What is a good starting chuck system for bowls?

[Skip Spaulding]

I have 2 Super Nova2s and a Barracuda 2, I use all three. Being able to swap chucks without changing jaws is a real time saver. If I could have only 1 chuck it would be my Super Nova2, with the proper jaws it will go from bottle stopper to 29" bowl on my Nova 1624.
With my old Craftsman twin tube I started on, the Barracuda 2 was more than enough chuck. Even with the Nova it will handle 90% of what I do.
Bernie might have the right idea with Vicmarc and the Grizzly combo. Sounds like a good combo for the investment.

[Alan Trout]

Don't let anyone tell you different a Super Nova 2 and with the spigot or power grip jaws you can rip a bowl off of a tenon before the tenon comes loose in the chuck. I know cause I have done this. Proper jaw selection for a given job is key. I have used talons on other people lathes and they work fine no complaints out of me but I did not find them any better or worse than my SN2 or G3. If I were going to consider another brand of chuck it would probably be the Vermec because they will accept either Vicmarc, vermec or Nova jaws which will give you the widest selections of jaws available. The only problem you have to order them from overseas.

Good Luck

Alan

[Burt Alcantara]

I started off with the Nova G3. It's a good chuck but I couldn't wrap my feeble brain around the fact that it's backwards (tightens counter-clockwise) so I bought a Talon. Like it. Bought another.

Recently, I bought a Stronghold. Now, that is one strong chuck. Since using the Stronghold, I have yet to have a UFO. Will probably get another in the near future.

I've heard nothing but great things about Vicmarc. May buy one, one day.

Since bowls have large bottoms, it makes sense to me to have a chuck with wide jaws. Holds much better.

Burt

[Steve Schlumpf]

Another vote for the Talon. Lots of luck figuring out which chuck meets your needs! As you can tell by the responses - any of the higher end chucks will work great!

[Hilel Salomon]

I think that you wanted a "starter chuck." I have a bunch of Supernovas, Oneway strongholds and vicmarc 120's. The latter two are very expensive and getting more expensive by the minute. The advantage of the SN chucks is that the jaws are interchangeable with almost the entire line of teknatool chucks, as well as some of the Grizzly stuff, and the smaller vicmarcs. Also you can get very cheap aftermarket adapters (woodcraft sells them for about $5.) They are quite good. Oneway strongholds and talons have proprietary jaws and are not mutually interchangeable, though each holds tenons very well. I have found though that for repeatability and very tight jaws, the vicmarcs are superb. They are exceptionally heavy and for larger bowls I prefer them (vicmarcs). One last consideration is that Oneways are made (I think still) in N. America and they have had consistently superb customer relations and technical support.
You won't really go wrong starting with any of these.
Good luck, Hilel.

[Reed Gray]

I use the Vicmark exclusively, and they are the only chucks I have used. I don't think Oneway was out when I got my first one. No problem holding large or small bowls. I do prefer the dove tailed jaws, and have no problems forming a recess with exact angles to match the jaws. I never use face plates any more because a chuck is faster, and I do production work. A keyed chuck is better than a tommy bar chuck, mostly easier to operate, but you can get used to it. At least there aren't as many chucks to choose from as there are gouges. Well, I don't think there are.
robo hippy

[Dick Sowa]

Skip hinted at it. A "starter" chuck is really just your "first" chuck. I have one, a Talon, and wish I had several more. Be prepared for that