finally decided to come back to turning

[swamp diver]

well after a lot of years i have finally decided to get my self a lathe and start wood turning again, well not so much wood at the moment but i intend to turn resin stabilized wood and resin blanks. i managed to pick up a cheap clarke lathe through ebay (£15 cheap so certainly cannot complain) that needed a few bits to make good again and a few parts replacing (bolts with stripped threads etc). i now have finished re building it with the new parts direct from clarke and am now looking for a chuck to use with it. it did come with a 3 jaw chuck but i found out very quickly that the 3 jaw chuck is no good for the blanks i want to use as it does not seem to hold them square.

 

[Robbo3]

From an old Machine Mart catalogue (you didn't give a model number) I note that both the Clarke CWL6B & CWL12D have a 3/4"x16 TPI (UNF) threads on the headstock - If this is the case, then any chuck with the same threads will fit.

If you choose an 80mm chuck now (which IMO is probably more suited & kinder to the bearings of this class of lathe) rather than the standard 100mm, you may regret it if you decide to upgrade at a later date.

Axminster - http://www.axminster.co.uk/woodturners- ... 15214_pg1/
Peter Child (good info as well) - http://www.peterchild.co.uk/
Rutlands - http://www.rutlands.co.uk/sp++xt700
Tool Post - http://www.toolpost.co.uk/pages/Chucks_ ... ories.html

Your present chuck probably has stepped jaws as found on those used for metal. Should work if the tailstock is used & very light cuts are taken but not really practical especially for those learning.
HTH

 

[swamp diver]

although it is under a different makers name it is identical to the clarke CWL12D and has the 3/4" 16 TPI threads on the head stock and 1MT on the tail stock too. all the CWL12D are the same which makes for easy ordering to replace anything on it. due to the small size of what i am turning i only have 1/2 the bed set up to use and to be honest am thinking of reducing the bed by 50% again, as even at 1/2 size it is far too big for my needs at present and have kept the other 1/2 put away in case it is needed in the future.