Which lathe chuck

It’s always hard to tell you what to buy without knowing more about what you want to do. Nonetheless, I offer my opinion.

I would recommend against buying some of the cheap stuff out there. A good chuck should last a long time.
Some chucks use 2 levers to tighten. Others use a large key, like on a drill press. I much prefer the key approach.
You will probably want at least 2 (maybe 3 sets of jaws) of different sizes. If you chuck comes with only one set of jaws, buying additional sets can be pricey.

I own an Oneway Talon. However, I have used a Barracuda that, IMO, was just as good. The Talon came with only one set of jaws (I bought another later). The Barracuda comes with 3 sets of jaws.

Advice – A drop of oil every 6 – 12 months on each set of gears will keep it working smoothly.

-- Rich, Cedar Rapids, IA - I'm a woodworker. I don't create beauty, I reveal it.

I’m thinking about that as well for my HF floor model. Been looking into chucks, and critiques on Amazon. I am ignorant and I am not in an area where I can see something before I purchase it, but spending as much and buying the best you can afford is a good start. Different lathes have thread dimensions as well as adapters so you can fit your lathe.

Rich, I’m wondering what IMO stands for?

-- Cau Haus Designs, Thomas J. Tieffenbacher

IMO – In My Opinion

Anyway Doc, I am limited in my lathe experience, but from what little I have learned, most lathes use pretty much the same thread patterns, sizes, and morse taper deminsions, then there’s Harbour Freight.
I am by no means putting down Harbour Freight. I have a lot of stuff from there that has been very useful. However, my lathe experience began with a Harbour Freight lathe and it turned into a nightmare. The one I had used a thread size and patter that you couldn’t find anything for. Luckily (IMO), it vibrated itself to a quick and painful death before I sunk too much time and money into it.
The lathe I have now is another el-cheapo, but it’s an exact Chinese made copy of the tube style Craftsman lathe, and most popular accessories will fit it fine.

I agree with Rich that if you don’t get more than one set of jaws of different sizes, you will find yourself either being limited or ordering a different sized set.

-- http://wddsrfinewoodworks.blogspot.com/

I’m using a lathe that is over 100 years old. I have a couple faceplates and a drive spur but no chucks. It also has a “dead” center that needs lubed with wax regularly. I haven’t looked into a live center or a chuck. If anyone has a link that would show me what is available for antiques like mine, I would really appreciate it! My lathe was made by Greenfield Tap & Die in Greenfield, MA and was driven by leather belts from an overhead shaft. It has served me well for over 45 years and I have no plans to replace it.

-- Every day above ground is a good day!!!

You might look at the Nova G3. Love mine. Make sure there’s an adaptor available for whichever chuck you choose to fit that lathe. I had one of those that belonged to my dad. Can’t remember the thread size right off hand but I think it was smaller than one inch but I’m not sure.

-- Darell, Norman, Ok.

I have a Grizz 1067Z lathe. The chuck I bought looks to be a knock off of the Vic Marc VM100. It has been a good chuck. Look it up in the Grizz catalog. I’d buy it again. It is the 3 3/4” chuck on pg. 138 in the new catalog. Gotta check your size/thread of your headstock. Comes with knock-outs, wrenches, screw center, etc.
Bill

-- bill@magraphics.us

Rich the Nova G3 and the Barracuda2 are basically the same price. If you had it to do over would you buy the Barracuda cause of the 3 jaws? Are the 3 Barracuda2 jaws ones that would be normally used.

I want to turn bowls and generally do more things with my lathe. I have turned bowls with my faceplates but it is hard to finish the bottoms correctly.

-- Dewayne in Bainbridge, Ga. - - No one can make you mad. Only you decide when you get mad - -

How would you finish a bottom of a bowl with out a chuck?...

-- Chris ~ Central Michigan

Any bowl turning I do is mounted to a faceplate. Bottoms are flat and usually just sanded smooth or covered with felt. A chuck would allow me to do a lot more but I have gotten used to what I can do with what I have. If the need for something else comes up I’ll find a way to get it done or buy the tools I need for the job. If you look at some antique woodworking it’s pretty amazing what they were able to do without all the technology that is available to us!

-- Every day above ground is a good day!!!

When in school 45+ years ago we used card stock and glues it to a board that was screwed to the faceplate. We glue the bowl blank to that card stock with all this centered as well as possible. We never wore any of them home but today I wonder why not? We would finis the bowl and has to make the bottom flat. we used a chisel to separate the paper and remove the bowl from the board. Worked great then. Often wonder about today’s recycled papers.
cjwillie – probably all you need to do to change the dead center to a live center is know the taper in the end and buy a center with that taper on it. IT should be a #1, #2 or #3 Morse taper. You should be able to install chucks like drill presses use and also drill bit that have morse tapers on them.

first off let me say, I don’t post much but I do read here alot.
In my opinion for this grizzly is the a good bang for the buck. I own 4 of them.

http://www.grizzly.com/products/H6264

Page 138 of there catalog.

i bought my first for my first lathe which was the same as yours.
I added the other 2 sets of jaws that grizzly sells for that chuck the next year and then bought additional chucks when I got my second lathe so I didn’t have to change jaws any more.
Also Vicmarc jaws fit this body and If you find you need something different in a jaw set its easy to choose.

Just this past week I bought 2 of these chucks for one of the turning clubs I belong to.

One last thing, I personally don’t like nova chucks, to me they are backwards, meaning that you turn them counter clockwise to tighten and clockwise to loosen. opposite of the way most things work, I know that some think my reason is stupid but its just a pet peev with me.

IAN

-- woodturners keep things spinning.

Ian do you know which jaws come with the 6264 or can you choose? I couldn’t see anything that said.

-- Dewayne in Bainbridge, Ga. - - No one can make you mad. Only you decide when you get mad - -

they come with the standard, 2” jaws, also known as #2 or 50mm I think, depending on manufacturer.

Ian

-- woodturners keep things spinning.

Thanks for the info. I am seriously considering this chuck.

-- Dewayne in Bainbridge, Ga. - - No one can make you mad. Only you decide when you get mad - -