Darn you axminster, I want a presicion chuck!!!

[Weasel Howlett]

Ok, so as it seems that I wont be able to get an Axminster precision chuck I need to choose another heavy duty chuck.

The choices seem to be Versa Chuck or Patriot? Are there any other options i should be considering?

I quite like the patriot but the jaws cost quite a bit more than the axminster ones so thats why i was thining versachuck.

What are you thoughts and feelings on the best chuck currently avaliable?

All help greatly appreciated.

 

[petercharlesfagg]

James,
I have been using a Versachuck for about a year now and find it true to its name, versatile.

It is used almost daily for my turning business and once I got used to the different jaw sizes it copes very well.

It is quite heavy, a large lump of steel, but despite being made in India OR because it is made in India it gives the feeling that it is rugged and will put up with a fair amount of hard work.

As yet I have not had the funds to purchase jaw sets to fit the extra jaws so cannot comment on using them but the option is there.

The only downside for me is having only 2 jaw key holes because sometimes with unevenly shaped pieces the job has to be removed and rechucked to give adequate clearance for the key. (Or if you are more intelligent than myself, you plan ahead!)

Regards Peter.

 

[RogerP]

Have you considered One way? I've been very satisfied with mine.

 

[chrisbaker42]

I've had my patriot for some time now and although I have often thought it would be nice to have different jaws it has coped with everything from small goblets to large bowls with the one set of jaws it came with.

 

[gus3049]

Another vote for the Versachuck. Daily use here too. Well built and grips well. Get the screwchuck fitting that goes with it and one set of smaller jaws along with the standard set and you can't go wrong. Cheaper than the One Way. I have no idea how they compare though.

 

[Steve Jones]

Patriot for me as well, like Chris I only had 1 set of jaws till recently and it coped with everything that I threw at it.

Steve

 

[Weasel Howlett]

What about this Charnwood chuck??

http://www.kendaltools.co.uk/cgi-bin/trolleyed_public.cgi?action=showprod_W8304

 

[myturn]

Another vote for the Patriot.

It is very well made, British, jaws are compatible with Nova (although Sorby jaws are more my preference as they are more substantial). It is also a lot lighter than many of the alternatives but is none the less strong.

There is no need to assemble the Sorby jaws in any particular numbered order as there is with a lot of chucks.

I use it (and Vicmarc) for holding everything from very small to very large.

 

[CHJ]

What about this Charnwood chuck??

http://www.kendaltools.co.uk/cgi-bin/trolleyed_public.cgi?action=showprod_W8304

How far away from the quality of an Axi. PC can you go ?

How do you get a 60 mm diameter jaw outer diameter with a chuck body that is 63mm diameter?

A chuck is a prime piece of equipment, in some respects it's quality is far more important than the machine spinning it.
For personal safety, for ease of use and future versatility.
Buy the best you can afford with the maximum available jaw combinations available, you may end up only ever using or wanting two jaw types but if they turn out to not be available for your chuck body the only alternate is to by another chuck.

 

[Paul Hannaby]

I would look out for a second hand axminster SP chuck, there are usually one or two for sale. You can still get the backplates so that's not a problem.

 

[gregmcateer]

I took the leap and went for a Versachuck from Toolpost;
They seem to offer a lot of jaw options
AND supply mounting jaws for theirs, Ax, Sorby and Oneway and Nova / Supernova
And the back is sealed from dust and muck
and...?
Toolpost seem to be genuinely nice folk to do business with - No rushing, no hard sale.
Greg

 

[gus3049]

I took the leap and went for a Versachuck from Toolpost;
They seem to offer a lot of jaw options
AND supply mounting jaws for theirs, Ax, Sorby and Oneway and Nova / Supernova
And the back is sealed from dust and muck
and...?
Toolpost seem to be genuinely nice folk to do business with - No rushing, no hard sale.
Greg

Yes indeed, if you ever have any queries, I have found that they get straight back to you and make a real effort to give good advice.

 

[petercharlesfagg]

I took the leap and went for a Versachuck from Toolpost;
They seem to offer a lot of jaw options
AND supply mounting jaws for theirs, Ax, Sorby and Oneway and Nova / Supernova
And the back is sealed from dust and muck
and...?
Toolpost seem to be genuinely nice folk to do business with - No rushing, no hard sale.
Greg

Well done! I purchased mine from Peter Hemsley too, brilliant fellow to deal with, if you need any more help etc. do not hesitate to PM!

Look forward to hearing how you get on?

Regards Peter.

 

[jaymar]

I have a precision chuck for sale. It is in an aluminium case with three sets of jaws. I have extra jaw sets too , price will depend on how many jaw sets you want. The basic price, in its container will be £100 plus postage.

 

[Weasel Howlett]

PM sent Jaymar.

 

[knappers]

I have just received the Precision chuck I bought off Ebay a couple of weeks ago (it arrived through about three sets of colleagues hands).

I work for a CNC machine tool company that is one of the biggest manufacturers of workholding accessories in the world and I have to say, nicely built little thing, aint it?

Just got to get some accessory jaws now...

Si.

 

[nev]

I work for a CNC machine tool company that is one of the biggest manufacturers of workholding accessories in the world and I have to say, nicely built little thing, aint it?

Si.

... and you couldnt knock one up yerself? (hammer) :?:

 

[knappers]

Our workholding division is in the USA...

Interesting to note that the one I have is indeed made in Poland - as is badged APTC and Toolmex.

Si.

 

[TobyB]

I have a nova, a versachuck and a patriot (bought in that order) ... I liked the idea of the latter, but went right off it when I used the jaws quite wide and one was at the limit of grip ... the jaw came off, and so did the bigish bowl ... could have been horrid but only a big dent in the ceiling and a shattered salad bowl resulted thankfully! I like the end-stops on the nova and patriot that prevent this happening ... these are the two I use for most jobs ... the versa has been relegated to being a base for my axi large button-jaws which are permanently shimmed with paper/cardboard to run reasonably true when reversing a bowl ... don't know if it's the jaws, the chuck or both which didn't align perfectly ... but I don't want to have to fiddle about every time I change jaws. If I could only have one ... the versa would be the first to go (although the Toolpost and Peter H have been of great service) ... the nova is good but is on an insert (I bought it when I had an Arundel Junior, it's now on a WivaMac) so I like the patriot M33 best ... until it broke recently (scroll gone? jaws locked while the key seemed to have a stripped thread?) ... but Sorby were BRILLIANT in sending a replacement after a single call.

I'd buy a patriot I think if I was starting again ... but having seen the Vicmarc stuff on a course with Phil Irons (nice kit that I might go for if cost wasn't an issue [I WISH!], but just not affordable at current Au$/£ rates), I'm wondering about looking out an engineering shop who might skim down my nova/patriot jaws to have a sharp-edged rim rather than a shamfered one to get a better grip on small tenons or insets ..

 

[Wood spoiler]

I have a nova, a versachuck and a patriot (bought in that order) ... I liked the idea of the latter, but went right off it when I used the jaws quite wide and one was at the limit of grip ... the jaw came off, and so did the bigish bowl ... could have been horrid but only a big dent in the ceiling and a shattered salad bowl resulted thankfully! I like the end-stops on the nova and patriot that prevent this happening ...

Not to be rude but the accident was entirely predictable. All jaws are manufactured to have a perfect holding diameter which would have been the circle they were ground out of. The nature of jaws is too allow us less than precise mortals an element of tolerance whilst creating our masterpieces. But used as you did - well it just ain't designed for that. The ability to wind off and on is to allow easy interchange of jaws, but you can't blame the tool for using it wrongly.