Chucks

[DarrylF]

When I bought my lathe I picked up a Vicmarc VM120 chuck - no extra jaws, just the standard set. It is great for larger work - holds really well, used it mostly holding inside dovetailed recesses I cut in the base while the piece is screwed to a faceplate. I'm very impressed with the quality.

I'm finding it's great for the big stuff, but too big for the smaller pieces, at least with the standard jaws. I like doing a whole range of work, small and large, so I need to fix this somehow. I also want to pick up a set of bowl jaws so I can finish bases etc.

Should I buy smaller jaws for the VM120 or pick up a VM100? Any better options? Any recommendations on other useful jaw sets?

[Cliff Rogers]

Originally posted by DarrylF:
....Should I buy smaller jaws for the VM120 or pick up a VM100? Any better options? Any recommendations on other useful jaw sets?

G'day.

Changing jaws is a pain,
you can never have too many chucks,
I'd buy the VM90 small chuck & either
a set of the long nose jaws or a set of
the shark jaws to suit it & then get
a set of bowl jaws to suit the VM120.
There's a quick $400 gone.
The VM90 is lever action rather than
T-Bar action but it is smaller &
lighter than the VM100.

I have 3 chucks, a Bonham, a Supernova, &
the little chinese cheapy.

Hope that helps.

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Catchya,
Cliff

[sunshine]

Darryl: I maybe have taken the "easy" way out, but I, too have the Vicmarc 120. I purchased the "Adjusta-Jaws" for finishing the backs of bowls, inside of lids, and
platters. They attach to your 120 and contract/expand as you turn the chuck key.

They are working great for me and I think it is money well spent... http://ubb.ubeaut.com.au/ubb/wink.gif
I also have the Vicmarc 100, but using it
on my Jet Mini-lathe.

Cheers, Phyllis

[This message has been edited by sunshine (edited 12 November 2002).]

[Red neck]

Darryl,

Cliff is right – you can never have enough chucks. He also suggests a VM90 lever operated chuck as a second unit. Two things I notice about the lever chuck; it has a fast action but requires three hands.

My lever chuck is a Nova and I am able to move the jaws from full close to full open in just a few seconds. By comparison my Super Nova and VM 100 take considerably longer to adjust – both use T-bars.

The lever chuck has two tommy bars for tensioning but you still have to hold the work piece! If your lathe has a spindle lock then you wont need three hands. Unfortunately mine doesn’t but I find that I am able to tension with one tommy bar resting on the lathe bed. A bit of a juggling act.

I have a set of Cole jaws for the Nova chuck and they work extremely well for removing the foot provided you keep the speed down and attack it delicately.

I am also using a set of step jaws on the Vicmarc and find them the most useful in my collection. They allow the chuck to grip a variety of tennon sizes (50, 75 & 90 mm) in compression rather than gripping a dovetail in expansion mode. They will also grip the rim of smaller bowls (100 mm expansion mode) eliminating the need to change to the bowl jaws.

RN

[Cliff Rogers]

Originally posted by Red neck:
.... Two things I notice about the lever chuck; it has a fast action but requires three hands...
RN

G'day,

I have 2 lever action & one T-bar action &
I reckon the lever action is HEAPS faster.
If your chuck is in good order,
you can run it up enough to grip the work- piece by hand & then grab the bar/levers
to nip it up tight... as long as you can
get your head around which way to nip it up..
I often suffer brain fade between the time
I have run it up by hand & then picked up the
bar/levers & go the wrong way. http://ubb.ubeaut.com.au/ubb/frown.gif
The other trick is to slide the tail centre
up to hold the piece against the chuck but
if you have already finished that side,
you have to use something like a plastic
hose fitting over it to stop it from marking.


------------------
Catchya,
Cliff

[Mick4412]

Read somewhere ( If I could remember where I would give due credit for what I have found to be a most useful tip) about using VCR recording heads for holding pieces to the Lathe Chucks. Every VCR has a number of perfectly round components - from about 60mm down to 20mm - with plenty of screw holes.
Attach these to the wood to be worked, then clamp the piece to your chuck.
For work too small to attach to regular face plate, it works well.

[rsser]

The VCR tip is from memory on the Peninsula woodturners club site or the Sydney woodturners club site.

You can get the same result using the inexpensive Vicmarc faceplate rings. Screw the ring to your piece and then clamp it in the chuck. I like this route better than a screw in the standard chuck since it provides much more holding power, makes it easier to mount your piece square to the spindle axis, and means you don't have to swap jaws so often if your preferred set is the long nose or shark type.

Cheers,

Ern

[Red neck]

Cliff,

My two-lever Nov chuck bit me because I operated it with a loose action. The jaws unwound enough to allow the screw and work-piece to depart, reconfiguring my forehead with the mark of Zorro! I have since tightened the grub screw to stiffen the action. Surprising how the safety instructions take on a whole new meaning after the event!

Ern,

I stumbled on the Vicmarc faceplate rings when browsing their website a few week ago. Haven’t bought a set yet but on your recommendation will revisit that possibility. My Vicmarc screw went on holiday recently and I finally found it as a rusted blob (almost unrecognisable) in the bottom of a bin full of green shavings! Destroyed in about ten days.

Rn

[Cliff Rogers]

Originally posted by Red neck:
My two-lever Nov chuck bit me because I operated it with a loose action. The jaws unwound enough to allow the screw and work-piece to depart, reconfiguring my forehead with the mark of Zorro! I have since tightened the grub screw to stiffen the action. Rn

G'day.
I've had work come loose but it usually gets wobbly & noisy so I notice it, I've never had a piece come loose & leave with the screw but I rarely use the screw in the chuck option & when I do, I usually bring the tail centre up as an added precaution.
I also have a problem with dust so I wear a bash hat with a clean air feed so my head is safe from dust & meteoric timber lost in a low earth orbit.


------------------
Catchya,
Cliff