Help! Chuck buying advice please

[mr.alan.]

Hi All, I am wanting your advice opinions on buying a chuck.

I have a SIP lathe model 01490. I am looking to buy a Chuck. There are so many to choose from so I am totally baffled as to “what one is the best” - #-o I know that is a question which really can't be answered specifically as its all down to taste and what you want the chuck to do- and there is the dilemma- at this stage I seriously don't know.! - well actually I do know I want to turn pens - more later. What I don't want to do is buy a chuck and regret not getting another - or maybe over spending on a chuck for something extra of which I won't use. I was in thinking of buying a dedicated Pen Blank turning chuck (PSI) around £80 but then I thought about getting a “Normal Chuck” and looking for a jaw set - with I found Nova do at £27.00 . I will probably only want to turn small to medium size bowls, and some goblets - nothing major (for now) So what are your opinions of these chucks please?

Nova Infinity Quick Change Chuck ( which I can purchase the Pen turning Jaws with this)

Axminster Evolution

Axminster SK100

Anyhow- if any of you can give me some advice and information be much appreciated.

 

[woodpig]

I've got an Axminster Clubman and a Record SC4. Both seem pretty good. I bought the clubman first (as I have an Axminster lathe) but then got the SC4 to give me a greater range of available jaws. The SC4 is better value at the moment as far as I can see.The clubman is stainless steel which is handy if you have a damp workshop. Both chucks tighten by rotating the key clockwise like engineering chucks. Personally I would avoid the ones that tighten the other way which I think the Nova does? You'll no doubt get used to the Nova quickly enough though provided you don't use any other chucks.

 

[Dalboy]

The only time you need a chuck in pen turning is if you intend drilling on the Lathe. Having said that a chuck is a very useful tool to have on the lathe so you can turn bowls and there are more things that you can use one for.
Go for something that has a good range of jaws, and stick to the well known ones like Axminster, Record and Robert Sorby to name a few. There are a lot that buy the Axminster ones and love them.
For pen turning a mandril setup that fits into the morse taper and a pen saver revolving centre are all you need to get you started.

 

[Stiggy]

I bought a Clubman SK100 and it's a fantastic chuck with options for changeable jaws.

 

[CHJ]

Hi All, I am wanting your advice opinions on buying a chuck.

Personally for your lathe and being new to turning I would go with the Axminster SK100,
Lightweight, big range of jaws.

As said not necessary for pen turning but at the risk of upsetting the 'Pen Aficionados' pen turning is a very small subset of lathe creations and you will soon find other subjects that a chuck will really enhance your experience.

Personally I find the Nova actuating rotation a pain as it's opposite direction to all my other chucks on both wood and metal lathes.

 

[harvestbarn]

One thing I had not appreciated is that the SC4 does not have a locking system should one ever have a speed control giving a reverse rotation option. Otherwise well pleased with this chuck.

 

[woodpig]

One thing I had not appreciated is that the SC4 does not have a locking system should one ever have a speed control giving a reverse rotation option. Otherwise well pleased with this chuck.

My SC4 has a M5 socket set screw to lock it to the lathe shaft. The Axminster chuck has three screws though.

 

[mr.alan.]

Hi All- thanks for the speedy replies- well having read what you have said so far- it looks like the SK100 it is!. I will also get the dedicated Pen blank chuck from PSI as I do want to drill on my lathe for the pen blanks- Axminster here I come!

 

[gregmcateer]

Hi All- thanks for the speedy replies- well having read what you have said so far- it looks like the SK100 it is!. I will also get the dedicated Pen blank chuck from PSI as I do want to drill on my lathe for the pen blanks- Axminster here I come!

Alan,

If you get the Axminster chuck I don't think you'll need a separate chuck for pen drilling. (Though I have been wrong on many things before!).

Check with Axminster, but I think you can use either the small 'Donnell jaw inserts, (You'd need the O'Donnell main jaws too, but they are a super-handy size anyway), which will hold small square stock through the parallel sides behind the dovetails,

http://www.axminster.co.uk/100mm-o-donnell-spigot-jaws-ax22836

or possibly some of their other parallel jaws.

eg:

http://www.axminster.co.uk/type-bf-100mm-small-gripper-jaws-410160 or the smaller ones of;

http://www.axminster.co.uk/100mm-cylinder-jaws-ax21162

 

[woodpig]

For pen blank drilling I mark both ends of the blank and centre drill then turn the blank from square to round between centres. I then put the now round blank in the chuck jaws for drilling.

 

[mr.alan.]

Hi All- thanks for the speedy replies- well having read what you have said so far- it looks like the SK100 it is!. I will also get the dedicated Pen blank chuck from PSI as I do want to drill on my lathe for the pen blanks- Axminster here I come!

Alan,

If you get the Axminster chuck I don't think you'll need a separate chuck for pen drilling. (Though I have been wrong on many things before!).

Check with Axminster, but I think you can use either the small 'Donnell jaw inserts, (You'd need the O'Donnell main jaws too, but they are a super-handy size anyway), which will hold small square stock through the parallel sides behind the dovetails,

http://www.axminster.co.uk/100mm-o-donnell-spigot-jaws-ax22836

or possibly some of their other parallel jaws.

eg:

http://www.axminster.co.uk/type-bf-100mm-small-gripper-jaws-410160 or the smaller ones of;

http://www.axminster.co.uk/100mm-cylinder-jaws-ax21162

Thanks Greg, I am just off to Axminster in Warrington ( wood turning demo on too) so will check out what you have suggested

 

[mr.alan.]

For pen blank drilling I mark both ends of the blank and centre drill then turn the blank from square to round between centres. I then put the now round blank in the chuck jaws for drilling.

What a simple great idea! Thanks Woodpig!

 

[Dalboy]

I would also look at buying extra jaws instead of a second chuck.

Where I differ from Woodpig when drilling blanks is that for a two part pen I mark the blank by laying the two tubes on it so that they leaves the same amount of gap at each end cut the blank making sure you you mark the cut on both halves this way by keeping them in this alignment means that the grain or pattern also lines up. I also drill from the cut end but only a little longer than the tube without breaking through. The reason is it prevents breakout more so on acrylic blanks. All you need to do is cut off the access and you have a clean hole.

 

[woodpig]

No problem Mr Alan. There are lots of fancy ways of drilling blanks including dedicated vices etc but you don't need them.

It was a bit of an accidental discovery for me as I bought a few square acrylic blanks and was keen to see what they were going to look like as pens so I turned then all round to get a better idea. It was then a no brainer to just to pop them in the chuck to drill them.

I've also since discovered than many pen turners don't use mandrels, they just turn between centres. There are a huge range of tools and gizmos out there designed to separate folks from their hard earned cash!

 

[Dalboy]

There are a huge range of tools and gizmos out there designed to separate folks from their hard earned cash!

I agree with that. I only buy as I need.

 

[mr.alan.]

Well- I've done it- I went to Axminster and bought this

http://www.axminster.co.uk/axminster-wo ... e-ax962267

Luckily the guest wood turner on today was Joey Richardson - I've never seen work what she produces before, she is a very artistic lady without a doubt - if you have not seen her work check out http://www.joeyrichardson.com - superb!

Thanks again all for all your advice

 

[Happy amateur]

For drilling pen blanks on the lathe I use the Axminster internal jaws
http://www.axminster.co.uk/axminster-in ... s-ax927084

They will hold !" square and down to 1/2MM drill bit and so many uses for small work
that I would not be without them. and they have built in carriers.

Fred Taylor
www.orchard-Woodturners.org.uk

 

[woodpig]

Good idea Fred. I have a metalwork lathe as well so I don't really need them but if you only have a WW lathe those jaws look like a good option.

 

[CHJ]

Good idea Fred. I have a metalwork lathe as well so I don't really need them but if you only have a WW lathe those jaws look like a good option.

Big advantage is that they fit a self centring 4 jaw chuck, not all metal lathe owners have 4 jaw self centring chuck, it can be a boon for some tasks.

If I want something running as true as possible I find the stepped jaws are made to a higher accuracy than the wood jaw carriers, at least the earlier versions, latest offerings may be better but I have not checked, you certainly don't get the same accuracy with the accessory jaws added.
Talking fractions of a mm here but to a machinist running true has a finite expectation.