Vicmarc VM100 Question

[John Ponder]

With the Vicmarc VM100 chuck, or any dovetail chuck, is it necessary to cut a dovetail on the tenon to clamp it safely in the chuck? This is my first go with a wood chuck and I would really like it to stay in place.
Thanks, John

[Wilbur Pan]

Yes.

That's a really great chuck, by the way. I had one, and sold it only because I upgraded my lathe and the spindle size is big enough so that an appropriate insert for the VM100 didn't exist. So I bought the VM120.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Yes a dovetail is needed for full clamping. I have the VM100 and love it.

[Kurt Bird]

John,
As others have said, yes, you do need to turn a dovetail on the tenon to match the dovetail on your chuck. Not all chucks have a dovetail, so you need to make the tenon match the chuck.

Of almost equal importance, though, is that you turn a flat on the piece adjacent to the dovetail, to seat the piece correctly against the flat on the jaws. This is where all of the support is. The flat you turn should be at least as wide as the flat on the jaws for max support.
Kurt

[jason lambert]

John you really need the dovetail it "might hold" with out it but why it is just as easy to turn a dove tail as a regular tenon so there is no reason not to and I think much safer if it loosens up a litte there is some safety built in. i just bought the specific dove tail scraper but untillnow didn't use it or really need it. Congrats on the chuck I have a 120 it is a great chuck.

[John Ponder]

Thanks guys,
This is a great group! I bought the Vicmarc and ordered two of the Grizzly design today because of Bernie’s previous posts. I have already found how slippery the slope is and the pull of the vortex, but like I tell the wife; you don’t see a Brinks truck in the funeral procession. But when I speak of the mustard monster she says that procession is getting closer.
John