Decent chuck

[Cliff Holmes]

My wife works on an ancient Craftsman lathe we inherited from my dad. Spindle work only. But I've gotten interested in doing bowls and with WC's upcoming sale on Powermatic, I'm planning to "surprise" her for Christmas with a new 3520b.

My question is on chucks: What do I need? Given that the lathe will stretch the Christmas budget (ok, blow it up) I don't want to spend a fortune on one if I can help it. Right now, WC has the SuperNova2 on sale for $140, is that a good chuck? On the other hand, the Stronghold Chuck at $300 is pretty much my limit, but I can swing it if I need to.

[Al Wasser]

I have and use the SN2 chuck. It does a good job for me. Over time, you will likely want to get some different size jaws as you turn bigger bowls. All the jaws made by Nova will fit that chuck. Let's see......what comes next to break the budget?????? Enjoy!!!

[Steve Schlumpf]

Wow! You are going to be making some major points this Christmas!!

I have the Oneway Talon chuck and almost all the jaws - and love it. I think when you get into the major brands of chucks - just about any of them will work quite well.

[Richard Jones]

Cliff,

The SN2 is a good chuck, keep in mind that you have to add the 1 1/4-8 adapter, something like an additional $23. Still a good deal and a good chuck.

Hope you get to turn on that beast, she may not let you anywhere near it!!!

Rich

[Mike Minto]

i use a SN2 chuck, and it has performed flawlessly for me. much better price than oneway chucks, and while i have some accessories that i like very much from them, i can't see what oneway's could do that the SN2 can't. mike

[David Walser]

Cliff,

The SuperNova2 is a quality chuck. It should do everything you and your wife might want to do on that Powermatic lathe. If you start turning very large bowls, the Stronghold or the 5.5" or 6.5" Vicmarc chucks might be a worthwhile investment -- but that's a step you can put off for now.

Having said that, I strongly urge you to consider getting several face plates instead of a chuck. Learning how to use a face plate is a skill I wish I'd cultivated when I was starting to turn. Face plates are less expensive and hold items more securely and more accurately than chucks. Chucks are faster and more convenient. While you're learning to turn, the speed of a chuck is NOT always a good thing!

Until quite recently (the last 20 years), scroll chucks were not made for wood lathes. (Turners borrowed chucks from metal lathes if they wanted a chuck.) So, there are few things you can turn with a chuck that cannot be turned without one. That doesn't mean I'm going to be giving away my chucks! I like them and use them. But I'm also using face plates more and more.

There are lots of suppliers of face plates. Don Pencil's one of my favorites. Here's a link to his website:

http://donpencil.com/

You can also buy his face plates through Craft Supplies USA and the other major turning supply houses.

HTH!

[Cliff Holmes]

Originally Posted by Al Wasser

you will likely want to get some different size jaws as you turn bigger bowls

That's the one thing that truly frightening about turning, the seemingly endless parade of accessories ... expensive accessories

[Bill Bulloch]

Who are you buying this lathe for: you or your wife I wish I could get away with that....One Christmas years ago, as a joke, I gave my wife a set of router bits. She's not a wood worker, but to this date has not let me use the bits.


I have three Nova Checks: the old Nova, the Mini and the Super Nova 2. They all work nice. You'll like the Super Nova 2 the best; it has that T Bar Handle, which makes life easier.

Lucky you.

[William Payer]

Wow! Is she going to be happy! ( I'll never forget the year I bought my wife her gifts and thought it was practical to include a new vacuum cleaner since ours was on its last legs! She liked all the other gifts (some were major) but the vac is something she still remonds me of 35 years later!


I have Talon and Sn2 chucks. They are both good. Vicmarc are also very good. There are followings to each of these brands, and honestly, I don't think you could go wrong with any of them. Talons can use SN2 jaws, so there is some interchangeability. Talons use profiled jaws and require straight tenons , while SN2's come with dovetail jaws (profiles are optionally available) and require a dovetailed tenon to be cut. The above mentioned chucks all are of excellent quality and have established track records.

Did I muddy the waters enough?

[Dan Forman]

I would recommend t he Talon over the SN2. I have both, and the Talon runs truer (less runout). The profiled jaws hold very securely, and you don't have to dovetail the tenon. The dovetailed jaws hold the most securely when they are exactly the size of the tenon when closed. When the tenon is larger, they only contact the tenon at either tip of the jaw. The Oneway, on the other hand, have flattened contact points, so have much greater contact area on any sized tenon. The flattened area have ridges to increase the grip as well. In addition, you don't have to be fussy about turning a dovetail to match the angle of the jaw. I have Vicmark chucks too (also dovetailed), but since getting the Oneways, they get the first nod. I seldom use the Nova chuck at all.

Check the Home Depot website, they have been having a great sale on Oneway chucks.

Eventually you will want a herd of chucks, so that you don't have to change jaws every time you want to do something different.

Dan

[Cliff Holmes]

Originally Posted by Dan Forman

Check the Home Depot website, they have been having a great sale on Oneway chucks.

I have to admit, Home Depot is one website I would not have checked for Oneway chucks. Too bad they're mostly out of stock, the prices are great. Strongholds for <$200

[Nathan Hawkes]

I have 2 stronghold chucks for my 3520B, and will probably end up with a third eventually; 1 for # 2 and #3 jaws, and I have a set of #1 pin jaws that I use for small work or finials. I got them from Hartville Tool; good deals are frequent with them; don't know what current prices are. If you're a member of a turning club you likely might receive a discount at a number of specialty suppliers.

[Ron Bontz]

+1 vote for Oneway Talon, stronghold, or Vicmarc VM100, vm120.

[alex carey]

I think it depends on what size turning she plans to do. If she plans on using the full 20" swing definitely go with the stronghold, otherwise the Talon can handle just about everything in the 14" and lower.

[Dan Forman]

I believe that Hartville tool gives a nice discount to SMC members. Wouldn't hurt to call and see. Great folks to do business with.

Dan