SuperNova2 chuck help

[Glenn Barber]

After reading all the good things everyone had to say about the reconditioned SN2, I ordered one last Friday. It arrived yesterday and I cleaned off the packing grease last night. Placed the #2 jaws that came with it on the chuck. I folllowed the directions for tightening the jaws screws after closing the jaws together and everything appeared fine.

Put in the newly purchased Nova spindle adapter, put it on the lathe to give it a little manual spin and all looked good as far as runout. But, when I tried to tighten the jaws, they would barely tighten and not at all smoothly like before. I tried the other pinion gear and it was smooth as silk, like before, in both the opening and closing of the jaws. Re-tried the other pinion gear and it was smooth opening the jaws, but still like gravel when closing. Huh! I played the try one side, then the other side game for about a half hour hoping it would resolve itself to no avail.

Today I took it apart and switched pinion gear placements. The side that worked smoothly, still worked fine with the other gear in its new home. The side that had been problematic, was still tight/gravely/hard to turn when closing and smooth when opening the jaws.

Any thoughts other than call Teknatool in Florida on Monday (which I will most definately be doing)?

Also, my new insert is frozen solid in the chuck. I tried the Nova spanner (which I just purchased) using the little spurs per directions to free it...nada. Put the chuck in a vise, that I padded with router pad strips to protect it, and again used the spanner, this time the open end wrench, to remove the insert...zilch.

I love my other SN2 and have never had any problems with it, except a frozen adapter insert in it also.

Help!!!!! At wits end, bewildered and befuddled, confused and (soon to be) contrary!


Thanks for any suggestions and the vent,
Glenn.....A#1 unhappy camper

[Jim Burr]

I can be no help Glenn, but will be watching since I pulled the trigger on one last week too!

[Gary Max]

Where are you located in Ky---- I should be just south of you down in Adair county. I have a few of these chucks and might be able to give you a hand.

[Steve Campbell]

Glenn I just got mine on Friday. Luckily everything seems to work as it should. Just a thought did you install the grub screw when you installed the insert? If so don't forget to remove it before you can get it out.

Steve

[Roger Chandler]

Where the pinion gear is the plastic housing in that opening is likely rubbing against the pinion gear..........take a dremel tool with a grinding stone like you sharpen a chainsaw with, and open up that plastic just a little...........also, if it is still rough then take the backing plate off, and sand away just a little of the center hub......not much, but just enough to loosen the amount of pressure on the mechanism..........one of mine had that same binding issue and now it runs smooth as silk.....also if you have the backing plate off, make sure your scroll gear has no knicks in it....if so smooth that out.

See this thread for the info I posted on this simple fix: http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...a-2&highlight=

[Jim Burr]

Got mine today...mailman twice in one day...thought they were cutting back! Assembled well...ordered my insert so we'll see what happens! Report to follow.

[Glenn Barber]

Gary- I live just outside of Lex. in the other Horse Capital. lol

Steve- No grub screw in either of the SN2s.

Roger- Will do another check on the areas mentioned. What I don't get is if there is pressure on the pinion, why smooth as silk when opening the jaws? Day and night difference between opening and closing.

Thanks for the suggestions.

Glenn

[Roger Chandler]

I would check to see if you have a burr on the scroll gear..........but the center hub can make a difference if it is too tight. The backing plate is made of a structural plastic.........very rugged material, but when these are mass produced as they are now in China, then sometimes dimensions can be just a tad off........if the scroll gear is without burrs, and you have all the jaw slides in the correct position [very important] [they are numbered],[and have to be in proper sequence] when re-engaging the scroll gear to them........then the center hub can exert just a bit too much pressure on the scroll gear and make it hard to operate the chuck.

The thread I referenced on the other post gives how I took care of my issue, and a couple of others took this info and helped theirs as well...............I think it is worth a try for you anyway. Make sure you have all the jaw slides in sequence and engage the scroll gear in the correct sequence as well .........1through 4 in sequence.........

also go to Teknatools website........they have a .pdf document on dis-assembly cleaning and re-assembly that will explain everything I mentioned about the proper sequence of the jaw slides, etc.

[Glenn Barber]

I would check to see if you have a burr on the scroll gear..........but the center hub can make a difference if it is too tight. The backing plate is made of a structural plastic.........very rugged material, but when these are mass produced as they are now in China, then sometimes dimensions can be just a tad off........if the scroll gear is without burrs, and you have all the jaw slides in the correct position [very important] [they are numbered],[and have to be in proper sequence] when re-engaging the scroll gear to them........then the center hub can exert just a bit too much pressure on the scroll gear and make it hard to operate the chuck.

Tof others took this info and helped theirs as well...............I think it is worth a try for you anywayhe thread I referenced on the other post gives how I took care of my issue, and a couple . Make sure you have all the jaw slides in sequence and engage the scroll gear in the correct sequence as well .........1through 4 in sequence.........

also go to Teknatools website........they have a .pdf document on dis-assembly cleaning and re-assembly that will explain everything I mentioned about the proper sequence of the jaw slides, etc.

Roger- I checked the pdf you referenced last night. I am unable to find the "dimple" or "half moon" marking that is mentioned for the the #1 jaw slide. Does your chuck have this? If so, where is it located exactly? Also, when sanding the center hub you refer to, do you mean taking down the height some or sanding around the cirumference of the hub to make it smaller?

Glenn

[Roger Chandler]

Roger- I checked the pdf you referenced last night. I am unable to find the "dimple" or "half moon" marking that is mentioned for the the #1 jaw slide. Does your chuck have this? If so, where is it located exactly? Also, when sanding the center hub you refer to, do you mean taking down the height some or sanding around the cirumference of the hub to make it smaller?

Glenn

Glenn,

The hub......take down the height of it ever so slightly.....I put mine on my belt sander and tried to get a quick and even amount taken off the bottom of the hub that seats against the scroll gear.......just a couple of seconds, perhaps 3, but only take off just enough ......maybe less than a dime in thickness......should free up the pressure against the scroll gear.

As to your other question............the half moon...........I would have to go out to the shop and take the chuck apart.........just got in from church and cannot do that today............you should be able to do it just with the slide numbers and going in the proper direction in sequence.............hope this helps.

[Glenn Barber]

Thanks for all the help. The good news is that if finally got the insert removed, used the vise and extra umphff. Bad news is the chuck is still sticking in spots when closing the jaws on the one pinion gear. I'll be calling FL in the am and sending it back, shouldn't have to fool with it in my opinion. I looked at my other SN2 (also made in PRC) to get the jaw slides lined up correctly. I took the "good" one apart to check it out and see if there was something I was missing. One thing immediately jumped out at me was the fact that there was far more grease in the good one than the reconditioned chuck. Also, the jaw slides on the reconditioned have a little play side to side in everyone of them, the good ones are rock solid with no play. Not sure what this means, just observations.

Thanks again,
Glenn

[Roger Chandler]

I agree Glenn........sending it back is probably the best thing to do.........you should not have to fool with it that much for it to be correct........perhaps that one never made the grade on the manufacturing line, and just needs to be scrapped.......sorry you got stuck with having to deal with it.

Nova should send you another.......ask them to check it out first to make sure it is right before they ship it!

[Glenn Barber]

I talked to FL this morning. Mike said he would personally check out the replacement chuck before it is sent to me. They will include a return shipping label for me to ship the "bad" chuck back at no additional cost to me.

All in all, a good resolution to the problem. I learned quite a bit about the SN2, and can take one apart and put it back together in the dark......

Thanks for all the help,
Glenn

[Roger Chandler]

Good news Glenn...........glad it worked out well!

[robert baccus]

One thing you guys might try on all threaded chucks, tools ect. is thread lube for machine tools. prevents freezing and wear and my metal machining buds all use it. you can find it in most auto stores. been using it for many years and no problems.------------------Old forester