Tool Review-Craft Supplies 3 in 1 screw chuck

[Wally Crawford]

I generally use a screw chuck when I am rough turning my bowls. I have been using the screw supplied with my Nova chucks, but just recently got the Craft Supply 3 in 1. It arrived well boxed and protected in its own form fitting foam insert. The machining on this piece is just flat pretty. Everything fits beautifully together and functions just like it should; a nice piece of craftsmanship on the manufacturer's part. I offers a lot of flexibility in its design and I think that it will provide enough options to turn just about any size bowl I want to make.

Wally

 

[Bill Blasic]

My first good lathe I got was my DVR3000 (I still have it and use it) and it came with a Supernova chuck and being a relatively new turner I didn't quite get the connection with the supplied screw. Being that new turner and gleaning info from the new club I joined I purchased a screw chuck. Now to make a long story short I found out about using the supplied screw with the Nova chuck and that screw chuck has been and is still sitting in a drawer. Why?, because I found that using the screw chuck after roughing the bowl I now had to take off the screw chuck and put on the Nova chuck to turn the rest of the bowl. Now using the supplied screw I just had to unscrew the bowl and take the screw out of the chuck and the chuck is already there. Now I have been using that same screw in my Nova chucks for 20+ years, I have a lot more of these screws in a drawer along side the one that has the screw chuck in it. I use to different size holes for that screw dependent on the wood, a soft wood gets a smaller hole than a hard wood. Most times the wood screws so tight that I have a very hard time unscrewing it so my normal operation is to just loosen the chuck jaws and take the piece off and take the screw out with a set of water pump pliers. Now for me the Oneway chucks have their own screw and I have broken 2 of those and the screws that come with the Vicmarc chucks screws have just looked to thin so I never have even tried those nor have I tried with other brands of chucks because the Nova screw just plain works and why tempt fate.

 

[Lou Jacobs]

Most times the wood screws so tight that I have a very hard time unscrewing it so my normal operation is to just loosen the chuck jaws and take the piece off and take the screw out with a set of water pump pliers.

I use the same process. I have a crescent wrench hanging next to my lathe and mount the blank by the tenon, then unscrew with the spindle lock on and unwind with the wrench.

 

[Tom Lucas]

My experience is a bit different. I hate the SN screw. It's too short. I love my my VM120 screw: beefier and longer. I only use the SN screw on smaller turnings, but generally try to avoid using it at all. The VM is my go-to. However, sometimes the VM is occupied with other pieces. It is then that I use the 3n1. I like the 3n1, and I have the big disk adapter for it that I use on really big pieces. I've never had an issue unscrewing any of them if I wax the hole and screw threads before each use. If you size the hole correctly, add some wax, I don't see how you could break a screw of decent size.

 

[Kent Jaffrey]

I generally use a screw chuck when I am rough turning my bowls. I have been using the screw supplied with my Nova chucks, but just recently got the Craft Supply 3 in 1. It arrived well boxed and protected in its own form fitting foam insert. The machining on this piece is just flat pretty. Everything fits beautifully together and functions just like it should; a nice piece of craftsmanship on the manufacturer's part. I offers a lot of flexibility in its design and I think that it will provide enough options to turn just about any size bowl I want to make.

Wally

I purchased this a little while ago and greatly prefer it to the woodworm screw that come in chucks ( regardless of the brand). Being that I usually do batches for roughing bowls I don’t have to switch back and forth between screw and jaws as mentioned by others. The screw threads are great for going in easily, holding tight, and releasing without having to dismantle the set up.

It isn’t necessary, but it is nice and works with the way I do things quite well.

 

[Lance Mirrer]

To help the discussion, here is a link to the CS 3 in 1 (Please advise if I linked the wrong one). Note as of the day posting, it is on sale.

Precision Machine 3-in-1 Screw Chuck

Precision Machine screw chucks have long been a staple item in our woodturning workshop because of their versatility and ease of operation.Whether you're roughing bowls, turning boxes or making wooden jigs and jam chucks, the Precision Machine 3-in-1 is perfectly suited for the task. To use...

woodturnerscatalog.com

To those using it, how does it compare to the Glaser 3 in 1??

 

[Tom Albrecht]

To help the discussion, here is a link to the CS 3 in 1 (Please advise if I linked the wrong one). Note as of the day posting, it is on sale.

Precision Machine 3-in-1 Screw Chuck

Precision Machine screw chucks have long been a staple item in our woodturning workshop because of their versatility and ease of operation.Whether you're roughing bowls, turning boxes or making wooden jigs and jam chucks, the Precision Machine 3-in-1 is perfectly suited for the task. To use...

woodturnerscatalog.com

To those using it, how does it compare to the Glaser 3 in 1??

Can't answer that, but it looks identical, except for the fact that my Jerry Glasser is all aluminum.

 

[Wally Crawford]

I get what you are saying Bill, but my process is more similar to Kent's in that I will do the exterior and form the tenon on a batch of bowls-usually 10-12 at a time. My process for removing a stuck bowl uses the tool rest and a strap wrench for starters, then I can just turn it off by hand.

 

[Dennis Weiner]

I get what you are saying Bill, but my process is more similar to Kent's in that I will do the exterior and form the tenon on a batch of bowls-usually 10-12 at a time. My process for removing a stuck bowl uses the tool rest and a strap wrench for starters, then I can just turn it off by hand.

Yep!, I also use a strap-like jar opener around the tenon to easily remove stuck bowls. I also was surprised to hear about the Oneway screw failures. I have both the Vicmarc and Oneway. Between the two, I prefer the Oneway for what I do, because the screw diameter is bigger and the threads are deeper increasing the holding strength.

 

[hockenbery]

Now for me the Oneway chucks have their own screw and I have broken 2 of those

How did you break them? You’ve piqued my interest on this.

I have been using the ONEWAY screws for about 30 years. Same screws still workin fine.
Prefer it to the nova and vicmarc screws but that is just my experience.

 

[robo hippy]

I may have used a screw chuck twice. I found a drilled recess far easier, just as secure, and the chuck stayed on with minimal opening and closing.

robo hippy

 

[Bill Boehme]

How did you break them? You’ve piqued my interest on this.

I have been using the ONEWAY screws for about 30 years. Same screws still workin fine.
Prefer it to the nova and vicmarc screws but that is just my experience.

I’ve been using Oneway screws for only twenty years without any problems. I also am curious about what it would take to break one.

 

[Darryl Fective]

How did you break them? You’ve piqued my interest on this.

I have been using the ONEWAY screws for about 30 years. Same screws still workin fine.
Prefer it to the nova and vicmarc screws but that is just my experience.

I would guess breakage is more likely to occur if the piece doesn't have a good contact surface and/or the hole is drilled crooked.

 

[Stan Pressner]

My first good lathe I got was my DVR3000 (I still have it and use it) and it came with a Supernova chuck and being a relatively new turner I didn't quite get the connection with the supplied screw. Being that new turner and gleaning info from the new club I joined I purchased a screw chuck. Now to make a long story short I found out about using the supplied screw with the Nova chuck and that screw chuck has been and is still sitting in a drawer. Why?, because I found that using the screw chuck after roughing the bowl I now had to take off the screw chuck and put on the Nova chuck to turn the rest of the bowl. Now using the supplied screw I just had to unscrew the bowl and take the screw out of the chuck and the chuck is already there. Now I have been using that same screw in my Nova chucks for 20+ years, I have a lot more of these screws in a drawer along side the one that has the screw chuck in it. I use to different size holes for that screw dependent on the wood, a soft wood gets a smaller hole than a hard wood. Most times the wood screws so tight that I have a very hard time unscrewing it so my normal operation is to just loosen the chuck jaws and take the piece off and take the screw out with a set of water pump pliers. Now for me the Oneway chucks have their own screw and I have broken 2 of those and the screws that come with the Vicmarc chucks screws have just looked to thin so I never have even tried those nor have I tried with other brands of chucks because the Nova screw just plain works and why tempt fate.

Those skinny Vicmarc ones also work just fine!

 

[Don Wattenhofer]

I’ve been using Oneway screws for only twenty years without any problems. I also am curious about what it would take to break one.

I have about 30 years of use and I never came close to breaking one! Sure would be interesting to know what he did to break the OneWay screw.

 

[Bill Blasic]

The first one broke when I was tightening up the piece against the chuck and the second snapped when roughing. With my propensity for not throwing much away I may still have them, will check.

 

[Ross Berning]

The Axminster chuck’s screw is seemingly dependent upon a set screw. Mine deformed enough at that point to be a problem. Got a Vicmarc screw chuck and love it. Like Wally and Kent I batch out multiple bowls before swapping it out for a chuck.