Nova v Record chuck - opinions please

[Silas]

Hi. This is my first post. I am looking for a new chuck for my nova comet 11 lathe. I am rather drawn to the Sc3/4 as the price seems very good. Are they much different to the Nova G3 and it's big brother? Is it worth getting the larger one?

[Les Symonds]

I don't have personal experience of either of these, but I would suggest a couple of points. Try to go to a dealer where you can see and handle the chucks, to make a fair comparison. An important issue will be the depth of the jaws...there's a few makes on the market that have internal jaw-depth (and thus need a tenon) of only about 7mm, which in my mind is very limiting. Also, some of the Nova chucks have an infuriating design by which the jaws operate on a left-hand thread' so you tighten the jaws, not in the normal way of winding the chuck key clockwise, but anticlockwise instead....it gets very confusing!
Les

[Lazurus]

Have a look at the Tool Posts Versa Chuck, just got one to compliment my Super precision chuck, good value and the ability to use various manufacturers jaws to.

[JollyJim]

Hi Silas, on a slightly different track......


I've got the SuperNova 2 and been totally pleased with it,
but the other day, I dropped it onto a hard concrete floor
from shoulder height.
Fearing the worst, I put it on the lathe and tested it
out and it came through with flying colours.

I'm not the most experienced turner yet (hahaha),
but would suggest that, if you get the smaller Nova,
you will soon wish you had the bigger one. Also,
there are a host of Nova accessories at reasonable
prices.

I've also got an older type Record chuck and it
also is of very high quality.

Good luck, regards - Jim

[Redtails4]

Hi
I a agree with most that's been written, but first i think you need to decide what size work are you going to turn? That has to influence your choice record power jaws fit Nova Chuck's
And the Robert sorby Patriot chuck.another influence is cost how much money do you want to spend ? Is the lathe you have worth putting a Vicmarc or a oneway chuck on it?
Do you want a direct thread or a insert in your choice of chuck?
A couple of pointers some of the chucks have limiters on the jaws to stop the carriers dropping out and giving you a nasty bump on the head ?
The reason some of the chucks work the opposite way round is a safety issue
On a metal turning lathe the jaws have a tendency to flick open through inertia
Whoever designed these wood turning Chuck's had that in mind or at least knew about it?
If you drop one of these Chuck's on a concrete floor it will bruise the metal but it will not really do a great deal of real damage ps get some rubber matting on the floor.
You have to pay for this chuck whatever one you choose then have to live with your choice
Choose carefully and wisely my friend and good luck

[JollyJim]

As a ps to my earlier one,

when I dropped the chuck, I had only gone into the garage
for a few minutes to check on something while the adverts
were on tv.....consequently, I had no shoes or socks on and
was lucky the chuck missed my foot or I would have
been at the hospital !!! .... lesson learned !!!!!

Thanks Redtails for the suggestion of rubber matting,
that sounds a good idea.

Have a nice day all, regards - Jim

[bodrighywood]

I have been using Novas for years even have a two handled one LOL. The downside of opening and closing the jaws backwards has never really bothered me. They are solid and the only problem I have found is that the keyholes can get burred using the balled hex spanner on them. That could just be me being heavy handed though and 10 years of use.

Pete

[Silas]

Hi Pete. I bought the lathe second hand and am enormously pleased with it. It came with an early nova chuck that uses Tommy bars but it does not run true. It may well be the insert that is wrong, but rather than buy a new insert and hope, I thought I'd invest in a new chuck.

[bodrighywood]

I haved the early one like that as well amnd it is not a lot of use as it doesn't grip very well at all. I have used it foe small stuff with the tail stock up but it lies neglected on the shelf most of the time. In my experience it is useful to have more than one chuck if you can anyway.

pete

[Redtails4]

Hi
If you have problem with the Nova chuck keys do what i did i bought a good quality t bar
Allen key problem solved.
 Concrete floors ugh  if your lathe is standing on concrete it may draw moisture in
You don't have to use rubber matting  you can use wood in plank or play providing you have a barrier between the concrete and the wood thick plastic sheeting etc.
Kind regards

[bodrighywood]

It isn't the keys that are the problem is the 'keyhole' which burrs over after a few years of hard usage.

Pete

[Redtails4]

Hi
Pete what i understand its the gear that's soft? It should be the other way round bloody Chinese they cock any thing up.
How old is the chuck?
If it's Nova surly it's covered by record power warranty?

[bodrighywood]

These are the Tecknatool ones. Two are about 8 years old the other, which is fine at the mment is about 12 months old. Originals were made in New Zealand I believe. They have a hexagonal key like an allen key with a ball on the end which I found tends to slip in the keyhole and burrs it.

[Redtails4]

Hi
Pete record power used to be the distributer in the UK upon till they started selling there own Chuck's it's only be a couple of years you may still get spares?
I tell you now dealing with Nova is a nightmare.

[Redtails4]

Hi
Pete that should was tecknatool not Nova sorry mate