New chuck

[Thunknker]

Just received my new GPW deluxe chuck set two days ago and gave it a spin. I have an old MC900 on a home made heavy stand and a SNII chuck which I had some trouble sourcing jaw sets for. When my mate showed me the ad, I rang GPW the next day and ordered one.
It comes in a plastic carry case like a power tool, I had a slight delay in shipping 'çause my headstock is 1"X8 and the inserts came in a little after the chuck. The action doesn't seem quite as smooth as my SN but I hope this will improve with use. The indexing plate is better than the SN, no gaps and two sets of holes, one on the rear and the other set on the circumference, although the plate wobbles a bit. The chuck itself runs perfectly true. It also closes smaller and opens wider than SN with the standard jaws which I think is a big plus. I was keen to see if the jaws fit my SN so tried a set. The ring and screw holes lie up nicely, only the SN screw heads are a whisker larger in diameter (will fix this tomorrow). There is no grub screw to lock the chuck to the insert like the SN but this is no problem. The jaws don't meet quite as perfectly as my SN but this would only bother a perfectionist (which I aint) and shouldn't cause any problems even when re-chucking, as I never get anything back perfect with the SN anyhow.
IMHO it is great value for $ so far (I haven't used it much or tried on all the jaws) I intend to give it a good workout this weekend.
BTW don't be dissapointed if you thought it was a 100mm chuck, as it is a fair bit smaller than the SN at 3 3/4od and shorter in length, nice and compact and I don't mind the key design either, except that it doesn't fit the SN so more stuff on the rack.

[artme]

Thanks for that infromative review. Much appreciated.

[TTIT]

Thanks for that infromative review. Much appreciated.

Reading this post while filling in time at Brissy airport and realised who it was!!!! Welcome aboard ya bludger - it's only taken you a year or two to get here! This bloke is my partner in arborial crime guy's so go easy on him eh!

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

This bloke is my partner in arborial crime guy's so go easy on him eh!

That's just raised our expectations...

Hey, Thunk? You aren't a darts player by any chance? 'Cos that's the sound I hear every time I play a round: "Thunk-nk! Thunk-nk! Thunk-nk!" (The echo is the darts bouncing off the backing board and hitting the deck. ) Welcome aboard da board, anyway.

[rsser]

Welcome mate.

Reading your name I pictured an intellectual.

We'll have you anway ;-}

[scooter]

Welcome aboard, mate. Thanks for the review, sounds good


Cheers...................Sean

[Thunknker]

Thanks for the big welcome guys, and actually Skew that sound is what I often hear when I think 'just one more skim and it'll be perfect'.
Meanwhile back to the chuck. I put the pin jaws on my SN tonight, only took a quick rub on the grinding wheel till there was about a 1mm flat around the heads of the screws and everything fits, but like the standards on the GPW chuck one jaw doesn't look quite right. This doesn't seem to affect anything though as I grabbed my spur drive by the tail and it was only out by a little first go and was easily trued. The action on the GPW is still a bit crunchy when tightening and loosening tried some lube but no different. The jaws definitly grip better than the SN.... THUNK!!...... trust me on that. I also noticed that the bowl jaws have two 6mm threaded holes in each one, presumably for attaching larger, possibly, homemade jaws.
I like that it doesn't feel as bulky on the lathe as the SN and the extra travel is great. Still a bit concerned with the action, may take a peek inside and see if I can give it a tune up.

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

Thanks for the big welcome guys, and actually Skew that sound is what I often hear when I think 'just one more skim and it'll be perfect'.

Funny acoustics you have up there... in my shed it goes more along the lines of "TicTHWACK%#@*!!!"

Still a bit concerned with the action, may take a peek inside and see if I can give it a tune up.

You're probably right that it'd free up with use, but it certainly wouldn't hurt to check, just in case. [fingers Xed]

[Thunknker]

Took a look inside today and discovered why the tight spots. The bevel gears that are under the key are a bit soft, and when I tightened it the first time it pushed up a bit of a burr. I gently filed the burr off all the teeth and put it back together and there is a slight improvement, but after seeing inside I'm not game to swing off the key quite as much so this one will be assigned to lighter duties only.
On the brighter side I put the bowl jaws on my SN, after grinding a little more off the heads of the screws, and was pleasantly surprised that they fit and match up as well as the SN jaws, and boy do they grip. When I was hollowing a piece about 250mm long by 200mm round, I had a dig that stopped the lathe but it didn't move in the jaws. My SN jaws would never hold like that!

[Harry72]

You ground the screws?
I was thinking of redrilling the screw holes so the nova screws fit?

It got sent a set of the 25mm pin jaws from MIK's even though I've paid for a $10 dearer nova set several months ago when I brought my lathe, they are having trouble with supplies from TT for the sn2's.

Another thing I noticed... SN2 jaws number clockwise and the GPW are anti-clockwise, if you reverse jaws 2&4 on the GPW set(makes it clockwise) they dont line up concentrically.

[Thunknker]

Thanks for the tip about the numbering on the jaws Harry. Will check next time I change jaws. BTW I only ground less than 1mm off the diameter, dont think this will affect their holding capacity and seemed easier than drilling out the jaws.

[Harry72]

I was thinking that too, but I thought if I have to replace the screws it will need to be done again.
I've been looking for replacement screws they're not a common size, can find them flat and dome headed but not with a countersunk head?