Advice please from a newbie.

[bigtee]

Hi,

I have been after a new hobby and purchased a Axminster AH1218VS lathe it works just fine at least so i think i'm after advice on the chuck i didn't order one from the company as i was unsure what to get or which one.

I have been practicing turning and getting used to the tools seeing what they do etc, the instruction book is of no help on turning and i have ordered a book which has got lost in the post!!

What i would like to do is turn a bowl now the head stock has this 4 pronged bit i see these 4 jaw chucks plenty about but i'm unsure which to get or which is best and any jaws i need? Axminster sell the jaws but i have to place the order of which i need and i'm unsure!!

Can you offer any advice or tips or suitable suppliers on my way forward please & i'm using green & dried woods which some i cut with the chainsaw.

Many thanks Tony. :mrgreen:

 

[bellringer]

well welcome to the fourm
the chuck i started with was this one http://www.recordpower.co.uk/product/g3-chuck-package--1-x-8-tpi which i think is a good chuck i personal dont like the axminster clubman chucks but that my opinion but that just my thought

 

[Spindle]

Hi

If you use the search function or even just scroll back through the woodturning topics you'll see that this has been covered numerous times before - why not do a bit of research and come back with a more specific question?

Regards Mick

 

[nev]

have a search for 'chuck' on the right in user tools and you'll have enough reading to keep you going for weeks

from a recent post...
... Record Power nova, G3, supernova, Sorby Patriot, Axminster, Oneway, all good. They do tend to have good resale value though so yo need to be quick or lucky to get a bargain. Might be worth speaking to Axminster see if they can do a deal on one of the outgoing ones (k10, k8 and goliath) providing you can continue to get jaws in the future?

any of the above makes are of decent quality, The chuck will need to have the correct thread for your lathe and you want to be able to get a choice of jaws in the future.

 

[procell]

As a newbie to turning too I was like you and wanted to do everything at once. The good people on this forum were kind enough to pull back on my reins a bit and suggest I practice spindle turning for a while and get comfortable with the tools. Whilst a chuck is a great help with bowl turning it is not essential as you can use a screw chuck to hold it for turning the outside then a face plate to hold it for turning the inside. The downside to this is you do have a bit of waste where the screws hold it to the face plate. Other holding methods such a hot glue and Jam chucks are worth researching too which can be used when finishing the piece.

Above all have a read through the forums on here as there is a wealth of good solid advice and the members are some of the most helpful people I have come across.

 

[Robbo3]

Where to start?

Try & find your local woodturning club. They are a wealth of free information & advice. 30 minutes chatting with a knowledgeable member should answer all your questions.

The 4 prong centre is used to drive wood betwen centres, the tailstock normally fitted with a revolving centre (stops the wood scorching).

Bowl blanks can also be driven between centres so as to balence them up & allow a spigot to be cut for use with a chuck.

A four jaw scroll chuck should be threaded to match the lathe headstock. It has carrier jaws (Accessory Mounting Jaws) which are moved in & out by a flat metal spiral (the scroll). Accessory jaws of different types & sizes are bolted to the carriers so that all the jaws move in & out together. NB. The jaws only make a perfect circle in one position but being adjustable, will cope with larger & smaller spigots. Jaws from one make of chuck will not necessarily fit another make of chuck (though some do).

Choosing a chuck
- http://www.peterchild.co.uk/chucks/chucks.htm

Axminster chucks - well made with lots of jaw options
- http://www.axminster.co.uk/woodturners- ... 15214_pg1/
Jaws, presuming a 100mm chuck, type C used to be supplied as standard. Without knowing what you are likely to turn perhaps type H Medium gripper might serve better (out of stock ATM) or perhaps type A.
- http://www.axminster.co.uk/jaws-for-axm ... 15217_pg1/

Dakota chuck
- http://www.rutlands.co.uk/pp+woodworkin ... cks+c16101

Nova/SuperNova/Record G3 - the G3 comes with 3 sets of jaws
- http://www.recordpower.co.uk/category/c ... ws--spares

Sorby Patriot
- http://www.toolpost.co.uk/pages/Chucks_ ... triot.html

VersaChuck - has lots of options but might be a bit heavy
- http://www.toolpost.co.uk/pages/Chucks_ ... chuck.html

The beginners book most often recommended is 'Woodturning, A Foundation Course' by Keith Rowley.

 

[bigtee]

Thanks for the help guys.

Work has started on a screw chuck i'd like to make a plate of steel with a threaded 6mm plate and on the front a blank of various sizes as i think this may be easier to just swap over on this lathe.

Having a go this week steel i'm well with wood i'm learning and mixing the two will be fun i hope. :mrgreen:

 

[yorkshirepudding]

Hi bigtee, the best advice I could give would be to join a good club. You are fortunate because one of the best is on your doorstep, just over in Mirfield.

Birstall Woodturning
Unit 46 James Walkers
Holme Bank Mills
WF14 8NA

Opening:
Mon: 9.30 -16.00
Tues:9.30 - 14.30
Wed: 9.30 - 16.00 & 19.00 - 22.00
Thurs: 9.30 - 16.00
Sat: 9.00 - 13.00

We have 17 lathes, a couple of bandsaws, sanders and a couple of pillar drills.

You can be sure of a warm welcome and plenty of help from experienced turners.

 

[procell]

Anyone know of a similar club near Heathrow

 

[Stateside_graduate]

Best advice you've gotten is to find a club, first hand advice is the best! Having said that, I am a big fan of the Sorby Patriot chuck. I can not find chucks in the states for my Union Graduate lathe, so I have imported from The Toolpost. I recently bought the Versachuck because I need the chuck to fit two different lathes. It seems to be a well built chuck and as the names says, it is versatile. I was a bit surprised to find there was not a stop on the jaws when opening them. Took a bit of fiddling to get the jaws turned back in and aligned.

 

[bigtee]

yorkshirepudding

Thats just what i needed to know i'll be along this week for a look. Thanks Fella.

 

[yorkshirepudding]

Hi bigtee, I forgot to mention that we are doing a demo at Morley tennis club this Sunday. Try pop along.

 

[bigtee]

Where is this held? Never heard of a tennis club.

 

[Robbo3]

Anyone know of a similar club near Heathrow

Northolt is probably the closest,

Middlesex Woodturner's Association
- http://www.middxturners.com/

 

[yorkshirepudding]

Where is this held? Never heard of a tennis club.

In Dartmouth Park 12.00 start (I think).

 

[procell]

Thanks Robbo

 

[bigtee]

Booked in next Tuesday at the Birstall club from 10am & looking forward to it. :lol:

 

[yorkshirepudding]

I'm sure you'll enjoy it. I do Thursdays.

 

[bigtee]

I went along to the venue at the park on Sunday and met the guys it was Stephen who showed me a few things i made a simple egg cup for starters it's in use right now.!!

Looking forward to going along to the club on Tuesday.

Thanks Yorks pudding.