Which Chuck

[MCB]

I'm  fairly new to turning and have acquired a 1//2 HP lathe with 3/4 x 16tpi thread on headstock.

From my reading, I've  come to realise that I  need a chuck.

I'm  retired with a pitifully inadequate pension so am unlikely to be able to afford anything VERY expensive.

What would  YOU recommend?

I  look forward to reading your  suggestions and comments

With best wishes and thanks. 
 
MC Black

[bodrighywood]

Ideally the best you can afford obviously. Unfortunately they rarely come up 2nd hand either. There are some cheaper ones out there like this one though I can't vouch for it personally. Hopefully someone will know better.

pete

[woody]

I think you will find that one is a clone of the vicmart chuck and there are quite a few chuck jaws from other makes that fit it and I have heard it is quite a good chuck but investigate that first 

[Bryan Milham]

I have the chuck Pete identified.

It takes my supernova jaws quite happily and so far I have not had an ounce of of bother with it.

[The Bowler Hatted Turner]

When I started turning many moons ago I could not afford to buy a chuck, there were not that many on the market in those days, so I made a screw chuck to fit. I tapped the hole on that and a disc of ply for reverse turning and that is how I used to make my bowls. A chuck is very useful and I would not be without one now but they managed without them years ago.
          I suggest that if you are not in a club you look to join one as there is always kit being swapped and/or sold. As Pete said second hand ones are very rare, purely because of their usefulness and price.
    It might be worth having a trawl on the internet for Longworth chucks, this may be of use to you.
Good luck
Regards
John BHT

[Kevin Hanley]

Hi

I would strongly suggest that you look at the Viper 3 - although I must declare an interest in that I reviewed it for Woodturning magazine (current issue, No 256) although it can also be viewed online via my website (www.kevin-hanley.co.uk).   

With Yandles and the Cressing Temple Barns shows coming up you can probably grab yourself a 'show special'.  At the Yandles Spring show, for example, the Viper 3 was (if my memory serves me correct) £159 for the chuck, metal carry case and 5 sets of jaws (cole, dovetail, pin, screw and something else).

Do not necessarily go for the best - you may get better quality and more accuracy - but you may not need these qualities.  Conversely, be wary of some of the cheapest which are of such poor quality and accuracy that you will waste your money.  Look for a good mid range chuck and I think you will find the Viper hard to beat.

Regards

Kevin

[BrianH]

I think I would second the, perhaps unexpected, advice from the 'bloke in a bowler'. Forget buying a chuck for now and get down and practice, using scrap wood and imagination as a replacement for the chuck. This route will, in my experience, help you to move forward at a quicker pace and encourage a deeper knowledge of the possibilities of your lathe/skill mix.
All the best with whatever you decide
Brian

[MCB]

Very many thanks to everybody who has commented.

I  note that the Poolewood site tells readers that “Jaws for the Viper3 are compatible with the following chucks:
Charnwood W836, Vicmark VM100, Record RP4000, Rutlands Dakota XT700, Warco 9405, Craft Supplies CS400, Fox FX4000”

Does that mean that they are ALL interchangeable?

It's my intention to attend the Cressing Temple show (that's an hour or so from here).

The Longworth Chuck seems a good idea and fairly easy to make - if one has a router!

Very many thanks again for taking the time to help

MC

[John D Smith]

Hi I think you should have a look at the Axminster range of scroll chucks.

                              Regards John

[malcy]

I recently bought an Axminster chuck (body only) that was on special offer. Worth looking if they're still available. It cost about £60, and was quite recent. Malcolm.

[woodndesign]

Hi I think you should have a look at the Axminster range of scroll chucks.

                              Regards John

I'm with John on this ... http://www.axminster.co.uk/woodturners-chucks-dept815214_pg1/ ... not that I have shares in Ax ..  ..

At the thread size and no doubt lighter/smaller Lathe the K10 would be a good option ...  http://www.axminster.co.uk/axminster-clubman-k10-100mm-woodturning-chuck-prod800680/ ...  Any one have an idea on the SK10 listed, is it a K10 replacement .. If it's not a too big a price there's a starter pack deal .. http://www.axminster.co.uk/axminster-axminster-k10-clubman-chuck-%28starter%29--package-deal-prod833376/ ....  Also check out Record as well.

Cheers    David

[John D Smith]

I have only ever had Axminster chucks and have always been very satisfied with them. I changed my Axminster M900 lathe earlier this year with a different spindle thread size M33 so I purchased two new chucks and sold the other two which had 3/4" X 16tpi threads to suit my previous Record Lathe.I am sure if you put another thread on this Forum someone may have one for sale.Best of Luck.

                                                                     Regards John

[MCB]

Very many thanks to everybody who wrote about this query - both on and off list.

 I've  now learned that on their Open Day, Charnwood will be offering their Viper 3 chuck in a package, including:

Viper3,
V3ALU (carrying case),
V3FJ5 (5“ bowl reversing jaws),
V3SJ (Stepped Jaws),
V3PJ (Pin Jaws),
V3WJ (Wide Jaws),
ViperID (Insert for 3/4 x 16tpi) 

for £149.

That strikes me as a good deal.

Or am I  missing something

I  await your  views

With best wishes and thanks. 
 
MC

[Mark Hancock]

MC

If you can wait until the Cressing Temple show come and see me there and I'll go through the options with you.

If you can't wait I would suggest you try and figure out what you want the chuck to do. By that I mean what you think you will be turning and on what lathe. Most find turning very addictive and end up upgrade their lathe so consideration about chuck spindle thread options comes into the equation. I wouldn't be too concerned about range of jaw options as over 20 years of experience has taught me that you end up using only 2 to 3 different jaw designs. Also there are ways of turning which negate the need for certain chuck jaws available which in my view are easier and quicker ways of turning and at the same time saves you money for more necessary equipment and tools.

Mark

[afrancis]

When I started turning I purchased the Fox 4000 chuck and recently purchased a Supernovafor almost twice the price. I cannot see any difference in use between the chucks. In fact the Fox has one advantage over the Supernove and that is the index ring. I keep going back to the Fox purely for that facility.