Small 4 jaw independant chuck?

[coffelt2]

Couple of years ago I got lots of help here deciding what brand of
scroll chuck to get with my new small Jet lathe. There were lots of really
good suggestions and pro's and con's about what others found good and bad
about those currently available. I settled on a compromise, based on
reputation and cost. The Nova turned out to be a pure delight, since my only
experience (many years ago) had been with spindles between centers and using
faceplates for anything else.
A few days ago, I wanted to turn the end of a few pieces of 5/8"
dowel..... I did get it done, but used methods no body should ever
consider. I really wanted a four jaw independent chuck (not a scroll type).
Combing through the internet and catalogs, choice of smaller 4 jaw chucks
seemed very limited. Sure, there were lots of metal working chucks that
would certainly fill the bill, but are terribly expensive (and some required
machine shop work to make adapter plates to fit my lathe).
What options are there for work on small round, or irregularly shaped
pieces (not using the tailstock or faceplate? I think the simplicity of the
scroll chuck has completely spoiled this old man.

Old Chief Lynn

[Kevin Miller]

Grizzly is probably the cheapest place to find non-scroll jaw chucks.
Not the highest quality, but some of their stuff isn't bad either.

Without seeing what it is you're trying to turn, it's hard to really
offer advice. In the past I've use my jumbo jaws (like the Nova Cole
jaws) for oddly shaped pieces although I usually bring up the tailstock
until I can turn a tenon that I can grab w/my scroll chuck. Another
thing I've done is used double sided tape. Very good gripper if you
clamp the piece to it for a few minutes. Of course, you need a flat
face on the piece you're working...

--
Kevin Miller - http://www.alaska.net/~atftb
Juneau, Alaska
In a recent survey, 7 out of 10 hard drives preferred Linux
Registered Linux User No: 307357, http://linuxcounter.net

[Stuart]

In article <-5SdnYE4BOO16bbS...@giganews.com>,

coffelt2 <coff...@comcast.net> wrote:
> Sure, there were lots of metal working chucks that would certainly
> fill the bill, but are terribly expensive

I wonder if you were looking in the right place?

http://littlemachineshop.com/

are a company highly regarded in hobbyist machinists circles, though you
don't say what size you are looking for. In my experience chucks for
woodwork can be quite pricey too

> (and some required machine shop work to make adapter plates to fit my
> lathe).

That could well be true but a request on

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/7x12minilathe/

would probably find someone who do the work for you. LMS do stock a range
of readymade adapters if you know the fitting

http://littlemachineshop.com/info/spindles.php

--
Stuart Winsor

Only plain text for emails
http://www.asciiribbon.org

[Gerald Ross]

I have the pin chuck jaws on one of my Nova chucks. This would work
on the dowel, but on irregular shaped pieces it would not "center" it.
Then, again, how do you decide what is the center of an irregular
shape? If the piece was 2" or larger I might drill a hole in it and
use the woodworm screw.

--
Gerald Ross

Ah! Now I remember. I have a GOOD
memory, it's just SHORT!

[Ralph E Lindberg]

In article <-5SdnYE4BOO16bbS...@giganews.com>,
"coffelt2" <coff...@comcast.net> wrote:

Since you already have Teknatool, take a look at their plastic jaws.
Those can be machined to fit. Of course it doesn't make each jaw
adjustable, other then machining each jaw different.
http://www.novatoolsusa.com/NOVA-Soft-Jaw-Set-6021.htm


You could take something like 1-1/2 MDF and make your own machinable jaws

Back to the 5/8 dowel

Have you looked into Collet Chucks?

http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/store/Chucks___Collet___Apprentice_Coll
et_Chuck___app_collet?Args=

http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/store/Chucks___Collet___Beall_Collet_Ch
uck___beall_chuck?Args=

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This posting address is a spam-trap and seldom read
RV and Camping FAQ can be found at
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[coffelt2]

Thanks everyone, there were some good ideas, all of them.

 

The woodworm screw is cool, I tried it and it has merit!

 

"littlemachineshop" had some chucks that certainly would

fill the bill, but did have to have some minor machine shop

work to adapt to my 1" X 8 TPI spindle.

 

I started a homemade "Cole" jaw (about a year ago)

that one of this group had on his website. It could

solve more than one problem!

 

Grizzly had two independant jaw chucks that had adapters

for my spindle...... both looked kind of cheap, and were not,

in fact, very expensive. I think I'll drive up to Bellingham and

look at both of them close-up.

 

Thanks again!

Old Chief Lynn 

[Martin Eastburn]

After many years of turning without a chuck of any type
I located the ones at Grizzly - bought both a cheap and inexpensive
1 jaw and 3 jaw. Used both for a while and then later as well.

I was lucky to buy some of the good chucks early on - so I am flush
in chucks and jaws. Not to find time to turn again.

Martin

[coffelt2]

Thanks, Martin!

I know the problem. Slaved away for 70 years, waiting for the "Golden
Years" when I would have time
for turning and such. Now, ten years after that, there is hardly time to
clear off the bench or rough out a
bowl blank or two....

Old Chief Lynn


"Martin Eastburn" <lion...@consolidated.net> wrote in message
news:kapXq.38583$5f3....@en-nntp-12.dc1.easynews.com...

[coffelt2]

I did go to the Bellingham Grizzly showroom this afternoon to look at
the two, 4 independent jaw, woodworking chucks they offer.

The first one:
http://www.grizzly.com/products/6-4-Jaw-Wood-Chuck-1-x-8-TPI/H8049 .
for $30.95, looked very much like the more expensive:
http://www.grizzly.com/products/4-Jaw-Chuck/G1082 @ $61.95 .

Holding them side by side, it looked like they were almost exactly the
same except the more expensive G1062 had to use
an adapter to fit one's lathe spindle. (they offered adapters for $8.95
each, none came with the chuck) 22 different adapters were listed.

The less expensive one, H8047, H8048, or H8049, didn't use an adapter
as it's body was threaded for one's choice of 3 different spindle thread
sizes.

Oh, yes, there were plenty of machine grade 4 jaw chucks offered as
well, but I think all required a backing plate to be attached and
fitted to your lathe spindle. Much more money of course, but would provide
the potential precision necessary for most machine work.

I bought the less expensive (cheap) one, as one of the spindle sizes
was 1" X 8tpi, which is just what I could use.

Now if I can just keep my Jet lathe from jumping up and down, or
tearing up the shop while spinning modestly unbalanced
work.........DUUUUCK!...........

Why? You ask! Good question.


Old Chief Lynn

[Martin Eastburn]

Remember metal lathe and mill chucks are made for metal.
Wood chucks are tight fitting. Dust and splinters /fiber
will get into the metal chucks and foil the gears on the jaws.

Cleaning of the chucks fixes that, just keep it in mind.

Martin