More than 1 chuck ????

[Nick Mastropietro]

Ok I'm a turning newbie - so new in fact I'm still waiting for the purchased lathe to arrive. I think that comment was an important based on the thread title. So, why would anyone need more than 1 chuck?

[Sean Hughto]

Different chucks accept different jaws and are useful for different scales of work. It can also be convenient to have different chucks set up for different tasks and not have to be constantly changing jaws.

[Brian Greb]

Welcome to turning. Congrats on the new soon to be lathe.
Having multiple chucks allows you to leave a project chucked and off the lathe while turning another piece or project(this keeps the piece centered). The other thing having multiple chucks allows you to leave them set up with specific jaws(time saver but your time has to be worth quite a bit). There are also different types of chucks... I assume you where speaking of the 4 jaw verity, but there are also Jacobs chucks, eccentric chucks, jam chucks, Donut chucks, and expanding chucks... oh and collet chucks. while these aren't necessary they do open up your horizons for new adventure in the vortex.

Personally for starters I'd recommend a 4 jaw(and a good set of jaws) and a Jacobs to start with. And as the desire or need arises either make or purchase the other types. You should also probably have a face plate or two and a screw chuck. But I don't think it really is necessary to have multiple 4 jaw chucks.

I think that covers all of it but iI often omit something, I'm sure others will chime in with what I missed.

Hope this helps.

Brian

[Allen Neighbors]

I'd like to have at least one more to add to mine. I have two Nova Supernova2 chucks. And I have 4 different sets of jaws for those. Then I also have a Nova Titan, which is for larger work, with one set of Power Grip Jaws for it. The other jaws will interchange with the SN2s and the Titan, which is why I like the Nova chucks.
I also have a Compac Chuck for my little lathe, and wish I had another one for it, too.
I have to stop what I'm doing and change jaws to turn a collar or finial, and though my time isn't worth all that much, I still hate to take that time away from creativity and fun.
I also have a jacobs chuck, donut chuck, Longworth Chuck, and about 4 different Hollow Form chucks. You can never have too many chucks.

[Paul Douglass]

Sometime they are just on sale, when a good sale, why not! You won't be sorry.

[Bernie Weishapl]

I have 5 of the Grizzly chucks for $99. The Jaws of the Vicmarc VM 100 will fit it. Chucks are of good quality and I have not had any issues.

[George Guadiane]

I have 4 Stronghold chucks and 6 or 7 sets of jaws. There are two that I will probably never change #2/#4 because I use them so much. The rest don't take that long to change, I guess, I'm just lazy.
I did just fine with one, then two, each for long periods of time.

My only advice is pick a maker and type of chuck and use that one exclusively, it cuts down on the number of tools and jaws you'll "need."

[alex carey]

I have two, one stronghold and one talon. I dont have extra jaws but its nice to have 1 for bigger stuff and 1 for smaller stuff.

[dan carter]

more than 1 chuck? he heh i guess for the same reason to have more than 1 lathe. i very often use my delta 460 and then switch and use my 3520, as well as using maybe 3-4 different chucks. it just depends on what is being made, and how to do it fast and without alot of set up time. as long as its'a spiining, i'ma grinnin.

[Steve Kubien]

Remember me? I'm the guy in the previous thread who said how much I was loving glue blocks lately? Yup, that's me. One of the things I really like about them is that I can give my Nova chuck and two SN2's a rest. The Nova chuck has pin jaws for drilling pen blanks and the like while the two SN2's have #2 and #3 jaws respectively. Changing jaws sucks. Period. It sucks so much that it is worth having multiple chucks to avoid the hassle.

Remember, I didn't say I do not use chucks. I said I love how libertaing it is not to have to use them. If you're going to use them, the more the merrier.

[neil mackay]

Allen Neighbors;1357748]I'd like to have at least one more to add to mine. I have two Nova Supernova2 chucks. And I have 4 different sets of jaws for those. Then I also have a Nova Titan, which is for larger work, with one set of Power Grip Jaws for it. The other jaws will interchange with the SN2s and the Titan, which is why I like the Nova chucks.
I also have a Compac Chuck for my little lathe, and wish I had another one for it, too.
I have to stop what I'm doing and change jaws to turn a collar or finial, and though my time isn't worth all that much, I still hate to take that time away from creativity and fun.
I also have a jacobs chuck, donut chuck, Longworth Chuck, and about 4 different Hollow Form chucks. You can never have too many chucks.

[/QUOTE]

I am with Allen, I have 5 supernova 2 chucks, two Longworth 12" and 24", donut chuck 24", three screw chucks and an old engineering three jaw.

[Nathan Hawkes]

Remember me? I'm the guy in the previous thread who said how much I was loving glue blocks lately? ..........Changing jaws sucks. Period. It sucks so much that it is worth having multiple chucks to avoid the hassle.

Remember, I didn't say I do not use chucks. I said I love how libertaing it is not to have to use them. If you're going to use them, the more the merrier.

Steve has good advice here. I started with a Barracuda 2 on my first lathe, a rockwell-delta, but have stepped up to a PM3520B and own two Oneway Stronghold chucks. I turn a lot, and really save time having multiple chucks. I wish I had a few more! I also love using blocks from time to time--mostly jam chucks for reverse turning, but have recently started using glue blocks a bit more--I never learned to use them when starting. what a mistake! A great tool for every turner is the Beall thread tap, which allows you to make wooden faceplates that thread directly to the spindle. I don't use these for rough turning large pieces; I admit I'm a little fearful of that, but I have lots of the wooden tapped ones for everything from small bowls, mounting a large sandpaper disc, and as a honing wheel with MDF glued to the threaded piece. A bit off the chuck topic, but relevant for me anyway.

[charlie knighton]

if you turn green wood, espically oak, you need to take the jaws off frequently, i have gotten in the habit of taking the jaws off after each session about 75% of the time

1 jacobs chuck, 1 stronghold chuck, 1 woodchucker (not sure if it is considered a chuck), multiple multiple jam chucks, multiple multiple jam chucks

[Mac Carlton]

Ok I'm a turning newbie - so new in fact I'm still waiting for the purchased lathe to arrive. I think that comment was an important based on the thread title. So, why would anyone need more than 1 chuck?

To feed the vortex..
And to keep from wearing out the screws on the chucks by changing jaws all the time, and time itself time is money the less time you have in a piece the more you can make, if selling.
Tools are big boys toys the more you have the happier you are.

I think you also need to ask, why would anyone need more than 1 lathe????
Most that I know have at least 2.