WHICH CHUCK ??????????

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OldWrangler

OldWrangler

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Jan 29, 2008
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Location
Spring, Texas, USA.
I am getting more into turning bowls and have been usinf a 3" face plate screwed into the block. I think I will do better with a 4 jaw chuck instead but there are so many on the market at all different prices. What do my friends on the IAP recommend. I have the Jet 12-20 with a #2 Morse taper on the head stock. Threads are 1" x 8.
One model I liked was the Shop Fox at $85. What do you suggest from both a quality and a price viewpoint? Anybody got something good that they don't use that they want to sell? I am looking for all suggestions and solutions. There are several 3 and 4 jaw chucks on ebay for less than $40. Would they be accurate and work without trouble or am I just wasting money on those?

Thanks.
 
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I have got the Supernova2, cannot fault it and I am more than happy with it. Might be a bit dearer but with the additional accessories available could be better in the long run also there are thread adaptors available so should you change your lathe in the future you only need to get an adaptor rather than another chuck.
 
Yeah, here's another vote for the Teknatool lineup. Their variety of jaws is pretty darn good - and the "soft jaws" are nice, too. I bought the original Nova, and still use it.
 
George that monster hunck of Apple I just turned was mounted to a Titan with 5 inch jaws. We have a couple of Super Nova 2s that get used a bunch for smaller stuff.
The two systems that cost less----Grizzly sells one and PSI has the Barracuda---for the money these will get the job done.
I really think alot of it is more a Ford /Chevy fight than anything else.
Oh we have worn out Two of the Super Nova 2 systems. They got tossed.
 
I also have the SuperNova2. I will say that I bought it at a point when I was pampering myself and had it on my list to get for a long time. Not sorry I did it either I use and have been known to abuse it when I first got it. the abuse was not intentional but I did realize I am more likely to tear the head stock off my lathe than damage the chuck.
As Gary points out if you want to turn things like whole trees you need to go to the big boy chucks like the Titan.
 
Would stay away from those three jaw chucks!

Bought a OnewayTalon, on sale and like it a lot. Think the Nova G3, Vicmark 3 1/2", and Sorby Patriot Chuck would serve you well. If you don't mind tommy bars the "Oneway 4" chuck cannot be beat.

FWIW, would really watch the weight of the chuck you buy for that Jet 1220.
 
one more vote for the Supernova2, if you can look at chucks locally look at the back. many are completly open and will collect dust in the gears the Supernova has a covered back and the movement stays smooth
 
I have used the Talon for a long time and love it.
http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?familyid=3971

I also have a couple of these for smaller jobs,and for what I use them for they work fine.
http://www.woodcraft.com/product.aspx?ProductID=146800&FamilyID=20042

Big diff in price, but the main difference is they way they tighten to hold the tenon,
the talon uses a one hand key system and the other uses tommy bars.

One thing to stay away from, IMHO, are the cheaper ones you can find that have jaws that tighten independently.
 
jskeen said:
one of the most complete sets available right now is this one. And it's on sale right now.

http://www.pennstateind.com/store/CSC3000CTN.html
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Yup!

No doubt in my mind: THIS is the chuck that you want to get if you want a complete setup, all in a nice blow-moulded box, and for less than $200.

IMHO, you'd be crazy to not buy this one (unless you're running a big ol' lathe and turning bowls the size of Volkswagens)

Cheers!

Gary
 
I have the Talon and PSI's Barracuda. If you want to spend the money Talon is the way to go, but for the price PSI can't be beat. The PSI comes with several sets of jaws versus just one set with most others. Add a set of cole jaws for finishing the bottom and your all set. You can usually get a good deal on at at Amazon also.
 
jskeen said:
one of the most complete sets available right now is this one. And it's on sale right now.

http://www.pennstateind.com/store/CSC3000CTN.html
Click to expand...


I have this chuck and it is great! It even has an indexing plate for those who's lathe don't have an indexer.

Most people think that you are paying extra for the T/N coating, but you are not.
It comes with the 5" jaws that the standard one doesn't and that makes up for the price difference. In addition to the extra set of jaws, you also get a spur center, and the indexer. So the plating is just a bonus, gives your lathe a little bling.
 
dalemcginnis said:
Add a set of cole jaws for finishing the bottom and your all set.
Click to expand...

Yup,

This "special edition" in addition to being a sexy colour comes complete with a 5" set of cole jaws, and the 8" ones are less than $35

Needless to say, I'm about to pull the trigger and grab one for myself - it's time to replace them ol' tommy bars....

Cheers!

Gary
 
I have 3 of the PSI chucks... other than the tommy bars, have no complaints at all... two of mine are the CSC2000 series that came with 2 sets of jaws and the other is a cmg3 series that came with 4 sets of jaws. I bought the cmg3 a few years back on sale and the other two in the past year or 18months - also on sale.. I paid less than $80 for each. If I had one more of the CSC2000 series, I could have one set up with each set of jaws I own.. plus the Jumbo for the reverse chucking of my bowls.

That said, one of these days I'm going to get a couple that uses the one handed key to set the turning on the chuck...
 
Wildman said:
FWIW, would really watch the weight of the chuck you buy for that Jet 1220.
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Wildman, why this comment? The chucks all seem to be around 3-3 1/2 lbs. What difference will it make? About what would you recommend for my little lathe?

Seems like everyone likes the 4 jaw chucks and no one really minds the Tommy Bars. Oneway Talon, PSI's Barracuda and The Supernova seems to be the pick for most of ya. I like all the gold-plated bling on the PSI but is that overkill? Isn't chrome plated blingy enough.Also with PSI shipping record with me, it might be a month before it would get here!

I have talked myself into having this be my Valentine's Day gift but I gave Kathy the impression it would be about $100. All of these are $200 +. I can't tell her...."Honey, it will pay for it's self in no time." I have used that one too often and she is wise to it. What's another good line?

I had really hoped some good fellow turner would write that he had 6 or more of the Supernovas and wouldn't mind selling me one for $10. Don't look like that's gonna happen. May have been one of those day dreams I keep having.

So I gotta strike while Valentine's Day is hot and we were thinking of going to our local Woodcraft store. Someone sent this link to a chuck more in our price range. I'd be interested in comment pro and con about it. It is at......

http://www.woodcraft.com/product.asap...FamilyID=20042

So if there are no extra ones floating around, gathering dust in anyone's shop, I guess it's gonna be another whack on the family budget. Hell, I just had a pacemaker installed on Wednesday that is gonna cost Medicare and my other ins. about $12,000. Makes the chuck at $200 seem kinda puney. Maybe this IS a good time to have Kathy look at one with me. She will probably confiscate my next 30-40 bowls. She already has about 10 of my best pens in her purse.

When I was having my Pacemaker surgery, she showed some of the recovery room nurses a few of my pens and wound up selling 4 @ $50 each. Nurse said they would be Valentine's Day gifts for hubbies but I wonder. Some of them were kinda "girly" pens. And Kathy kept the money. Maybe that's seed money for the chuck,huh!!!!!

Anyhow, thanks for the feedback as always. Let me know about this Woodcraft TPI and also the Shop Fox. Thanks
 
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OldWrangler said:
I like all the gold-plated bling on the PSI but is that overkill? Isn't chrome plated blingy enough
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Sure enough, the gold colour plating doesn't add anything to the functionality of the chuck, but on the other hand, it's a freebie.... If someone wanted to sell you diamonds for the price of zirconia, would you turn it down because the diamonds are too shiny? :)

The single biggest thing that the "special edition" Barracuda2 has going for it is all the extras it comes with. Yes, you can buy a Nova for less than $200, but it's gonna cost you big money when you start buying all the add-ons you'll want. And you WILL want them.

So, the money argument is this: "Honey, I can get a chuck for less than the $100 I have budgeted, or I can drop $200 in a one-time (ahem, until you decide that you need the 8" cole jaws for $35) purchase and I will never, EVER have to buy another accessory again. In the long run, My Love, this would be saving many hundreds of dollars.

(er, until you decide that you need a Titan to bolt onto your new 2436...)

The PSI chuck we're recommending really and truly makes good financial sense. I bet if you were to price out a cheap chuck (with tommy bars, even) and add on matching jaw sets (IF you can find any), the total would be more than double.

Hey, you can always let her read this thread, then it'd be OUR fault and not yours ;)

Cheers!

Gary
 
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... OR, you could try flat-out lying and tell her that the Ti-gold chuck was designed for people with pacemakers...

A recent article in NEJM* linked cheap chucks spinning between 500-3000 RPM to errant pacemaker signals. It seems that no less than 5,382 turners have inexplicably dropped stone dead in front of their lathes in the last 15 years. Revolutionary (get it?) reasearch techniques by leading Circumvolveologists points to the rough edges and mis-aligned tommy-bar ports on cheap chucks. Findings indicate that the harmonics generated by the radially separated holes, coupled with scabrous edges on projecting parts, resonates within pacemakers and sets up a local oscillating phenomenon that triggers arrythmmia (and opens garage doors).

So, ask her if she wants you to survive turning all the beautiful things you have in mind for her. I bet she'll see the light and might even drive you to PSI to pick up that chuck in person :)

Cheers!

* New England Journal of Medicine (for Dion, who has trouble with wurdz and stuff)

Gary
 
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I also owned a Oneway Talon and very pleased with it. I've used it on a Jet mini 1020VS, Jet 1236 and PM 3520B without any problem.

Cannot comment on any of the other chucks but if you afford it, you cannot go wrong with either Oneway or Vicmarc chucks.
 
On the idea of someone having one that they are willing to sell.
Although this is real common to be able to do with a lot of tools and even machines. there does seem to be a line in the sand where certain items once bought are always owned. I am not sure if there is a price involved, quality or a combination of the two.
But there is the new guy trying to get started on a shoe string that buys the most affordable lathe. a year or so later he is ready to upgrade, and maybe even a couple of years after that he not only wants good equipment, He has learned a thing or two about exactly what he wants and why, and he buys it never looks back never regrets it and never wants to give it up.
I think a $200 chuck falls into that category. One thing I do notice is that few people buy them without having searched long and heard to get just what they need. want to dabble your toes in the water, set the notch lower and look for some of the lower cost off brands. you very well get a few hands in the air to sell you spares laying around the shop in those. Around here you would most likely have to make it clear you are looking for a cheap way to test the waters cause most of these people would not be willing to pass on a tool they where not really happy with in the first place. But if you wait for the Rolls Royce to show up on the used car lot. you are probably in for a very long wait.
For me. I would sell my lathe before I would sell my chuck. and no the chuck will not be thrown in. I need it for the Powermatic i want to buy. then I can have one more tool in my shop I would never consider selling.

Actually my advice is to jsut break the news to your wife that the chuck costs much more than you expected, wait longer to get it and buy the one that nobody is willing to part with. tis what I did. 7 years and I have never seen a used Nova chuck for sale anywhere.
 
Something that tends to get lost in the buy cheap hustle is that when you buy the PSI chuck you aren't getting a $200 chuck with a lot of freebies, you're getting a $100 (or less) with a lot of stuff thrown in to make it palatable. There is a noticable difference between $100 dollar and $200 chucks. Of course,you will only notice it if you've used the $200 chuck enough to see/feel it.

If you want a cheap, multi part chuck buy the Apprentice set that CSUSA sells. It's every bit as good as the Barracuda without the silly plating and you will say a piece of change.

If you want a 'good' chuck buy a Nova G3 or the Oneway talon. Even the plain Oneway is a good chuck with its operating levers will give decades of solid service. The talon is a little heavy for the 1220, but you should survive.

What's best? For you it would be the 3.5" Vicmarc, but the problem with Vicmarc's is that it's not always easy to get a jaw set. But as long as csusa stays in business you'll be OK.

Marc
 
Gary, you flat out nailed it. I am going to get her to read about how the gold-plating and the perfect balance will preserve me for fun things together.

Afterall I just paid $80 for the top-of-the-line, state-of-the-art Cuisinart hand mixer so she wouldn't have to make cookies any more with her mother's hand mixer from the 40's. It's got the best rating, most power and plenty of chrome bling to satisfy her.

It sure worked better than the Fish Finder I bought her a couple of years ago.....well, it is OUR boat!!! I think she was wanting a little more smoozy for Valentine's Day.

So no last minute offer of a Supernova for even as high as $15 bucks, I guess I'll shoot for the Barracuda. Hell, she like to fish with me so maybe the name will appeal to her. I'm pulling out all the stops and going after it. Wish me luck, say a prayer or just keep your fingers crossed .

Thanks guys!!!
 
Well, I now have my foot in my mouth :p

After all that babble I did about the PSI kit (and I still believe every word I wrote) I logged into the PSI site and prepared to order the kit. At the checkout, though, I noticed that the least expensive (actually, the "only") shipping option to Canada was FOUR TIMES the amount to ship it anywhere in the USA.

That kind of choked me, so I toddled off to the local Busy Bee to see what they had in stock.

Well, wouldn't ya know it? All Nova chucks were on sale and I walked out of there with a SuperNova2.

It's a gorgeous, tight, sexy, industrial looking chuck, but yikes: I'll be able to detail first-hand how right I was about how much the add-ons cost over time....

So, it's official: Gary does not, apparently, practice what he preaches. Doh!

Cheers,

Gary (licking the New Zealand packing grease off my hands... Yummmmmmm)

P.S. If money was no object, I always wanted the big Oneway (it's Canadian, after-all) but the big Nova was $100 less. I treated myself to a Sorby bowl gouge as well..... I hope it's not too cold in the shop, as that's likely where I'll be banished for a while :p
 
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Big reason, say stay with a lighter chuck for your lathe, all about the bearings. Those 8 & 10 pound chucks might be an over kill for small lathes. if, not mistaken Vicmarc 3 3/4" chuck weighs in around 4 1/2 lbs.

Still use my Talon on my bigger lathe, just changed the insert 1 1/4".

Several years ago bought a no name brand tommy bar chuck, with three sets of jaws for around $120. One of those hex bolts that hold the jaws on snapped while changing out jaws. Have torn up several easy out bits trying to get that broken bolt out. That chuck still broke.

Point trying to make: there is good reason for having more than one scroll chuck. Lesson learned by me; don't put all your eggs in one basket.
 
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I showed Kathy some of the comments and she was overwhelmingly unimpressed with the "medical reasons" for buying the Barracuda but got a good laugh. Then she said she liked the bling and said I should have the better one.

Me and wifey went by the local Woodcraft. Sales people knew nothing about the chucks. All they could do was open the box and show it. The Nova G3 looked good but it seems like the accessories you have to by put it up over $200.

Barracuda is on order from PSI. Hope it don't take forever to come in.

Thanks guys!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
All you really need is on of the next size larger jaws. It comes with a 2" set. And a 3" tenon will hold almost anything. If you want a set of cole jaws I have a 'spare' set of their first issue large size which were mis-drilled so that there are bowl openings that they don't cover. Anyway, there are a couple cures for this (drilling your own holes, using larger rubber bumpers, or sending it into the US office for redrilling). If you want'em they're yours for postage. PM me.

Marc


GaryMadore said:
After all that babble I did about the PSI kit (and I still believe every word I wrote) I logged into the PSI site and prepared to order the kit. At the checkout, though, I noticed that the least expensive (actually, the "only") shipping option to Canada was FOUR TIMES the amount to ship it anywhere in the USA.

That kind of choked me, so I toddled off to the local Busy Bee to see what they had in stock.

Well, wouldn't ya know it? All Nova chucks were on sale and I walked out of there with a SuperNova2.

It's a gorgeous, tight, sexy, industrial looking chuck, but yikes: I'll be able to detail first-hand how right I was about how much the add-ons cost over time....

So, it's official: Gary does not, apparently, practice what he preaches. Doh!

Cheers,

Gary (licking the New Zealand packing grease off my hands... Yummmmmmm)

P.S. If money was no object, I always wanted the big Oneway (it's Canadian, after-all) but the big Nova was $100 less. I treated myself to a Sorby bowl gouge as well..... I hope it's not too cold in the shop, as that's likely where I'll be banished for a while :p
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