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tall "tower" jaws

Jeff Jilg

Jeff Jilg

Joined
Apr 9, 2004
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Website
www.woodturner.org
At the symposium I bought another Oneway Stronghold chuck. This will reduce all that jaw swapping between #2 and #3.

They also had some new jaws called Tower jaws. Basically the same diameter but with higher walls. Are any of you using tall jaw sets on your chucks? Are they any good?
 
I have a tall set for my VicMarc, or at least I assume it's the same idea, and love them. When turning bowls it gives you some more room to manuever without rearranging the skin on your knuckles. They also work well on taller stuff so you can make a longer tenon, therefore making it more stable in the chuck.

Only downside I have heard from the naysayers is that the taller chucks can't grab as tight due to the griping surfaces being further from the tightening mechanism. Not sure I even understand the logic, but I have had no problems. Wish they made every size in the tall "tower" jaws style.
 
I have a tall set for my supernova and supernova 2. If we're talking about similar jaws I prefer them to all of the others for depth of spigot and diameter. It provides coverage for a larger area and as woodwish said, it gives some knuckle room. (Woodwish check your message). You won't be disappointed.
 
Further away from the head stock will allow more vibration in the wood. OK on small things but not as good on larger items.

I have a set of O'Donnel jaws for my Axmeister chuck and like them for the small stuff. Better access and all that. I have heard some of the "Pro's" say they like to use a faceplate on bowls as there is less vibration over using a chuck.

Hugh
 
Tall jaws will reduce the available pressure for two reasons. First, if you do a long spigot, you're applying the same pressure to a larger surface of wood. This decreases the given pressure at any one spot. Second, if you're using a shallow spigot, you lose leverage as you move away from the chuck, since you're working farther and farther away from your fulcrum point.

Now, on the other hand, if you're using a long spigot or a deep hole, you trade off specific pressure for much more surface area, giving you the leverage advantage. When pieces break out of chucks, they don't doing rotationally, they lever out perpendicular to axis of rotation. That extra surface area, specifically along the axis of rotation, will resist this effect.

So, shallow spigot, short jaws. Deep spigot, long jaws.

How's that?

Dietrich
 
I like the extended jaws for the access they provide to touch up behind a piece, should I need it. As to leverage, purely academic, because the jaws are fully capable of compressing the wood beyond its elastic point, crushing and destroying the hold. Snug is all you need, and there's a lot of capability beyond that.
 
I agree with MM. I have the Nova Titan with standard PowerGrip jaws, and it has plenty of holding power for large objects. Based on the photos I've seen of the Oneway stronghold tower jaws, they are pretty similar. I like the tower jaws myself, because you get more leeway with how much tenon you leave on the piece - nice for vases, steep bowls, etc.
 
chux

I agree with Martin. I also have the "Titan" and the stronghold (oops I meant Powergrip) jaws. This set-up is well designed and certainly beefy enough to tackle any hunk of wood I will ever want to turn.
 
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Jeff Jilg said:
At the symposium I bought another Oneway Stronghold chuck. This will reduce all that jaw swapping between #2 and #3.

They also had some new jaws called Tower jaws. Basically the same diameter but with higher walls. Are any of you using tall jaw sets on your chucks? Are they any good?
Click to expand...
I bought a set of the tower jaws at the symposium and used them to turn a hollow form when I got home. The walls of the piece were between 3/16" and 1/4" thick, 7" tall and 6" wide. I thought that the piece was very secure. Just make sure that the spigot that you turn in near the minimum capacity for the jaws. I used a spigot diameter of 4-1/8" for the #3 tower jaws. It may have been my imagination, but I though there was less chatter than I usually experience.
 
Thanks guys. I might get a set of tall #3's at the Texas SWAT symposium this fall. I would feel more comfortable with a larger foot on the bigger pieces, and those tall ones would grab more wood.
 
Another two cents worth: I use the Nova "Long Nose Jaws" (I think that's what they're called) when I need or want either knuckle or visual clearance on the headstock end. I haven't noticed any mechanical advantage or disadvantage, but the clearance is really great when you need it.
 
Cyril,

No. The pin jaws are 25mm small spigot jaws. The Long Nose Jaws are 50mm (or close) and about 50mm long or so (2"). They work in both contraction and expansion like the pin jaws and most of the rest and are smooth inside unlike the heavy gripping, serrated 35MM, contract only spigot jaws. The Long Nose are fairly new....probably not essential, but really nice when you need to get between the chuck and the end of the turning.
 
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KenN said:
Cyril,

No. The pin jaws are 25mm small spigot jaws.
Click to expand...

Don't limit your thinking. They are only incidentally spigot jaws. Primarily they are pin jaws which will bottom in a 1" recess 7/8 deep and provide a great hold for working smaller pieces and interrupted edge roughs. Most useful set of jaws sold, in my opinion. Unlike some pin jaws, they don't destroy their own hold, because they're smooth.

Also a 1" dovetail hold for mortises.
 

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MM,

Of course - isn't it clever and wonderful that most jaws work both ways. Sorry for the omission.


Cyril,

I responded last night without going to the studio. The first thing I did this AM was to look at the long noses - they are 2" long, and are not smooth inside, but serrated for heavy spigot use, though I have only used the dovetail ends - both expanding and contracting.
 
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Ken,
I have the Nova pin jaws and use them much like MM does in the photos above. Some times they just aren't enough and the #2 jaws are too much so I'll look at the others to try to find a happy medium 😀 . Thanks for the update.
 
Cyril,

I think Nova has a 35mm set out now (memory serving?). If so, that may bridge the gap nicely between the 25 and 50mm. I, too, use my 25s as MM showed (nice clear pix), as well as contracting - I haven't needed a size between, though -yet - .... I'm sure when I do, I'll find myself in your shoes and then I'll have to investigate the 35mm.
 
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