• January Turning Challenge: Thin-Stemmed Something! (click here for details)
  • Conversations are now Direct Messages (click here for details)
  • Congratulations to John Lucas for "Lost and Found" being selected as Turning of the Week for January 13, 2025 (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.

Nova Jaws Review

A

Alex Ku

Joined
Nov 24, 2008
Messages
95
Likes
0
Location
San Francisco,CA
I've been using a G3 Nova Chuck for almost two years and was very satisfied with it. My G3 came with a 50mm set of jaws.

Recently I've purchased a Nova pin jaw set.
When I opened them up immediately I found several problems.
The jaws where crudely machined and had deep gouges on the inside. The edges where not chamfered or deburred. The burr was so bad you could easily cut yourself. The jaws sides are not what you call flat and have deep marks from a band saw blade. These sides supposed to be very flat so "there is no light" between them you fully close them. Looks like the jaws where just cut on a band saw and never finished.

I've called the seller and the guy apologized and offered me to exchange the jaws or get a discount on my next Nova purchase. I had decided to take advantage of discount and got 100mm jaws. Then they arrived they had all the same problem as the first jaws. 🙁
It took me an hour of deburring and sanding jaws.
BTW The metal is very soft and not heat treated. Feels just like mild steel. If you really tighten these jaws expect them to bend.

I expect better quality for $50 jaws. The original jaws that came with my G3 chuck where nicely made but the last two sets are just unacceptable.

This is my last purchase of any Nova products.
 
Last edited:
"The guy"that sold them said they fell off the truck? If it's a certain place in Canada which sells a lot on xbay I'd worry. I got an unmatched set and poorly finished jaws in an order way back ~12 years ago. Offered the same deal after two callbacks, I fettled and fixed on my ownand never did take advantage of the promised discount on the next order. There are now several cheaper chucks with jaws that fit Novas, so I'd look to franchise and proper packaging.

BTW, NO way the metal is ever going to be weaker than the wood, so I wouldn't let that trouble me.
 
I've just about all the different jaw sets they make and haven't had any problems like these with any of them. The last set (50 mm)came with a new G3 a year ago and was just as good as any of the others, although they didn't have the small step on the outside of the bevel like my other three 50 mm sets do (old Super N, Titan and midi). Are you certain these were made by Teknatool and aren't knock-offs? I know they've been having a lot of their parts made in China and had some issues with a batch of inserts, but got that resolved. I've never heard of any of their jaws being so poorly made.
 
I agree with Walt, was it a real dealer? with a real item? I know I have been expecting knock-off's ever since Teknatool moved manufacturing to China

That being said, when Teknatool first moved, there were some QA issues. Maybe these were old and they have had new issues

One last thought, the Canadian (authorized) dealer sells on eBay to both US and Canadian customers (Bob Gadd). This is KMS Tools in Canada

TTFN
Ralph
 
The Nova Jaws have always been saw cut after they were machined. I have had ones made in both NZ and China and have always done some light deburing with my jewelers files. Probably did not have to but having owned a machine shop for several years just in my nature. I have noticed no quality difference between to different country of origin jaws. Yes mild steel is typical for jaws.

Recently I purchased the new four jaw set from Nova that included the New 2 screw Pin/Spigot jaws and every set of these did not need any deburing. By the way those new jaws are great for holding small delicate items in contraction mode. I would recommend this new set to any one doing small items. Very good value for the four different sets of jaws and at least for me most are a useful addition.

Good Luck

Alan
 
I've bought my jaws on eBay from Woodworker Specialties(Canada)
he is an authorized dealer and provides good service.

IHMO A consumer product just can't have any burr left over to be removed by the user. I can expect some filing and sanding only when I knowingly buy some cheap Chinese tool. If I have to remove the burr myself then with all due respect it is not a quality product.
You cannot expect quality product from any company that considers deburring unnecessary. It would take Nova exactly 10 sec. on a belt sander or they could throw them in a tumbler with some abrasives to remove all the burrs and machining marks. Been made in China it would cost Nova almost nothing to do it. But they decided not to bother. It is really not about cost. It is about cutting too many corners.

If I am not mistaken Nova chucks and jaws are nickel plated. Chrome or nickel plating over the burr and rough machining was always considered as turd polishing by any engineer. In Germany you would probably get executed for that 🙂

BTW Vicmarc jaws are made in Australia and cost only $5 more than Nova.
 
bought vm90 from same place

I purchased a Vicmarc VM90 tommy bar chuck from the same place. the jaws were fine but the scroll in the chuck was so bad I had to take it apart and polish the parts as much a possible because it was hanging up when you tightened or loosened it. I know I won't buy anything else from him.

Vernon
 
You are mistaken the jaws are not plated. Some were black oxide but not nickle. The original Super Nova Chuck was plated but the G3 and the SN2 and the Midi are not.

Like I said before my New Zealand Jaws had more flash or burr's than any I had from from Asia/China.

It does take more than 10 seconds to remove those burrs and I would not want a set that went through a vibratory finisher as this tends to round edges particularly at edges that grip wood which I like as crisp as possible for a cleaner/stronger grip. I would rather do it myself then risk someone not doing it the way that I like or correctly.

I have nine sets of Nova jaws and 2 chucks. All have performed as intended at a very good value. especially compared to other chucks/accessories on the market. My chucks are accurate, grip well, and have done everything that I have ask of them. All with interchangeability between their entire line of chucks. In the long run that saves me even more so that I can spend my money on other tooling.

I am just trying to give a different perspective in a sense or fairness. I am sorry that you feel you were cheated.

Good Luck

Alan
 
. . . It took me an hour of deburring and sanding jaws. . .
Click to expand...
. . .It would take Nova exactly 10 sec. on a belt sander . . .
Click to expand...
After two sets of jaws like that I'd be inclined to vent a little myself, but unless you're one of the first to identify a new trend that's counter to most other owners' experience(s), you've still got your vendor as the only common factor aside from the manufacturer unless there an unstated middleman (distributor?) between the two.

Might be interesting to see what happens if you contact Teknatool about it. Manufacturers have been known to switch distributors and resellers, especially if there's anything disreputable happening. At the very least, they may offer a pleasing resolution to what occurred.

Well, OK, at the very least they could simply ignore you 🙄, but that would be worthwhile to know, too.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top