Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast
Results 1 to 15 of 31

Thread: Anyone using the "Easy Chuck"

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    Carlisle, Pa
    Posts
    285
    Blog Entries
    1

    Anyone using the "Easy Chuck"

    I was looking at the specs of the Easy Chuck from Easy Wood Tools. Like the quick jaw changing feature. $399 is lot for the chuck but might be cheaper (for someone just starting out turning) then buying four or more chucks so you do not have to change out jaws.
    It comes direct threated 1-1/4 x 8 or 1 x 8 and 1-3/8" jaws. Add the following dovetail jaws
    1/2" $70
    2-3/8 $70
    3-1/2" $90
    total of $629

    What do you experianced turners think.
    Anyone have one?

  2. #2
    you can darn near buy 2 chucks and 2 sets of jaws from any other supplier for the same money as an Easy Chuck.

    for your $629 you could probably get 2 chucks and 1 of each set of jaws to fit the 2 chucks.


    I'd rather have 2, than 1

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    Carlisle, Pa
    Posts
    285
    Blog Entries
    1
    Quote Originally Posted by Shawn Pachlhofer View Post
    you can darn near buy 2 chucks and 2 sets of jaws from any other supplier for the same money as an Easy Chuck.

    for your $629 you could probably get 2 chucks and 1 of each set of jaws to fit the 2 chucks.


    I'd rather have 2, than 1
    Don't folks buy multiple Chuck so they do not have to change jaws?
    For $629 I would be getting 4 jaws with the 1 Chuck. Wouldn't it be equivalent to 4 chucks not 2. Changing the jaws on the Easy Chuck seams as easy as changing Chucks with the other brands. Am I missing something?
    Last edited by Curtis Myers; 05-13-2015 at 6:08 AM.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Harrisburg, NC
    Posts
    814
    I haven't used either but does the Easy Wood have an advantage over the Nova Infinity ($199 at Tools-plus)?
    http://www.tools-plus.com/nova-lathes-8012.html
    "I became insane, with long intervals of horrible sanity." - Edgar Allan Poe

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Pendleton, KY
    Posts
    803
    Curtis,
    Changing jaws easily may have it's benefits, but you may be overlooking an important issue: the benefit of having several chucks. I have 9 SN-2 chucks, a Hurricaine and an older Nova chuck with various sizes of jaws and some duplicates. I use all of them. The more I turn, the more I find myself starting a project, and, for various reasons, switching to a different project. Rather than removing the first piece from the chuck, I can simply pick up another chuck and begin turning the new piece. I often don't want to remove the first project from it's chuck, because I want it to run true when I get back to it. I haven't used the Easy Chuck and RARELY change jaws, so I can't speak to that. There have been previous discussions about what chucks (and how many) that we own or recommend, and recommendations and experiences vary based on each turner's style of turning. I have purchased a lot of reconditioned SN-2 chucks from novatoolsusa.com. They have a new warranty and have been as good as new, in my experience. They come with 50mm jaws, so I've had to purchase separate jaws for some. Currently, they are $179 with the 50mm jaws. Some like the Hurricaine brand, which is less expensive than the retail price for a new SuperNova or other name brand chuck. So, it's really a matter of preference and style of turning. For the money, I'd rather have 3 or 4 different chucks with different jaws and not have to worry about changing jaws.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Fort Pierce, Florida
    Posts
    3,498
    Granted the Nova Infinity Jaws are just as expensive, and upgrading a SN2 to an infinity is more expensive, but if you are will to stay with the older SN2 -

    You can buy reconditioned Nova SN2s from Nova for < $180. Two for $360 - that leaves $220 from your $630 to buy jaw sets after buying inserts, Nova jaws are themselves cheaper than the Easy Chuck jaws. Probably 4 or 5 sets in addition to the 2 that came with the chucks.

    If you don't want to buy reconditioned, a new chuck is $200 from Packard and a second w/o jaws would be $180. That still leaves $200 to buy jaws after purchasing inserts.

    With two chucks you leave one with the default jaws and set the other up for whatever special job is needed. If you find that you use one of the other jaw sets more, then that becomes the default. BTW, Nova has the largest lineup of jaws from what I can tell.
    Retired - when every day is Saturday (unless it's Sunday).

  7. I recently went through the same consideration and concluded that I don't change jaws often enough to justify the higher cost of the chuck with quick change jaws. A new SN 2 can be had for $165 on Amazon. At that price you can get three SN 2s and have $135 left to buy additional jaws (or two chucks and $300 left over) as compared to the Easy Chuck.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    E TN, near Knoxville
    Posts
    12,298
    Curtis,

    I highly recommend having at least two chucks if the budget will allow. Personally, if finances were limited I would buy a less expensive chuck now and plan another identical chuck in the future. At last count I had 11 chucks and I certainly didn't get them all at once! Some I bought used.

    I personally have multiple chucks for two reasons - one is certainly to avoid changing jaws. I don't think I've changed a jaw set in the last few years - I just grab a different chuck from the chuck drawer.

    However, and perhaps more importantly, I often use two chucks at one. I even keep identical jaws on some chucks. Using two chucks allows me to do things that would otherwise be difficult or time consuming. One example: Last week I turned a batch of nearly identical small pieces. Each was turned in a chuck and each was reversed and held in a kind of "jam chuck" (basically a wooden mandrel) to turn the base. I made one jam chuck and used it for every piece. I made the jam chuck from a block of wood held in a second scroll chuck. If I had just one chuck, I would have had to use a different method or perhaps turn a new jam chuck for every piece since it would be nearly impossible to rechuck with perfect registration each time.

    I sometimes use two chucks to work on two parts of the same piece. This allows more flexibility in methods of work. I think I sometimes end up with a better result since I can adjust the shape of each as I go.

    Another good reason for multiple chucks is to stop work on one piece and leave it in the chuck while I work on another. I've done this to demonstrate turning or make something for a visitor, to let something dry or set up (like sanding sealer, tru-oil, or punky wood treatment), to test an idea or method, make a jig, or simply for a change of pace. At times I've had two or three partially finished things in chucks. (Two chucks are even more fun with two lathes!)

    Multiple chucks are great for demos too - I can bring several partially prepared pieces to make better use of the time.

    For me, multiple chucks make turning more enjoyable and more efficient with my limited play time.

    JKJ

  9. #9
    I am with John Jordan for all the same reasons, though I have constrained myself to only six Nova chucks!!

  10. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by Curtis Myers View Post
    Don't folks buy multiple Chuck so they do not have to change jaws?
    For $629 I would be getting 4 jaws with the 1 Chuck. Wouldn't it be equivalent to 4 chucks not 2. Changing the jaws on the Easy Chuck seams as easy as changing Chucks with the other brands. Am I missing something?
    see posts by others in this thread for reasons why multiple chucks is better than one.

    I've got 2 VicMarc chucks, 2 BullDog chucks (jaws are interchangeable between VM and BD) and a Nova Midi chuck for my small lathe.

    and I would buy another used chuck in a jiffy if it was available.

    If you start off with that very expensive Easy Chuck - if you want to add another chuck to use the jaws you already have, guess what you have to buy...another expensive Easy Chuck.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    Cary, NC
    Posts
    551
    I'm in the multiple chucks camp. I think that I have 14 0r 15 Talon chucks, plus 4 Strongholds. I really hate to change out jaws. Of course, I acquired these chucks over a 10 or 11 year period. Just jump head first into the vortex.
    Joe

  12. #12
    One other consideration. A glance at the Easywood site seems to indicate that the chucks have integral threading for the headstock spindle. To use it on a lathe with a different thread on the spindle, you will need an adapter between the chuck and spindle. Not all that expensive but one more item potentially affecting alignment.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    Carlisle, Pa
    Posts
    285
    Blog Entries
    1
    Quote Originally Posted by Shawn Pachlhofer View Post
    see posts by others in this thread for reasons why multiple chucks is better than one.

    I've got 2 VicMarc chucks, 2 BullDog chucks (jaws are interchangeable between VM and BD) and a Nova Midi chuck for my small lathe.

    and I would buy another used chuck in a jiffy if it was available.

    If you start off with that very expensive Easy Chuck - if you want to add another chuck to use the jaws you already have, guess what you have to buy...another expensive Easy Chuck.

    How do the BullDog chucks compare to the Vicmarc?
    Are they as tight or is their more slop?

    All the Best
    Curtis

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    Carlisle, Pa
    Posts
    285
    Blog Entries
    1
    Quote Originally Posted by Michael Mills View Post
    I haven't used either but does the Easy Wood have an advantage over the Nova Infinity ($199 at Tools-plus)?
    http://www.tools-plus.com/nova-lathes-8012.html

    Excellent tip.
    I just ordered one of these and an adapter for my lathe for $222.90.
    I will get more Infinity jaws and chucks when needed.

    All the Best
    Curtis

  15. #15
    Quote Originally Posted by Curtis Myers View Post
    How do the BullDog chucks compare to the Vicmarc?
    Are they as tight or is their more slop?

    All the Best
    Curtis
    I've been happy with them so far.

    I would say they aren't quite as tight as VM, but not so much that I would call it "slop"

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •