be more compatible for future expansion? (it also features a different tightening method than the original Wen chuck that I posted earlier)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07PYFC81F/ref=psdc_304789011_t1_B07PYFNFP3

I did not see the 2.75 inch Wen chuck on Amazon when I looked. It does have a few additional jaws available, though I'm not sure those particular jaws will be useful to you. At least the company is making an effort to make it more flexible for you. With the substantial price difference between the Wen and other brands, one has to wonder where they are saving the money in production. It might work just fine for you and it is at least a woodturning chuck, which would be much safer and useful than the metalworking one. Caveat emptor.

And I still strongly recommend you make contact with your local turning club. The folks there will save you a lot of grief, dramatically speed your learning process, and possibly prevent an expensive trip to the ER.

 

[hockenbery]

Dean: thank you for your reply. All of your suggestions are beautiful (or at least rugged in the Grizzly chuck) but are still a good $30 out of my current price range, so I would have to wait a good 4-8 months before I could get my sweeaty hands on a new chuck even if I can return the current one for a full refund. You mentioned that the Wen chuck would be limiting because I could not change theaws. Would this one be more compatible for future expansion? (it also features a different tightening method than the original Wen chuck that I posted earlier)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07PYFC81F/ref=psdc_304789011_t1_B07PYFNFP3

You can turn a whole lot without a chuck.
A Chuck is a convenience not a necessity for most things.

A faceplate and screws for bowls and hollow forms.
Spur drive and live center for lots of stuff.
You can Glue lots of stuff to a wooden Morse taper or to a waste block screwed to a faceplate.
A simple guide to turning a Morse taper from wood
https://www.capwoodturners.org/Tips/TurningaMorseTaper.pdf

i use a faceplate for almost all my hollow forms.

here is a thread on mounting a faceplate
http://www.aawforum.org/community/index.php?threads/mounting-a-faceplate.14749/

one example is a ball in a ball. I use a chuck to hold the straka chuck but you could just as easily mount it on a faceplate. The cup I use to turn the ball is a wood glued to a wooden Morse taper.
http://www.aawforum.org/community/index.php?threads/ball-in-a-ball.15698/

 

[RichColvin]

Erik,

I have both a metal and a wood lathe.

According to Amazon, this chuck is self-centering, which is unusual on 4-jaw chucks of that size. Usually 3-jaw chucks are self centering, and 4-jaw chucks are have jaws which are independently tightened (which is a very useful feature for certain activities).

But more importantly, with metal lathes, the chuck bolts to a backplate. The picture below shows that backplate on one type of lathe, and the picture below it shows how the chuck is bolted to the backplate.

I can tell you that this won’t work on a wood lathe where the chuck is attached to the threaded part of the spindle.

Check with Amazon : They will probably take the return.

 

[Doug Freeman]

You want to return the metal lathe chuck if you can get your $ back. There are some decent chucks with extra jaw sets included in the $150-$200 range. Sounds like that is over bgt for now. It will be better to wait till you have the $ vs a sub $100 chuck.

An option is to get a 1x8 tap and tap glue blocks, but you have a faceplate with the lathe that you can screw glue blocks to, so the tap doesnt really get you anywhere.

Some things to consider when buying a chuck:

> one with an insert can transfer to a new lathe with a different spindle thread
> 2 basic jaw grip types, serrated and dovetail. Oneway has a custom serrated style called profiled similar to serrated. Each works well, each has pros/cons. I mostly use tenons, and prefer serrated they grip better over a wider tenon size for a given jaw set
> Artisan at Craft Supplies and Bestequip on amazon have some decent chucks with jaws sets

 

[Gerald Lawrence]

Saw in my email today Woodcraft has a Nova G3 on sale for 99