Hi Tim, Yes Dave at S&B is very good and I am sure he will sort it for you. Can you just confirm from what you say about reversing the insert, Does the 1 1/4" x 8 thread go right the way through the insert then ? It's just out of curiosity as mine never have.
No problem Julian, looking at the insert removed from the SC4 chuck and examining the inside. At the front (the bit that's normally presented to the lathe headstock spindle) there is about 10mm which is unthreaded. The thread then commences, and yes, it continues un-interruped to the back extremity of the insert. So the problem I have is that the insert, when presented normally (front first) to the spindle, will not screw fully on to it but jams after about half a turn. If I then remove it from the spindle, reverse it, and present the rear of the insert to the spindle (which obviously can only be done when removed from the chuck), it screws onto the spindle perfectly.
I purchased the insert from Stiles and Bates and I am most grateful to Dave who has taken immediate action. He also (like Paul and Bill) thinks it's a damaged end of thread and is sending me an SC4 insert which he used on his own Nova DVR lathe before he sold it. This is scheduled for delivery tomorrow and I am hopeful it will solve the problem.
Here's an update to the above: Unfortunately there was a slight misunderstanding and Dave sent me a Nova chuck insert which although screws on my DVR lathe spindle perfectly, does not fit the Record Power SC4 chuck.
I have now also raised the problem with Record who are sending me a replacement SC4 insert, pre-tested to fit the Nova DVR lathe.
I'll post an update when I have received this.
Tim