I have some nova chucks that need to be taken apart and thoroughly cleaned.
Are there tutorials explaining the process??
Thanks
Frank
Are there tutorials explaining the process??
Thanks
Frank
-
Beware of Counterfeit Woodturning Tools (click here for details) -
Johnathan Silwones is starting a new AAW chapter, Southern Alleghenies Woodturners, in Johnstown, PA. (click here for details) -
Congratulations to Jim Hills for "Journey II" being selected as Turning of the Week for May 6th, 2024 (click here for details) -
Welcome new registering member. Your username must be your real First and Last name (for example: John Doe). "Screen names" and "handles" are not allowed and your registration will be deleted if you don't use your real name. Also, do not use all caps nor all lower case.
Deep cleaning chucks
- Thread starter Frank Tiahrt
- Start date
This is off the Teknatool site
Search for : How to Service Nova Chucks-Teknatool
this is a pdf and cannot get direct link to work
Search for : How to Service Nova Chucks-Teknatool
this is a pdf and cannot get direct link to work
There is probably a YouTube video about it too. I know there is a video showing how to take apart a Vicmarc VM120 chuck. Do a Google search.
Ian 'Robbo' Roberts or Robertson, can't remember has one on doing this with both the Vicmark and Nova chucks. I think his videos are better than the ones the manufacturers did. The Nova one is still up, but I couldn't find the Vicmark one last time I looked. He is the one who did the most watched video on why you don't use a SRG on bowls.
Found it:
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PF3IfVkbCxE
robo hippy
Found it:
robo hippy
If you go to his YouTube site that you linked there are 3 videos on cleaning chucks, 3A, 3B, and 3C.
The A video is general stuff, the B video is on the Vicmarc, and the C video is on the Nova.
You could also submerge the chuck in some solvent and use compressed air to blow the liquid and sludge from inside the chuck.
If you submerge the chuck in a solvent and open and close the chuck while it is submerged it will loosen the debris inside the chuck.
Many turners avoid using grease or lubricant inside wood lathe chucks as this will collect the wood dust into the grease.
This is a quick fix if you don't have time to take your chuck apart if it is getting gummed up but still working.
Taking the chuck apart and cleaning properly with a solvent and reassembling is the best practice if you have the time.
Nova chucks are pretty simple to take apart and reassemble, you just need to get the chuck jaws in the correct order when reassembling.
If you submerge the chuck in a solvent and open and close the chuck while it is submerged it will loosen the debris inside the chuck.
Many turners avoid using grease or lubricant inside wood lathe chucks as this will collect the wood dust into the grease.
This is a quick fix if you don't have time to take your chuck apart if it is getting gummed up but still working.
Taking the chuck apart and cleaning properly with a solvent and reassembling is the best practice if you have the time.
Nova chucks are pretty simple to take apart and reassemble, you just need to get the chuck jaws in the correct order when reassembling.
All new chucks will come with rust preventive and usually some oil on moving parts (ss chucks probably just oil or grease). As @Mike Johnson said, the stuff is a magnate for debris. MS or naptha are good cleaners for this stuff.
I disassemble and clean new or used chucks when I get them. An excellent rust preventive is DuPont Chain Saver (walmart). Dries to a waxy slick film. All friction surfaces get some paste wax. I just blow out saw dust occasionally, future cleaning rarely required. I prefer open back chucks that are easily blown out.
I disassemble and clean new or used chucks when I get them. An excellent rust preventive is DuPont Chain Saver (walmart). Dries to a waxy slick film. All friction surfaces get some paste wax. I just blow out saw dust occasionally, future cleaning rarely required. I prefer open back chucks that are easily blown out.
A search at Nova's website did not turn up the article, but a Google search did. Here is the URL:
My good buddy Darryl just posted this video today on cleaning a Nova chuck. He makes great videos!
View: https://youtu.be/_7nM54cpyng
While many people suggest avoiding grease in a chuck, Nova instructions call for using general purpose grease on the inner workings.
I am interested in hearing from those who have taken apart and reassembled one or more Super Nova 2 chucks. Did you use grease on the workings or go without lubricant? How did that work out?
I am interested in hearing from those who have taken apart and reassembled one or more Super Nova 2 chucks. Did you use grease on the workings or go without lubricant? How did that work out?
Curious where you found that info. My perusal of the maint guide linked above simply says “the lubricant”. May have missed it, but I didnt see a lube defined.
Used a dry lube on mine . I do not remember what brand it was , Think @Bill Boehme recommended it.
It was in the manual that came with the chuck.
What is a dry lubricant?
Dry lube or greaseless lube, leaves no sticky film on the surface to act as a dust magnet. A lot of dry lubes contain silicone which is usually banned in shops that spray a surface finish such as lacquer. Seems like one little molecule of silicone will fish eye or orange peel a surface finish. Glide cote and Lami lube are two that come to mind but I'm sure there are others.
This quote is straight from Nova.
“Self-lubricating copper-infused precision-cast jaw slides for effortless movement and resistance to wear and tear.”
“Self-lubricating copper-infused precision-cast jaw slides for effortless movement and resistance to wear and tear.”
So, as a general rule - would there be a concensus that closed back chucks - a little dry lube...Open back chucks - NO lube....? I ask this because it seems that the main issue of lube/no lube is the potential of debris accumulation in the gears. Open back chucks clearly are subject to much more of this.
My consensus only - lube is needed for either, and it needs to be dry. I have tried various dry lubes, and find plain paste wax is as good or better than any of them for friction reduction and rust prevention. Never owned a closed back chuck but dust will eventually work its way in. So after the 1st cleaning would be the time to apply the wax.
The friction surfaces of a chuck move very slowly, no heat to deal with. Galling (metal transfer) from surfaces sliding together is the wear mechanism. My waxed chucks show none after years of use. Stainless chucks may be a different animal, as ss is more prone to this wear mechanism, and depends on the particular ss.
Last edited:
Suggestions on non-silicone dry lubes?
I have links to two
CRC Power Lube Industrial High Performance Lubricant w/PTFE
DuPont Multi-Use Lubricant Aerosol
Not sure which one I used on my chucks right nowI see the Lami-Lube II that Clifton suggested is also silicone free.
I was show a process that is relatively essy in cleaning a chuck. Start by wrapping the chuck in saran wrap to enclose the chuck. Spray a fair amout of WD40 inside the wrap and spin the chuck at a speed of 800~1000 for a few minutes. The chips full of WD40 will migrate to the edges of the chuck and removing the chips is much easier.
I finally got around to opening one of my SN2's. I was surprised to find very little sawdust inside and no visible lubricant. So when I put it back together I didn't add any lube, and I'm not even going to take apart the other (two unless they stop working).
I’ll disagree with some. My chucks with sealed backs I use grease. Is nice it is sealed there is almost no sawdust. With my one open back chuck I use dry lube.
@Mark Jundanian I would put some type of lubricant on the scroll ring and gears.
@Mark Jundanian I would put some type of lubricant on the scroll ring and gears.