Nova Chuck Insert Question

[Kent Reisdorph]

I am using Supernova chucks. My old lathe had a 1" arbor. The new lathe is 1 1/4". I bought a 1.25" insert but I might have a problem. The 1.25" insert is about 3/8" longer than the 1". That means the chuck doesn't seat against the insert. It stops about 3/8" short. Is that an issue? Or is it fine as long as the chuck is tight on the insert?

 

[Marc Banka]

I don’t think you have a problem at all. It’s the bottom of the insert that mates to the chuck, so a bit of distance between the hex of the insert and chuck body is a good thing. I believe there are tapers on each of the mating surfaces.

 

[Kent Reisdorph]

I don’t think you have a problem at all. It’s the bottom of the insert that mates to the chuck, so a bit of distance between the hex of the insert and chuck body is a good thing. I believe there are tapers on each of the mating surfaces.

Great, thanks. The old one snugs right up to the insert so it just looked odd when the new one left a gap.

 

[Asher Langton]

I am using Supernova chucks. My old lathe had a 1" arbor. The new lathe is 1 1/4". I bought a 1.25" insert but I might have a problem. The 1.25" insert is about 3/8" longer than the 1". That means the chuck doesn't seat against the insert. It stops about 3/8" short. Is that an issue? Or is it fine as long as the chuck is tight on the insert?

I just switched from a 1-8tpi lathe to a 1.25-8tpi lathe as well and observed the same thing, but all of my chucks (various Supernovas and a G3) seem to run as true as before.

 

[hughie]

I have several Super Nova chucks of the 5" version and would agree with Marc.

 

[Jim Byrne]

No problem---I have several supernova chucks with inserts, and they work great

 

[Gerald Lawrence]

I have 6 SN2 and not all of the inserts are the same . There is one that is reversing threads. If you get an off brand insert they sometime do not fit all the way flush into the chuck. Another problem with some off brand is that they do not flush up to the spindle hub .I do not remember the code of the best one for my PM but if anyone is interested can look it up.

 

[Kent Reisdorph]

I have 6 SN2 and not all of the inserts are the same . There is one that is reversing threads. If you get an off brand insert they sometime do not fit all the way flush into the chuck. Another problem with some off brand is that they do not flush up to the spindle hub .I do not remember the code of the best one for my PM but if anyone is interested can look it up.

Good thing to watch out for. In this case, it is a Nova insert. Another odd difference in my inserts: Of the 4 Nova inserts I have, one has a setscrew and the others do not. This is probably not uncommon. You see slight variations in different batches of just about any product. Perhaps they initially made them with set screws and now they don't any more. Or the other way around.

 

[Asher Langton]

Good thing to watch out for. In this case, it is a Nova insert. Another odd difference in my inserts: Of the 4 Nova inserts I have, one has a setscrew and the others do not. This is probably not uncommon. You see slight variations in different batches of just about any product. Perhaps they initially made them with set screws and now they don't any more. Or the other way around.

At least for the 1x8tpi size, there are two different versions of the Nova insert: with set screw (IXNS) and without (IDNS). I think one was designed for Nova lathes with spindle designed to take a set screw without damaging the threads, and the other was for lathes incompatible with the set screw. All of my 1.25x8tpi inserts (ILNS?) have set screws, though, and I think that was the only option?

 

[Kent Reisdorph]

Thanks for the details.

I have two 1 1/8" inserts I can't use. KMS Tools had a sale on Supernova chucks and they came with a free insert. Unfortunately, none of them fit my lathe at the time (1" arbor) so I just selected that one. Someone with less scruples might order the 1 1/4" from Amazon, put the 1 1/8" in the box, and return it. I can't make myself do it.

 

[Asher Langton]

Thanks for the details.

I have two 1 1/8" inserts I can't use. KMS Tools had a sale on Supernova chucks and they came with a free insert. Unfortunately, none of them fit my lathe at the time (1" arbor) so I just selected that one. Someone with less scruples might order the 1 1/4" from Amazon, put the 1 1/8" in the box, and return it. I can't make myself do it.

You might be able to sell them here. I’m going to be listing some of the accessories from my smaller lathe (direct thread chucks, short post tool rests, spindle extender, etc.) when I have some time, and I figured I’d sell my unneeded Nova inserts too. I don’t expect to get a lot, but it’s better than nothing.

 

[Dave Hulett]

your good to go!