Which Chuck

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fitzman163

fitzman163

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I would like to start drilling my blanks on the lathe which type of chuck should I get? Which one would give me more bang for my buck? Beall Collet Chuck or Super Nova? I think I would get my use from the Super Nova but please correct me if I'm wrong. Thank you in advance.
 
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mbroberg

mbroberg

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IMHO, The Collet Chuck is a better choice for drilling, but the Super Nova is more versatile. If it was a choice between one or the other I would go with the Super Nova.
 
mbroberg

mbroberg

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Daniel

Daniel

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Super Nova for versatility. I saw it on sale I think at woodcraft for $139 for the Nova2. far less than I paid for it a few years ago.
so far I have only used a collet chuck when it comes to drilling. but I am not drilling blanks. I am drilling the tip of a bullet. you know that sharp little point that they tend to come to. I gotta hit that dead center so the pen tip does not look funny when it sticks out of the hole. only a collet chuck will do.
 
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Hayseedboy

Hayseedboy

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The Nova will allow you to do other things. I have the Beall Collet chuck now but realize that I have to turn pretty dang close to the 3/4" mark to get it to hold properly. With the Nova you don't have to be precise.

I have Strongholds and use them much more for drilling and then can hold other pieces to. So for me it is no contest. The collets would be a good as a later tool to buy.

lr
 
T

Texatdurango

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fitzman163 said:
I would like to start drilling my blanks on the lathe which type of chuck should I get? Which one would give me more bang for my buck? Beall Collet Chuck or Super Nova? I think I would get my use from the Super Nova but please correct me if I'm wrong. Thank you in advance.
Click to expand...

Rather than correct you I would ask you... why do you think you would get more use from the Super Nova? I personally believe you would get better accuracy when drilling when using a collet chuck, either a Beall or mt2 mounted.

I have turned quite a few pens in the past two years and thinking back can honestly remember having my Nova chuck on my mini lathe perhaps two or three times, that's it!

I turn blanks round between centers, finish between centers and the rest of the time I will have either a Beall collet chuck or mt2 collet chuck installed...... for everything!

It's all about what you get used to using!
 
arjudy

arjudy

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The collet chuck is good for drilling round stock or for holding pin chucks used in making game calls or for drilling bullets as Daniel does. The super nova 2 chuck can be used for drilling but is less accurate than a collet chuck. As far as mini lathes go the nova midi chuck is a better choice than the super nova 2 (less weight). I believe Woodcraft has them on sale now for about $20 off and you get two sets of jaws. If I was going to have just one chuck it would be one of the novas. Hope this helps.

I posted the link below for the midi chuck - also free shipping right now as well.

http://www.woodcraft.com/Product/2080325/28578/Nova-Precision-Midi-Two-Jaw-Chuck.aspx
 
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PapaTim

PapaTim

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I use my nova with the nylon soft jaws ($14.99 I think) for drilling. Much easier than a dp imho. Very accurate and doesn't mar the blank. I also turned a tenon on the soft jaws for holding the candle & oil lamp holders I make. Good versatility.
 
KenV

KenV

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You will probably get both -- different uses and different precisions for different purposes.

For pens only, the collet chuck is the precision tooling. For bowls, cups, boxes, etc the scroll chuck is a lot handier than face plates and glue blocks.

What are you going to do???
 
BigguyZ

BigguyZ

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I agree with all of the posts here. Both are good, but their uses are different. If you're ONLY going to drill on the lathe, and make pens, then I'd reccomend an er32 collet chuck with a complete set of collets.

If you also want to be bowls and other turned items, then I'd reccoment the PSI Barracuda 2 Ti edition. It comes with some additional extras that the standard Barracuda 2 doesn't have. Those two together will have you able to do everything, but if you can only get one, buy based on what you want to do with it.

I bought the Barracuda 2 chuck, and have had no problems drilling. However, I'm planning on getting a collet chuck as well. I wish I got the Ti version of the Barracuda 2, as that version comes with an additional set of jaws and an indexing ring- which can help for oher specialized tasks for pens and other turnings.
 
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