Chuck recommendation please

[nightrider75]

I have been turning for about 2 months now, mostly pens. When I first started my son gave me some 13" to 14" sticks about 3/4 x 3/4. To practice lathe turning I started making some kids wands for my 9 and 10 year old grand kids. The only chuck I have is a 2 jaw pen drilling chuck which I have been using along with a live center on the other end. Depending on the type of wood, as I get farther away from the chuck it starts chattering and have had a few break close to the tail stock. I have only carbide tools.

I do not see my self doing bowls any time soon and several of the chucks I looked at were either real expensive or did not seem to have jaws to hondle a 3/4 by 3/4 stick.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Jeff

 

[jttheclockman]

No chuck needed. Live and dead center. Here is a video for one example.

https://www.bing.com/videos/rivervi...BAF842AB36CB1678B95EBAF842AB36CB167&FORM=VIRE

 

[Flintski22]

John said it all. Livestock and dead center and you should be in business.

 

[montmill]

The Grizzly chuck is about a cheap as I can find. https://www.grizzly.com/products/gr...7JyxUxYg5PqQYY24MeK83d7SlVONFqVxoCNIsQAvD_BwE

Pin jaws: https://www.grizzly.com/products/gr...2Ib90OfmzJPqbthmSJhHeLQ__ksarf0RoCxaoQAvD_BwE

You'll find it's a real vortex sucking you in. Like most things, good things are easier to work with and good things cost money.

 

[NJturner]

I have been turning for about 2 months now, mostly pens. When I first started my son gave me some 13" to 14" sticks about 3/4 x 3/4. To practice lathe turning I started making some kids wands for my 9 and 10 year old grand kids. The only chuck I have is a 2 jaw pen drilling chuck which I have been using along with a live center on the other end. Depending on the type of wood, as I get farther away from the chuck it starts chattering and have had a few break close to the tail stock. I have only carbide tools.

I do not see my self doing bowls any time soon and several of the chucks I looked at were either real expensive or did not seem to have jaws to hondle a 3/4 by 3/4 stick.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Jeff

The chatter you are experiencing is not necessarily due to the chuck, but instead the diameter and length of your piece. Folks who turn finials learn early to work back from the tailstock to the headstock in short increments, sanding and finishing as you turn each segment to the needed diameter because the stock gets too thin to go back and touch it later due to the chatter. Wands are not much different than a finial so the techniques are the same. You want to leave as much wood as you can on the headstock end of the wand as you can and thin it back as you go - in one step! The pressure of cutting will induce chatter if you go back and try and touch up something - usually making it worse!

Check out any of the many Cindy Drozda or Ashley Harwood videos on turning finials and you will get the picture. If you want to go much longer in length, then you need to start thinking about a steady rest, not necessarily a chuck. I'd also look for a local AAW chapter near you and speak with some of the turners there - usually they can be a big help!

Kevin

 

[mredburn]

Which lathe are you using and do you know the spindle threads it has? If cost is an issue Ebay and Shars.com may have some cheaper solutions for you.

 

[bugradx2]

I have been turning for about 2 months now, mostly pens. When I first started my son gave me some 13" to 14" sticks about 3/4 x 3/4. To practice lathe turning I started making some kids wands for my 9 and 10 year old grand kids. The only chuck I have is a 2 jaw pen drilling chuck which I have been using along with a live center on the other end. Depending on the type of wood, as I get farther away from the chuck it starts chattering and have had a few break close to the tail stock. I have only carbide tools.

I do not see my self doing bowls any time soon and several of the chucks I looked at were either real expensive or did not seem to have jaws to hondle a 3/4 by 3/4 stick.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Jeff

I agree with many of the other commenters on starting at the tailstock and moving towards the headstock.

I wouldn't worry about only using carbide tools either. There are plenty of us who are only carbide turners.

There are a LOT of chuck brands out there. If/when you decided to get a different one I'd make sure the brand you get has plenty of options for different jaws and turning options. Having the chuck mostly sealed is nice too because it keeps dust out of the inner workings.

 

[jttheclockman]

Remember one thing when using a chuck, any chuck, you lose material length. This is the material you stick into the chuck. No way to turn that. longer the jaws the more material you lose. Making wands I would think you want as long as possible and thus the live and dead centers. Working from tailstock to headstock is the proper way to do projects like that. Along with being able to learn the method of one hand using tool and one hand steady of the spindle. Using carbide tools is fine but another tool that can do so much is the well sharpened skew. Good luck and show us some of the results.

 

[d_bondi]

I have a Nova G3 chuck with the Nova Pen Plus Jaws and have not been disappointed. I got the chuck set (was a 30th anniversary bundle with case) on ebay (new) for about $155 and the Pen Plus Jaws were another $55.

Disclaimer: I use this only for drilling blanks or for turning one end of stock round, once I have one round end, I flip the material around and use an ER32 Collet chuck.