Wanted - chuck

[Anonymous]

Hi all

I have finally tried bowl turning and got on pretty well even if I say so myself. Only issue is holding it on the lathe!

Well, I have this birthday coming up this week and have decided that a very nice present from my wife would be a decent chuck.

Anybody out there with a second hand one they wish to sell or advice on where I can get one for a reasonable outlay?

 

[Argee]

Depends what you call "reasonable," Tony!

Chucks to turners are a bit like cameras are to photographers, in my experience. Some swear by one make, some by another, so look out for a chuck that has replaceable inserts, so that you can move on with it to another lathe.

Make sure that it's key operated, rather than lever operated. I've only ever owned one - an Axminster Super Precision - and it's been brilliant. I've got a couple of sets of jaws and a set of Cole jaws too, no worries about hanging anything of this chuck.

Ray.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks Ray

The Axminster Super Precision A is the only one I have seriously considered so far - a little pricey for a birthday present though

 

[Alf]

Make sure that it's key operated, rather than lever operated.

<stoopid, but genuine question>Why?

Chuckless in Cornwall

 

[Johnboy]

Alf, the key operated ones only need one hand to tighten/loosen leaving the other hand to hold the work, the other type use 2 "C" spanners to tighten/loosen meaning as you remove your beautiful polished bowl it falls out and gets a great big dent in it from the lathe bed.

I have the Supernova and am very happy with it.

John

 

[Anonymous]

Hi Tony
I've an Axminster K8 chuck for sale; it's threaded 1 x 8tpi... 80 notes... adapters for the other popular threads are available from AxMin.

I also use the Ax precision with A, B and O'Donnel jaws ... + a SupaNova... + a the Nova... and a Bonham... unsolicited gloat!

They're all good chucks

 

[Alf]

Alf, the key operated ones only need one hand to tighten/loosen leaving the other hand to hold the work, the other type use 2 "C" spanners to tighten/loosen meaning as you remove your beautiful polished bowl it falls out and gets a great big dent in it from the lathe bed.

D'oh! Of course. Silly me. Thanks, John.

 

[Anonymous]

Graham

Thanks but my lathe is 3/4" x 16. A brand new K8 (3/4" x 16) is £99.95 and the adapter £15.99.
I'm afraid that I'll have pass on your K8 at £80 as I could buy a new one from Aminster for £4 more when the adpter is included in the equation. Thanks anyway

 

[Anonymous]

I'm open to offers on the K8...

 

[UKTony]

Hi Tony
I've an Axminster K8 chuck for sale; it's threaded 1 x 8tpi... 80 notes... adapters for the other popular threads are available from AxMin.

I also use the Ax precision with A, B and O'Donnel jaws ... + a SupaNova... + a the Nova... and a Bonham... unsolicited gloat!

They're all good chucks

Are we allowed to Gloat in the woodturning section...damm do i have a bowl gouge on its way to shout about

Tony

1) My advice is save for a Nova chuck
2) Previous threads will answer the reasons why
3) if you want to try out a a scroll chuck i have a spare 16 Tpi Poolewood you can borrrow
4) For the reasons to No 1 refer to No 2 8)

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the advice Tony

To be honest, my heart is with flat stuff and so a Nova, although superb, is not really sensible for me as it will not see enough use.
I enjoyed turning 3 bowls this weekend and was hampered by my lack of a chuck - I want a reasonable chuck for occasional use :wink:

 

[mudman]

Tony,

If you aren't going to use it all that often, do you really need a chuck? Don't forget that people were turning bowls for thousands of years before the scroll chuck came along.

I've been fancying This book and I bet with your love of jigs that you'd find it much more satisfying. :wink:

 

[cd]

Tony,

Barry's made a good point if its only going to get used a little you can probably get by with a faceplate and glue blocks and spend the money elsewhere.
If you do go down the chuck route there's always second hand ones about on ebay, worth a look

cd

 

[blurk99]

Hi Tony

You sometimes find reasonably priced chucks coming up on E-Bay - The Record Power RP3000 has now been replaced and they usually go for about £50, Charnwood did sell a 'copy' of the RP3000 aswell, look for their basic wood lathe and it comes up as a recommended accessory IIRC

FWIW i've got a supernova and i'm very happy with it

Jim

 

[Duiker]

Hi,

As most of these guys know I'm a real beginner and was lucky enough to be left loads of chucks by my Dad.

Among these I have two Multistar Micro chucks. I have so many jaws the choice is bewildering and to be honest they are a pain to use for me. I cant work out how they assemble and when together there is so little movement in the jaws I guess I must be doing something wrong? The old man loved them though so it could just be me (comments?).

The one I found to be really bloody easy to use and "silly person proof" was the Axminster T8. With a few hex bots you can change the jaws to suit just about any size of work too. Right now I use nothing else and can recommend it on the basis that its good for us "beginners"

Hope this helps,

Mick

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the comments guys, really are appreciated.

Barry, managed to order that book for six and a half quid, nice link :wink:

I thought a chuck would be useful fior two reasons:
a) I struggle to hold bowls after I have turned the base
b) I used to own an engineering lathe which held everything in the chuck and so have become accustomed to using them to hold everything