Chucks - What's included?

[Possumpoint]

I've been looking on the net at a variety of chucks. I have a Delta model 1440 lathe with a 12" over the bed swing but if I understand correctly, the head can be rotated 180* for larger work. I know that with many models of chucks, I have to buy the insert for my lathe, that being a 1", 8 tpi.

What I'm trying to understand, do they come with jaws or are they extra? Do they come with a set and you select any extra jaws you want? It appears from the pictures that most if not all come with a set of jaws but I'd like to hear from those who have them. 😕

When you do outboard turning do you put your tool rest on a stand? Is that stable enough?

 

[C Edward Moore]

Oneway and Vicmarc

Possum,

The purchase of a Oneway or Talon chuck includes the appropriate insert for your lathe, a set of #2 jaws, a T-handled Allen wrench, and the appropriate implement(s) for operating the chuck.

If you intend to do large bowls, get a set of #3 jaws. If you do spindle work you will find a set of spigot jaws to be extremely useful.

A Vicmarc chuck comes with a set of dovetail jaws. A set of Long Nose jaws is useful for small spindle work.

All chucks from Oneway and Vicmarc are highly regarded. Be VERY CAREFUL if you decide to get a cheaper (Chinese-made) knock-off chuck.

 

[Griesbach]

Possum,
Your lathe should have come with an attachment for the tool rest banjo for ourboard turning. But....BE CAREFUL.

I have the supernova chucks and am satisfied with them. The first one came with a set of jaws and when Teknatool came out with the supernova 2 there were sales on the supernova companion chuck. This is the supernova without jaws and I bought two for less than I paid for my original chuck so I don't have to mess with changing jaws (usually) 🙂 . All the jaws fit on both the original supernova and the "2". You will need the insert for your spindle size.

Oneway, Vicmark and Axminster are all good. Just remember that each brand has it's own jaw sets and are not interchangable between brands.

 

[n7bsn]

Read the descriptions in the catalogs or listings, sometimes the photo will show jaws, but the listing say's they are not included.

I really like SuperNova, if you have the funds, look at this kit

 

[Griesbach]

n7bsn,

That doesn't look like too bad of a deal.

 

[n7bsn]

n7bsn,

That doesn't look like too bad of a deal.

The way I figure it, it comes out to about $100 off the separate prices.

 

[Kerry]

I've been looking on the net at a variety of chucks. [...] do they come with jaws or are they extra?

As others have said, many chucks come with a single set of jaws. But have you seen PSI's new Barracuda2 Key Chuck System? I have no idea about the quality, but for $155 I'm itching to find out.

Unfortunately, this item is out-of-stock with a current ETA of March 2006. (See the note at the top of the corresponding online catalog entry.) I say "current ETA" because only a week or two back the ETA was January 2006. I wonder if the dearth has anything to do with WOOD Magazine's favorable "micro review" of the chuck? (See page 82 of the Dec 2005 / Jan 2006 issue.) 😕

With the intro of PSI's newest chuck set, their other chucks may become "old hat". But that usually means lower prices for the older-style equipment. 🙂 See what you think about PSI's other chuck sets on the previous page in the browseable version of their printed catalog.

 

[Ed Koenig]

Consider Carefully!

Every turner I know has more than one chuck. The chances are you will too. I suggest you always buy the same brand and model chuck so you can interchange all jaws. If money isn't an issue, than buy one of each brand. (Don't you wish)

Also consider carefully the size chuck you buy. Will you buy a larger lathe in the future? Will your current lathe handle a large chuck now? If so consider a larger chuck for your larger lathe in the future. Only a new insert for the lathe spindle size would be reqiured in the future or a spindle adapter if you keep your old lathe.

Jaw sets are not usually interchangable between chuck sizes (Talon does not fit Stronghold, Vicmarc 100 does not fit Vicmarc 120). I do believe the Super Nova 2 (small 3-1/2") and Titan chucks (large 5") both made by Teknatool, share the same jaw sets. Don't take my word for that. Check it out yourself.

Having a small chuck and large chuck is handy. Having two of each is even more handy. And so on.

Good luck,
Ed

 

[pencheff]

... have you seen PSI's new Barracuda2 Key Chuck System? I have no idea about the quality, but for $155 I'm itching to find out.

Since I love ordering stuff one day and having it delivered the next and live so close to Philly I've purchased a lot of stuff from PSI. I have two of their chucks now, the "micro grip" and the "utility grip" and can say that they do the job they were intended to do. I'm a newbie turner who has bought a lot of entry level equipment and couldn't justify spending more money on a chuck than I did for my lathe 🙄

If you can't afford one of the "name brand" chucks I'd recommend the PSI "utility grip" with the additional jumbo flat jaws without reservation. They're not pretty, but they do work.

 

[Bill Boehme]

Possumpoint,

The swing over the bed on the Delta 1440 lathe is 14 inches, not 12. You can swivel the headstock to any position that you wish and then lock it down. There are detents at 0, 45, 90, and 180 degrees. The tool rest extension that came with your lathe is used when turning things off to the side of the bed. There is normally not any particular reason to rotate the headstock 180 degrees. The main reason for rotating the headstock is to allow easier access when turning rather than working over the bed -- for all practical purposes rotating the headstock 45 degrees will give you sufficient working room for most turnings. Before you start thinking about turning anything larger than 14 inches diameter, my experience is that the 3/4 HP motor will be a bit too small to handle anything much over that size unless you run at slow speed and take light cuts. Additionally, it will limit you to faceplate turning and you will need to start off with blanks that are fairly well balanced since you will not be able to turn large items between centers to get them balanced.

Bill

 

[wab]

I bought the aprentice

I bought the apprentice chuck system from woodturners suppy and it looked to be the same as the one from PSI. I have noticed that often the items offered by the two supply houses are identice except for their logos. I looks to be a well made chuch and it does come in a nefty wooden box. The price was about 4 dollars more at Woodturners supply. I will intend to give this as a gift and we should be using it on Christmass. If it turns out not to be worth the money I'll leave a note.

WAB

 

[Griesbach]

Bill,

You said it right. Earlier I said "BE CAREFUL" regarding outboard turning with the Delta 1440 but you really put it in proper perspective. Another alternative would be to slide the head stock down to the right side of the lathe and with the outborad turning banjo attachment, have enough room to SLOWLY true up a blank that was only slightly over the 14" limit. This with only lots of weight on the stand to off set the counter balance of having all the weight on one end of the lathe.

 

[Kerry]

I bought the apprentice chuck system from woodturners suppy and it looked to be the same as the one from PSI.

Thanks for this info!

It so happens that I live about 10 miles from the Craft Supplies USA storefront in Provo, UT. Maybe I'll pop down there next week (I doubt they'll be open on Christmas Eve) and pick up the Apprentice Chuck System version of this set.

Besides, it'll give me a great excuse to see what else is new these days.... 🙄

 

[JimQ]

Bet they are open today. They want the last minute Christmas sales like everyone else in retail.

Merry Christmas

JimQ

 

[Kerry]

Nope - I called on Saturday the 24th and was reminded by a disembodied voice that they are not open on weekends at all.

I drove down there today (the day AFTER Christmas), and they were still closed today. As a matter of fact, they'll be closed on Friday the 30th too! I guess when you're a family-owned business you can do stuff like that....

Sigh. Well, at least they'll be open Tue-Thurs. I'll make another trip tomorrow.

 

[Kerry]

Rats - no go. 🙁

The Artisan chuck set is on backorder until January ... 20th? Craft Supplies said that they got a large order in just before Christmas and that they were GONE within a few hours.

And that's without a mention in WOOD magazine!

But that's OK. I have a Oneway Talon chuck with several jaws that I can use while I wait. I went ahead and ordered a chuck set for a brother of mine in another State, which will ship when it comes in.

 

[Captain Eddie]

Be Very careful

As you know, this is where you can get some of the best and the worst advice in the entire world without even changing channels. Please be very careful when selecting a chuck. I made the mistake of checking my pockets before I ordered a chuck and went cheap. I should have thought it through and considered SAFETY FIRST.
A chuck is a one time investment, they don't wear out and the only thing you do is add to them. It will be one of the most used tools in your shop. You'll depend on it to hold the art you turn. You'll also, sometimes accidentally, abuse this tool by expecting too much from it. For instance, you mentioned outboard turning, you will apply lots of stress to your chuck if you ever get into this kind of turning.
Don't go cheap, don't do the knock-offs and avoid the new guy with the great idea. If it was that great we'd all have one and be looking for another. I'm not rich, not even close. But I do buy quality tools and gear because I only buy them once. I have "strongholds" and I use them on my mini, the club's 16", my 20", my ornamental and so on, etc. I've dumped the junk because it was junk. I have to trust that 8 pound mechanism to hold one of my 90 pound hat blanks while I cut away at it. If it fails I can lose more than a block of wood.

Be very careful, wait until you can afford a good one and you'll be safe and happy.
Makin' Shavin's
Captain Eddie