Thread: Silly Question on Chucks?

Originally Posted by skot

.........................so I might have to do a quick trip on the Tuesday to pick up some chucks as long as I don't go over my baggage weight limit.

Jims freight will be cheaper than the airlines - jusy visit Jim buy a heap of stuff and get Jim to send it to your address -- You know you want too

cheers

I wouldn't suggest a visit down to Jim's place. Last visit cost me..... too much. But worth it all the same.

Companion chuck saves what, $18 over the full kit? I'll give a buyer $18 for the std jaw set

Point 1/ It takes 5 min. to change a set of jaws. But in a world driven by consumption I suppose this means diddly squat!

Point 2/ It maybe a better idea to buy a VM120 and have a bit more versatility.

I had noticed that rsser but what is to be done with 4 extra sets of standard jaws....do they wear out and could be kept for spares?

Sell 'em to the folk that buy the GPW chucks! They come with a pretty ordinary spigot jaw.

Brendan's point is a good one re the VM120. Nice bit of kit and opens out to something like 110 mm (but won't take VM100 jaws). Also consider one of the remaining T/tool Titan companion chucks from GPW. That'll take all the SN2 jaws.

No connection etc.

Ern and Co,

I know you won't take this the wrong way.....

If you can afford it, buy Vicmarc chucks, no tommy bars. At least they all tighten the same way.

And buy a stack of them for all the different jaws. APITA otherwise.

Alternatively, do what the Weird and Wonderful does - use cheap face-plates and hot melt glue instead. I'm practicing on a platter at the moment and have already "saved" maybe 10mm of wood.....

But don't think that Vicmarc chucks are fault-free. Calm had to disassembled my Esc. chuck some time back to remove a slither of metal.....

And yes, I do agree that the 120 is a fine addition. And the big 150 too but it's a little on the expensive side.

I have 2 SN2's and a Titan and about 7 different jaw sets (not counting the standard set with each chuck) - they all take the same jaws so i am probably committed to staying with this brand of chuck.

The way i see it stick with one brand that way jaws are interchangable - as for getting a 120 if the jaws (you already have) dont fit stick with the 100. The $18 you save (buying without jaws) is better in your pocket than someone else's (they all add up) - you would change retailer for $18 so why not save it on the purchase price.

I could do with another chuck as i use 2 sets of jaws the most and then change on a third chuck (the Titan is setup with the big powergrip jaws)

So you have a good brand chuck stick with that brand and just get one at a time as you feel you need them. Yes there are adaptor plates etc but the more bits you have the more chance of losing some and also more "places" to get alignment probs.

Just my 2c worth

Sometimes when i see the SN2 wobble i wish i had started with Vicmark but i dont think i will be changing brands now as the jaws would all need changing as well.

Cheers

I have two chucks: a SN2 and the original Nova with the Tommy bars.

The Little fellow came with the 2nd.hnd. TL1200 I bought and had never been used despite the fact that it was over 10 years old. I like its compactness and the light weight for the Jet Mini. One problem - the bloody thing doe not run on center, probab over a mm. out!!

The Sn2 is a good chuck, but from the start I have had Surface rust problems with it.

By the way - has anyone tried the newer Vicmarc chucks with the quick adjustment feature?? They would be ideal but i fear their price.

The way i see it stick with one brand that way jaws are interchangable - as for getting a 120 if the jaws (you already have) dont fit stick with the 100. The $18 you save (buying without jaws) is better in your pocket than someone else's (they all add up) - you would change retailer for $18 so why not save it on the purchase price.

Hmm, my first chuck purchases were the older larger diameter SN2 chucks and this kinda set me up to follow on as you mentioned[Dave ]. Heres the good bit, they run true amazing must be NZ stock.

Have had little of no problems with them so far, other than me knocking them around some by catching a gouge on one of the jaws,the jaw came off second best.

The last lot came from Jim and have not used them a lot, my main work horses are the big SN2's. I did notice that the second lot were not finished off as well as the older NZ models.

Skot, questions about chucks are rarely silly.

Originally Posted by Ozkaban

The easy answer is yes, and yes.

Comes down to two questions. 1. How much cash do you have? and 2. Do you really mind changing the jaws?

I agree with Dave, those are the key questions you should consider before you go shopping, and I reckon that you now have lots of good advice from everyone on this thread to help you shop wisely.

Originally Posted by Calm

The way i see it stick with one brand that way jaws are interchangable

It can be done with different brands and adaptors, but it just makes for extra complications, as you can see from the attached.

If I was starting again now I would settle on one brand. The way it has worked out, I seem to have a little of everything through the evolution of woodturning chucks....

BTW, the attached doesn't include a swag of earlier engineering, collet and cup chucks that still get occasional use. So, it's clear which camp I sit in, but then all my chucks have to be financially self supporting....

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Useful table Neil.

btw I've seen VM120 with jaws for around $280. Relying on memory, Jim Carroll and Woodturning Supplies in Qld.

This thread has focussed mainly on chucks but jaws are just as impt. I'm not a fan of Teknatool jaws except the Titan Powergrips. VM jaws are a league ahead, so if you started with that choice you'd be looking at VM chucks, SN2 with Vermec adaptors or the GPW 110 (and 100?) or similar.

Originally Posted by rsser

btw I've seen VM120 with jaws for around $280. Relying on memory, Jim Carroll and Woodturning Supplies in Qld.

Thanks for the update on the VM120 price, Ern. Those prices I had noted for myself dated back to early May, so good to see that some of them are heading south... .

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Interesting collection Neil...If I'm reading the posts correctly, I should stick to the Vicmarc Chucks and add as I can afford them.

A couple more VM100s (3 I think) as I have Jaws for them, then maybe a VM120 but that means new Jaws for that one.


Sounds like a plan