Finally a four jaw chuck.

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Dave_M

Dave_M

Member
Joined
Dec 10, 2005
Messages
769
Location
Clovis, CA, USA.
I finally ordered a Barracuda2 four jaw chuck. It was supposed to be delivered last week but Amazon.com screwed up my order so now I have to wait a few more days. I always look forward to UPS pulling up in the big brown van to deliver my new toys.

When I started making pens two + years ago, I began with a very basic very small PSI lathe that they don't sell any longer and a few basic turning tools. I made a few pens then eventually sold a few pens. Through my pen sales I eventually upgrade my turning tools and bought a Jet 1014vsi. Thanks to the knowledge shared on this site my pen's got better and I built higher end kits. Gradually I've been able to stock my shop with a dust collector, slow speed wet grinder, and countless other tools & supplies. I never expected to make money doing this but the ability to fund all my expenditures from selling pens and bottle stoppers has been a nice unexpected bonus. Usually my hobbies are money pits.

Anyhow, I'm semi confident that I made the right decision going with the Barracuda chuck. The Supernova2 was a serious contender and I had a real hard time making that decision. I looked at them all and ultimately went with what I thought to be the best bang for my buck primarily based on reviews I read here. Can't wait to play with my new toy!

Dave
 
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You'll be very happy with it. I was the first one I bought, before I got a Nova and Oneway chuck and I still use it. Yesterday I turned a 7" x 7" bowl with it and had no problems. I too have the Jet 1014 and when I first started turning it, it barely cleared the bed of the lathe.
 
I have the original and the new Barracuda2 T/N chuck and am very happy with both. The original problem was square chuck key and they changed it to a gear one. I also have the 8" flat jaws and there longer chuck key. For the price, I do not think it can be beat.

Craig Chatterton
Puyallup, WA
 
A couple years ago, I bought my wife a Barracuda2. It got some use and proved itself to be a fine tool. Sometime later, I completely forgot that we had it and bought an Apprentice chuck from CSUSA. For some reason that I can't explain, the Apprentice chuck has become my goto chuck. I can't explain why that is. Perhaps it is because the Apprentice2 is 'hers'. Who knows? Both have performed to expectations.
 
SkookumPens said:
I have the original and the new Barracuda2 T/N chuck and am very happy with both. The original problem was square chuck key and they changed it to a gear one. I also have the 8" flat jaws and there longer chuck key. For the price, I do not think it can be beat.

Craig Chatterton
Puyallup, WA
Click to expand...
What is the problem with the square key?
 
Well so much for my chuck. Amazon.com has messed up my ordered for the second time in the last 10 days. My 2nd day UPS package has been lost twice and now Amazon wants to try a third time. Yeah right. No thanks. Both times the tracking numbers I was given were invalid. I haven't used Amazon.com in a long time and it's going to be a lot longer before I forget this one and try again. They did put a $5.00 gift certificate on my account for my frustration. I told them if they really were interested in keeping me as a customer overnight the chuck to me. I guess they're not that interested.
 
are you ordering this direct from amazon with their super saver shipping? Or is it perchance a pass through sale to another vendor?

I've never had any problems buying direct from amazon, but some of their vendors are real duds.
 
Purchased directly through Amazon using my Amazon Prime membership for the 2 day shipping. I did a quick search when I started having this problem and found a lot of similar complaints. Shipments that never arrive and bogus tracking numbers given to customers. I worked directly with Amazon CS over the phone many times trying to resolve this problem and the best the could do was apologize. It's pretty bad when they ship an item UPS and can't track the shipment themselves because a bogus tracking number was entered into their system. They asked me to give them a call if it ever shows up.
 
I ordered another PSI chuck through Amazon, it was supposed to be here Wednesday, I just checked the UPS site and it will be here tomorrow. This one came from PSI but ordered from Amazon.
 
Ok,
To be fair to Amazon, I thought I should post an update since they are still trying to work with me on this issue... which I do appreciate. They admit they have no idea whether my original order ever shipped. They were betting on the odds that it did ship and would show up at my door inspite of losing track of it in their system.

So... now I'm getting $30.00 off the price and free 2 day shipping. Pretty good deal assuming they actually get it to me this time. I'm pleased they're taking responsibility instead of making up more stories and I'm also pleased to see them putting forth a sincere effort in making this right.
 
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Lanman said:
Well so much for my chuck. Amazon.com has messed up my ordered for the second time in the last 10 days. My 2nd day UPS package has been lost twice and now Amazon wants to try a third time. Yeah right. No thanks. Both times the tracking numbers I was given were invalid. I haven't used Amazon.com in a long time and it's going to be a lot longer before I forget this one and try again. They did put a $5.00 gift certificate on my account for my frustration. I told them if they really were interested in keeping me as a customer overnight the chuck to me. I guess they're not that interested.
Click to expand...

Please don't say that, I just got shipping conformation fro Amazon on my new Super Nova 2 for some strange reason the spindle adapter was shipped yesterday fro Washington and the chuck today from the same place and both are scheduled for delivery on the 12th??? that's Saturday and UPS doesn't deliver out here on Saturday Now you have me a bit worried, I've waited way too long for a good chuck.
 
Tracking number

Lanman said:
Purchased directly through Amazon using my Amazon Prime membership for the 2 day shipping. I did a quick search when I started having this problem and found a lot of similar complaints. Shipments that never arrive and bogus tracking numbers given to customers. I worked directly with Amazon CS over the phone many times trying to resolve this problem and the best the could do was apologize. It's pretty bad when they ship an item UPS and can't track the shipment themselves because a bogus tracking number was entered into their system. They asked me to give them a call if it ever shows up.
Click to expand...

Sometimes what they send you is a "tracking reference number" that turns out to be not the actual tracking number. I have had that happen, (mostly on shipments from Hong Kong) and you need to see if the UPS has an option to check by reference number or something like that. I've had zero problems with shipments from Amazon...I'm surprised.
 
It wasn't a reference number but an actual tracking number. When I tried to track the shipment it came back as invalid. Amazon kept telling me it was valid and they were actually tracking it. They told me it would be delivered tomorrow yet nothing showed up. I would email back and they would tell me definitely tomorrow and again nothing. They assured me it had shipped and they were tracking it. They told me it was a UPS error but give it a couple more days. A couple more days and still nothing yet they insisted they were tracking it. Finally I had enough and complained up the food chain. Finally someone admitted my order was lost in their system, which sometimes happens but the shipment usually arrives at some point. To reissue the order would have complicated the problem in their system so it was easier to play it out hoping my shipment would arrive sooner than later. In this case it appears my order was actually never shipped and here I am.

I'm glad I handled all my correspondence via email so I had a paper trail of everything that was said. More than once I was told "We would never say that to a customer or That's not our policy", but I had it in writing so it wasn't just my word against theirs.

If you have a valid tracking number and you can track the package yourself on the UPS website then I wouldn't worry about it.
 
Craig Chatterton
Puyallup, WA[/QUOTE]What is the problem with the square key?[/QUOTE]

The square key works, the geared one just makes it easier to use. Another nice thing about the PSI chuck is PennState's pen blank jaws fit in it.

Craig Chatterton
 
SkookumPens said:
What is the problem with the square key?
Click to expand...

The square key works, the geared one just makes it easier to use. Another nice thing about the PSI chuck is PennState's pen blank jaws fit in it.

Craig Chatterton
Click to expand...
Pen blank drilling jaws? I haven't seen those. I may have to pick up a set when they are back in stock. That being said, I guess that I clearly don't need them since I'm not having any problems drilling on the lathe, but it's a new toy so I HAVE to get it, right?
 
I agree with you steve. Especially if you haven't had a new toy... I mean a new tool in a while. A properly stocked shop is the happiest place on earth.
 
Recieved my new chuck on schedule this time. I ended up with the T/N gold version to get the additional pieces. Not too crazy about the T/N gold but it's just a color. I haven't used it yet. I cleaned it up and played with a couple of the jaws. Seems like the pin jaws are all that would be needed for any pen or stopper work. I'd like to branch out a little and maybe try a small bowl and a few other things. From what I've seen so far, it runs true, grips very well, and feels like a solid well made tool. Not as clean and polished as I would have thought but the minor surface scratches (prior to plating) won't effect the function in any way.
 
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