Harbor Freight 2 in. chuck

[king11]

I want to turn a set of chessmen. I've bought a Harbor Freight 8X12 mini lathe
and a 2 in. chuck. I bought the chuck because i'm copying a video I watched on U-tube. Instead of turning between centers, this guy chucked the cylinderical
blank up to the head stock in an expensive 4-jaw chuck and turned the base of the chess piece first and after turning about half of the piece from the base up, he reversed it in the lathe and then completed the piece....Anyway, I thought it was a neat way to do it. I'm just not sure this H.F. 2 in. chuck will do the job.
I,m using 11/4 cylinderical blanks. there are no instructions with this chuck so I not sure which way to orient the jaws.
Anyone have any experience with this chuck?

Also, this chuck looks dangerous spinning around with the jaws sticking out like that!

 

[Mr Vic]

If I'm looking at the correct one, the Jaws are stepped. If your material will fit with the jaws installed with the higher step in the middle use it that way. If not the jaws can be removed and reversed giving you three new diameters dependent on the step up you use.

Here's a link to a good article on that type chuck

Mini Lathe Chucks

And yes the jaws can bite, so watch the placement of your left hand.

 

[jsolie]

Also, this chuck looks dangerous spinning around with the jaws sticking out like that!

See if you can find one of those old elastic wrist sweat bands in a bright color. Put that around the jaws so you know where they are as they spin. I'm a big fan of not getting my knuckles busted.

 

[duncsuss]

Robert - do you have any plans for this Thursday (April 21)?

The turning club I go to meets at the Woodcraft store in Woburn on the third Thursday of most months. It's a great opportunity to ask questions and get guidance on pretty much anything to do with turning. The official meeting is slated to start at 7pm, but there will be folks there doing a "learn & turn" session ahead of the meeting starting at 5pm.

The club website is HERE -- feel free to message me if you'd like more details.

(I just saw the Learn&turn session isn't mentioned -- if you let me know your email address, I'll forward a copy of the club newsletter which has all that and more.)

 

[chartle]

I have the exact same lathe and I think this is the chuck you bought.

2" Mini Lathe Chuck with MT-1 Shank

I had looked at these but decided to go with a larger but still small 4 jaw scroll chuck from PSI that was about $99 and was probably more like what that tutorial was using which gives me a ton more flexibility.

https://www.pennstateind.com/store/CMG3C.html

Maybe if you posted the tutorial we could be more helpful but I think you are going to have a very frustrating time with that chuck. It has very little contact with the piece and see a lot of flying wood in your future.

 

[TellicoTurning]

I turned my chess pieces on a pin chuck... I wanted to weight the pieces, so I drilled a 3/4 hole in the bottoms with a forstner about the depth of the cutter head (around 1/2 or 3/8" - I didn't measure the depth, just turned until the cutter head was flush with the bottom.... then a 3/8" hole for the pin chuck... about 3/4" deep.... mounted on my Beale collet system and turned away...then I could just dump birdshot into the hole and seal with putty. Easier than messing with a chuck.

I turn bottle stoppers the same way.

 

[ironman123]

I tried one of those 2 inch chucks and it kept loosening up so I use it as a paper weight.

 

[KenV]

Robert

Welcome to IAP

Some of your story does link together well. Help with some details

The only 2 inch HF Chuck comes with a MT 1 arbor. The lathe you selected has a MT 3 head stock and a MT 2 tail stock. The lathe comes with a 4 inch metal Chuck as part of the package. It is usually a challenge to get a MT 1 to work,in,a MT 3 head stock.

While not the best Chuck for wood, the stock Chuck is a better bet than a smaller one. Any particular reason you are not using the stock Chuck that came with the lathe?

Perhaps you are using the Mike Peace videos in,making chess pieces?



I

 

[chartle]

Robert

Welcome to IAP

Some of your story does link together well. Help with some details

The only 2 inch HF Chuck comes with a MT 1 arbor. The lathe you selected has a MT 3 head stock and a MT 2 tail stock. The lathe comes with a 4 inch metal Chuck as part of the package. It is usually a challenge to get a MT 1 to work,in,a MT 3 head stock.

While not the best Chuck for wood, the stock Chuck is a better bet than a smaller one. Any particular reason you are not using the stock Chuck that came with the lathe?

Perhaps you are using the Mike Peace videos in,making chess pieces?



I

I'm assuming its this lathe Benchtop Wood Lathe - 8" x 12" which uses mt 1 for head and tail stock.

Not this one 8" x 12" Benchtop Lathe