Collet chuck versus jawed chuck

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chet0213

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Joined
Oct 13, 2015
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Richmond Va.
Hello everyone,
I am interested in getting some opinions on advanced pen making specific to if purchasing a good collet chuck, similar to a Beall or a PSI, versus a jawed chuck like a Nova G3. This will be a dedicated set up on a smaller lathe for making fountain pens without the use of any kits. The collet chucks I have listed go from 1/4 up to 3/4" in size and I would think that these would hold anything that I would be making for kit less pens. I just wanted to throw it out to everyone to get some good knowledge and feedback on if the chuck will manage to complete all the tasks for advanced pen making versus having to purchase a jawed chuck as well.
 
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If you're going kitless, you want the jawed chuck and a grabber mandrel or a pin mandrel to do your closed end turnings.

A large chuck body with NOTHING sticking out may be a good idea, as well ... or a large rounded collar that fits over your chuck body. As you are running your taps and dies, spinning workpiece on the lathe by hand is very important.
 
I can't think of anything for kitless pens than can't be done with a collet chuck. Has many uses, even holding the mandrels. Get one with a through hold that screws onto your lathe - not a morse taper. You will likely need a full set of 18 or so collets - not just the 5 that come with many sets.
 
BRobbins629 said:
I can't think of anything for kitless pens than can't be done with a collet chuck. Has many uses, even holding the mandrels. Get one with a through hold that screws onto your lathe - not a morse taper. You will likely need a full set of 18 or so collets - not just the 5 that come with many sets.
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Ditto.

A collet chuck (I bought the one from Craft Supplies USA), a live center (for tailstock) and a dead center.

Turning a tenon on the end of a square blank is easy enough between centers once I've got a 60 degree hole for the conical points to stick into; I use a cheap "center drill bit" set from Harbor Freight. I make the shoulder of the tenon good and square, diameter to fit into one of my collets.

Because I can never remember if 23/32 is bigger or smaller than 3/8, I bought a metric set of 18 collets (even I can see that 14mm is bigger than 13mm ... :wink:)

I do have a regular scroll chuck, but I use it for bowls and peppermills and stuff, seldom for pens.
 
Skie_M said:
If you're going kitless, you want the jawed chuck and a grabber mandrel or a pin mandrel to do your closed end turnings.

A large chuck body with NOTHING sticking out may be a good idea, as well ... or a large rounded collar that fits over your chuck body. As you are running your taps and dies, spinning workpiece on the lathe by hand is very important.
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this is very easily done with a collet chuck and a 1/4" collet.

I'll say as other have - for kitless, go with the collet chuck first, then add a jawed chuck later.
 
Thanks to everyone for all the great feedback. My assumption was correct that for kit less that a collet would be a wise investment over a good jawed chuck. I have much experience with machining and fountain pens so jumping straight into kit less for me will give me the results faster than going with kits. I do agree that jawed chucks have their advantages but specific to kit less you guys have brought up all of the things I was contemplating as to why go one way or another. Thanks again everyone!
 
One thing I forgot to mention: Rick Herrell (member rherrell) makes some very useful high-quality tools -- a short tool rest, and something I find really handy: a 1/2" diameter rod that's sharpened to a 60 degree cone on one end.

It means I don't have to take the collet chuck off to install a dead center, simply switch to a 1/2" collet. Even better, I don't have to hunt for my drift rod to knock out a Morse Taper dead center when I want to switch back to collet work.
 
I was already thinking of something like this! Having worked in a full blown machine shop before we make all kinds of funny tools to make life easier!
 
chet0213 said:
I was already thinking of something like this! Having worked in a full blown machine shop before we make all kinds of funny tools to make life easier!
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Check out all the other good stuff that Rick offers -- and if you can think of something he hasn't made yet, I'm sure he'd be open to talking about it. The straight dead center is some way down; I also have his off-center sanding jig, a couple of pin-chucks (one at 11.3mm for my "standard size" fountain pen caps and one at 8.25mm for barrels), and a tool rest.

His "catalog" ... LINK

(btw, I don't get commission, just a very happy customer)
 
The Penguin said:
Skie_M said:
If you're going kitless, you want the jawed chuck and a grabber mandrel or a pin mandrel to do your closed end turnings.

A large chuck body with NOTHING sticking out may be a good idea, as well ... or a large rounded collar that fits over your chuck body. As you are running your taps and dies, spinning workpiece on the lathe by hand is very important.
Click to expand...
this is very easily done with a collet chuck and a 1/4" collet.

I'll say as other have - for kitless, go with the collet chuck first, then add a jawed chuck later.
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I suppose my answer was also colored somewhat by the fact that I'm very short of money and I've been literally dreaming of getting a decent 4-jaw scrolling chuck for turning bowls and other things. I have an extremely cheap 3-jaw scrolling chuck with straight jaws that I am informed is actually made for metal lathe work rather than wood lathe work, and it performs more than adequately as a replacement for a 1-size fits all collet chuck, for me. It was only 40 dollars after shipping, from Harbor Freight, and fits #1MT.

To further illustrate this, I have a few sections of 1/4" aluminum rod that I've sanded down to 0.244" diameter to fit 7mm tubes, and I use it for turning beads. I'm quite confident that I can do other styles of turning as well with this setup, including closed end.
 
Skie_M said:
If you're going kitless, you want the jawed chuck and a grabber mandrel or a pin mandrel to do your closed end turnings.
Click to expand...

No need to buy mandrels to make closed end pens. A chuck, any chuck, and a live center works just fine.

Another vote for the collet chuck....If you can only get one chuck to start with go with a ER collet cuck then spring for a scroll chuck. A full set of Metric collets is more than a little handy and worth every cent imo.
 
For my set of pin chucks, I simply took my Harbor Freight Punch Set and ground a 1" flat slot on whichever size tube I was working with (usually for Jr Gent/Atrax/Triton). Then took a small nail and ground that down to diameter for a pressure fit. I have every size I need and paid... $0.

I do use a conventional jaw chuck, but suspect Santa may get me the collet set (If I'm nice :)).
 
Chet -- having worked in a machine your are probably familiar with the term "runout".

Runout is lower with the collet chucks vs the 4 jaw scroll chucks.

Do note that there are some collet chuck set being sold that are not build to ER standard configuration. That makes the purchase of additional or replacement collets a problem. There are a few common sizes that will likely get beat or worn with frequent use.

The metric ER sets do not have gaps in the range that is often present in the imperial sets. Not often a problem, but it happens. If you move to "kitless" you will probably appreciate metric.
 
Turners are required to have both a collet chuck and at least one scroll chuck.

Haha. But I'm not really kidding. :)

For your purpose a scroll chuck with appropriate jaws (not the stock jaws) would work but I'd go for the collet chuck.
 
I have a G3 with short extended jaws which I find very useful. Plus a PSI collet chuck - which I had to import from the USA! I have added various metric collets as I found necessary - it's brilliant - although I wouldn't want to be without the G3.
 
I've got the set from Woodcraft and sometimes wish I had gotten something with standard ER32 collets. These are ER25 clones and only go to 5/8". The ER32 goes larger.

I like the MT2 since it fits right in the lathe. Use it with a drawbar of course.
 
Well I did break down and purchased the apprentice collet chuck set and the metric collets from 2mm-20mm. I have had these for about 2 weeks now and have finished my first pen. I literally just got some the tap and dies for the cap and body so that's being done tonight. I will say that the collet chuck for kitless pens is amazing. Easy to use, having a huge variety of sizes I can turn a square blank on centers then use the proper collets as needed. I have learned quite a few things about working with acrylics on the lathe in the past few weeks and have everything documented and am all set up now for moving forward. Thanks again to everyone for their input on this. I do see advantages of having both types of jaws but in my opinion the collet chuck for kitless is the way to go! I will post a pic of the finished pen tomorrow.
 
chet0213 said:
Well I did break down and purchased the apprentice collet chuck set and the metric collets from 2mm-20mm. I have had these for about 2 weeks now and have finished my first pen. I literally just got some the tap and dies for the cap and body so that's being done tonight. I will say that the collet chuck for kitless pens is amazing. Easy to use, having a huge variety of sizes I can turn a square blank on centers then use the proper collets as needed. I have learned quite a few things about working with acrylics on the lathe in the past few weeks and have everything documented and am all set up now for moving forward. Thanks again to everyone for their input on this. I do see advantages of having both types of jaws but in my opinion the collet chuck for kitless is the way to go! I will post a pic of the finished pen tomorrow.
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GO CHET!
 
So here is the first pen I have made. It has some small flaws on it due to me not having needle files for the clip. I made it work with what I had and will be getting some files for future pens. I had a Edison replacement nib laying around hence the nib. I will be purchasing some Jowo nibs for future pens. Let me know what your thoughts are and sorry in advance for the crappy cell phone pictures!
 

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