Rikon Z3 & Z4 Lathe Chucks

[Rip Littig]

Is anyone familiar with the new Z3 and Z4 chuck product line from Rikon? I just noticed them on the their website last night. At 3.5" diameter (2.6 lbs) and 3.875" (3.8 lbs) they appear intermediate sized. What strikes me is they have a 10 year warranty. That combined with $140 and $180 price tags for full direct thread packages seems very compelling. Has anyone seen these in person or even better used them?

Rikon Chuck System - Rikon Power Tools

NEW! LATHE CHUCK SYSTEMS Shop Sets & Parts 71-103: Z3 Chuck, 50mm Jaw, Woodscrew and Chuck Key-Direct Thread 1″ x 8 TPI $139.99 Add to cart 71-104: Z4 Chuck, 50mm Jaw, Woodscrew and Chuck Key-Direct Thread 1-1/4″ x 8 TPI $179.99 Add to cart 71-105: Z3 Chuck, 50mm Jaw, Woodscrew and Chuck...

rikontools.com

P.S. I'm truly not trying to make a commercial here and have no ties to Rikon. I'm merely curious as many of us are trying to find the elusive sweet spot in terms of quality combined with pricing as it relates to woodturning tools/products.

 

[Alan Weinberg]

looks like other chucks—first I’ve seen of it. They claim over 20 different types of jaws though I can’t find those on website.

 

[Mark Jundanian]

These appear to be identical to Nova and Record Power chucks. So, good chucks. Click the above link and scroll down for jaws. Jaws are probably interchangeable with N/RP.

 

[Asher Langton]

If they're compatible with Nova/Record Power/Sorby and priced at or below Nova, I'd be interested. I have a lot of Nova chucks and jaws, but Nova's quality is hit-or-miss (just had to run a tap through a couple brand new adapter inserts because the threads weren't cut deep enough!) and I'd rather deal with Rikon's customer support than Nova's.

 

[Kent Reisdorph]

I'm a Rikon fan. I did not know they sold chucks. I'm not in the market right now, but the next time I buy a chuck, I'll give one of those a try.

 

[Mary Hoff]

This is an older thread, but I am looking at getting one of these now. Any recommendations for which would be best for a Rikon 70-1420 lathe? Thanks!

 

[Rip Littig]

It looks like your spindle on the 70-1420 is 1-1/4" x 8 TPI. From what I can tell if you want a direct thread you'd need to go with the Z4. If you'd like an insert type chuck you can go with either the Z3 or Z4 provided you buy the 1-1/4" x 8 TPI insert. The Z4 seems like the better choice imo as it's a bit larger and has a rear cover. I prefer direct thread chucks but that varies from turner to turner.

 

[Mary Hoff]

It looks like your spindle on the 70-1420 is 1-1/4" x 8 TPI. From what I can tell if you want a direct thread you'd need to go with the Z4. If you'd like an insert type chuck you can go with either the Z3 or Z4 provided you buy the 1-1/4" x 8 TPI insert. The Z4 seems like the better choice imo as it's a bit larger and has a rear cover. I prefer direct thread chucks but that varies from turner to turner.

Thanks Rip. That was what I was thinking too.