Thread: Getting my first Chuck with jaws ??

Hi Rasmus. I bought the SN2 a few months ago with the Supergrip for bigger jobs and now see the need for the 25mm jaws (or the pin jaws or both, not sure) for smaller work. Ideally, I would like to keep the SN2 with the standard jaws and buy a Titan for the Supergrip and a G3 with 25mm jaws. It's only money!
Cheers
Frank

Yep its only money... but im building workshop from the bottem up, and need lots and lots of other stuff.. and DK prices are pretty high... but iv already considered getting more than one chuck... but for now i will have to settle with one.. I need to get some kind og heating for the shop first .. it´s not that easy to turn stuff when your fingers keep frezzzzzing to the toolrest ....... hehehe

but why the 25 mm and not the pin jaws ? couldent both be used for the same work ? or is that just me not understanding things again.

G'day Rasmus

I have Vicmarc chucks, but I think this advice would hold true for Novas as well - I have found the most useful jaws overall to be the Shark Jaws (good aggressive grip on spigots, but will also hold well in expansion mode) and the Long-Nose Jaws (very good for gripping small diameter items while keeping them away from the chuck face).

On reflection, I think the Nova Long Nose Jaws are rather different in shape to the Vicmarc ones, so a better alternative for that purpose would be the Nova Pin Jaws, but I defer to the Nova enthusiasts on that point.

I guess the best advice, as with tools, is not to rush out and buy everything on offer, but try to "test-drive" different sets of jaws before committing your hard-earned cash. This is where joining a woodturning club or guild can be very useful, as you can benefit from the experience of the veterans and even (hopefully) convince them to let you have a play with their gear before deciding.

Rasmus

What are you going to turn. If it is large bowls then you want large jaws or faceplate rings and standard jaws will do for some jobs. If it is pens and cuttlery handles then pin jaws are of most value.

Work out what you are going to turn then the answer will be easier.

I hope that make sense

Hi Rasmus
I have a vivmarc 120 and surprising what you can do with the standard jaws I have the 35mm jaws on the 90 mm chuck when I need something small. I turn large platters 750 in diam on ply face plates using the jaws in exturnal mode I believe in keeping the tail stock up as safety measure Ihave turned 25 kg burl bowls in internal and external holding mode again with tailstock in support. The deeper jaws I think super grips or similar will give better grip for longer pieces being deep hollowed but here I use the steady to stop the leverage out of when hollowing.
Cheers Tony

well i hope to be turning a lot of both small and very large. i have already decided on the Powergrip Jaws. but then the ? is pin or stepped or small 25 which are more versatile...

Good question. I would like to know myself, any suggestions appreciated.

well i hope to be turning a lot of both small and very large. i have already decided on the Powergrip Jaws. but then the ? is pin or stepped or small 25 which are more versatile

Killer,
Again it depends whats being turned.

I have several SN2 chucks ranging from the standard 50mm up the 140mm large bowl jaws. The stepped jaws I use allot for small bowls and boxes and they are ideal for this. The big 140mm for larger bowls, they can handle some very big diameters. The same diameter as the Titan chuck, so save your money. Pin jaws have had little use for them to date. 50mm/power jaws use them allot

Go with the power jaws to start and use them for awhile, during this time you will get a clear idea of what you need to get next.

If the chucks are real expensive consider buying in NZ or Aust and have them shipped sea mail. It will take a few weeks but it costs much less.I have done this from Europe back here several times and it worked just fine.

hughie

It's definitely looking like a case of different horses for different courses. For my SN2 I have three sets of jaws: the std 45mm (of course ), which I rarely use, the spigot jaws and the pin jaws.

Apart from other "specialty" jaws such as Cole Jaws, these three handle almost every size of blank I work with... and I use faceplates for the pieces they won't.

The pin jaws will hold very small items (such as dowel or 1" sq pen blanks) quite nicely but in expansion mode can be used to hold fairly large blanks by simply drilling a hole with a spade bit. As such, they're more versatile than the smaller versions of "standard" jaws like the 25mm.

I've never found a need for the stepped jaws - there's probably something they do better than any of the three types I have, but I don't know what it is... and until/unless I stumble across a really cheap set I'll probably never know.

Hehe i can see that i may have asked one of the unawnserable questions...

Hughi : Great with the send by sea idea the only problem is that all the places i have found the will only ship by airmail, and the can´t tell me the shipping costs in advance. . If you know anywhere that i can buy and have the items shippes cheap and know what it´s going to cost in advance im VERY interessted.. seeing tha NZ and Au prizes are much much better than in DK.

And the advice on buying the standart chuck is great but, when shipping is as high as it is from the great beyond to denmark it´s better to get all the great advice and maby buy a set of jaws that i will seldom use rather than wait.

Skew : good advie on the pin jaws i think they might end up in the bag. But im still not entirely shure.

Try Jim at CWS, he has great service and I am sure he would ship overseas with a quote upfront.

DJ´s : Will try that in futur... This time i have found the SN2 at 300 AUD but that is including taxes and shipping and the lot.. (that´s Cheap) if i wanted to buy that in denmark there is only one suppyer and he is asking 637 AUD + shipping ........

but for futur ref. i will try Jim.

Originally Posted by killerbeast

DJ´s : Will try that in futur... This time i have found the SN2 at 300 AUD but that is including taxes and shipping and the lot.. (that´s Cheap) if i wanted to buy that in denmark there is only one suppyer and he is asking 637 AUD + shipping ........

but for futur ref. i will try Jim.

Sheesh I thopught we were doing it tough with prices here.

Don't go to Denmark guys!

Peter

Ain't this forum great!

"I have several SN2 chucks ... they can handle some very big diameters. The same diameter as the Titan chuck, so save your money"

Thanks Hughie! I was wondering about that. I am also thinking that the cost difference between the G3 and the SN2 is not great, might as well buy a second SN2 for the pin jaws and enjoy the versatility.

"The pin jaws will hold very small items (such as dowel or 1" sq pen blanks) quite nicely but in expansion mode can be used to hold fairly large blanks by simply drilling a hole with a spade bit. As such, they're more versatile than the smaller versions of "standard" jaws like the 25mm.

Thanks Skew! Now the problem is to find them, everybody is out of stock...