Lathe Chuck Advice Requested

sheriff john · Apr 1, 2023

Looking for advice on purchasing a multi-jaw wood lathe chuck for my shopsmith to turn powderhorn plugs (big end). Three-Jaw or Four-Jaw? Does self-centering mean all jaws contract/extend with a single adjustment or do you have to screw each jaw independently?

Last - are there any types/brands to stay away from?

64Springer · Apr 1, 2023

For wood, get a four jaw single adjustment. Just make sure your wood stock is square square square or your work WILL come flying at you.

You very rarely, if ever, need a four jaw independent chuck for woodworking.

There are two types of chucks. One has a chuck key, t-handle, that fits in a square socket.

The other is a chuck with two opposing discs that work to open and close the jaws. This has two steel rods that go into hole in the chuck. You can clamp square stock and you can turn bowls with the outer jaws that hold the inside of the bowl.

I'll post some pictures of the opposing disc type. Be right back.

P.S. If you don't have one, buy a live center. In my opinion it's indispensable.

Timber Wolf · Apr 1, 2023

From my limited vo-tech school machine shop class, three jaw for round stuff, 4 jaw for oddly shaped things. Three jaw will all move together, four jaw each by themselves. Don’t know about brands but would be interested to know. Somewhere deep in my pile I have a bowl turning lathe (just a headstock and table) that would be ideal for this kind of thing. I bought it at the same vo-tech school at an auction, 35-40 or so years ago.

TDM · Apr 1, 2023

I have a small WEN lathe, nothing fancy, but I've been able to do quite a bit with it. I use a small 3 jaw chuck. As @Timber Wolf said, that's best for a round base. I think my chuck may be a WEN product too, just don't remember. But it's not an expensive one. However, the lathe and chuck allowed me to make a number of small bowls and boxes. I'm just limited to 6"-7" diameter with what I have. Don't really turn that much anymore except to make parts for other projects.

sheriff john · Apr 1, 2023

You guys are the best advice source I've found since Mr. Nick's barbershop closed! Thanks. Thanks. Thanks. Never had a lathe chuck and haven't tried the screw-in faceplates in many years. Choices are many, but confusing. I have one original horn plug (no horn) that's obviously turned on something, so I have a model to go by. Forum members know the topic, what's needed.

Trying to center stock with individually adjusting screws appears to be problematic. Shopsmith's great for making ten birdhouses, a PIA to make one. It does work pretty well as a lathe.

TDM · Apr 1, 2023

@sheriff john, my little WEN chuck is self centering. Again it's the only one I've used so nothing to compare it to, but I have no complaints on it. The grip tightness needs to be checked after the wood settles in, but I'd imagine that's true for any of them. It's quite easy to use.

Rifleman1776 · Apr 1, 2023

Use only four jaw for wood. Penn State and Grizzly have good selections. Read descriptions carefully and pick yer pizzen. Enjoy. I loved woodturning when my health permitted.

44-henry · Apr 1, 2023

I have a Nova chuck for my Shopsmith MarkV, you will need to get an adapter for it. It would work fine for the work you want to do.

1950DAVE · Apr 1, 2023

Penn State industries that Rifleman mentioned is what I have. I am well pleased 4 jaw, self-centering. It has turned many bowls.

JHB · Apr 2, 2023

Self centering for round work. Four jaw independent for odd shape work.

HSmithTX · Apr 2, 2023

A scroll chuck is the proper term for a chuck that all jaws move in and out together whether 2, 3, 4, 6 etc jaws on the chuck. Independent is the term for chucks where each jaw moves independently. More so than brand name, look at the jaws available for the chuck and how much they cost, you usually end up with the cost of the chuck plus in jaws and it doesn’t take long. Last thought, grease your chuck!! The clamping force it makes and more importantly how much it maintains at speed are DIRECTLY correlated to it being clean and lubricated. It will keep you from using your noggin for a catchers mitt. Grease it up, clamp something in it and spin it up to very high speed, clean it well after a minute at speed and no worries about grease on your project. Annually or more often if you use it a lot or sand much in the chuck, pull it off and take it apart and clean well, regrease and put it back. Will last a couple lifetimes.

64Springer · Apr 2, 2023

HSmithTX said:
A scroll chuck is the proper term for a chuck that all jaws move in and out together whether 2, 3, 4, 6 etc jaws on the chuck. Independent is the term for chucks where each jaw moves independently. More so than brand name, look at the jaws available for the chuck and how much they cost, you usually end up with the cost of the chuck plus in jaws and it doesn’t take long. Last thought, grease your chuck!! The clamping force it makes and more importantly how much it maintains at speed are DIRECTLY correlated to it being clean and lubricated. It will keep you from using your noggin for a catchers mitt. Grease it up, clamp something in it and spin it up to very high speed, clean it well after a minute at speed and no worries about grease on your project. Annually or more often if you use it a lot or sand much in the chuck, pull it off and take it apart and clean well, regrease and put it back. Will last a couple lifetimes.

I've been turning wood for decades and the very last thing I want around my wooden lathe projects is grease and oil.

Contaminate a piece of wood with any kind of lubricant and you can kiss finishing it goodbye.

Plus, grease and oil act like magnets and will attract sawdust and form a cake.

Lubrication is fine for a metal lathe, but not for a wood lathe.

.02

borne2fly · Apr 2, 2023

I run Buck chucks and Bison chucks on my lathes. Got most of them from EBay. Good chucks are never going to be cheap, so be prepared for a little sticker shock.
As JHB said, self-centering for round stuff and 4-jaw independent for odd shaped work. My machines are for metalwork and are basically swimming in oil, but for woodwork this is exactly what you don’t want. For a chuck destined for woodwork I would disassemble it, degrease it, and reassemble it with powdered graphite as a lubricant for all the internals.

sheriff john · Apr 2, 2023

Before buying a chuck, I went ahead and bought the 5/8 to 1"x8 tpi shopsmith adapter to get a start on choosing a chuck. Thanks to you folks, I've a much better idea of what to look for. My ancient Shopsmith 19ER's sat idle for decades except as a polisher. The Mark V (510) is a new addition this winter - with jointer/planer, scrollsaw, jigsaw, bandsaw, etc. etc. Sadly, there was no lathe chuck included. Headed to the internet search engines to spend more of our kids' inheritance....Thanks again for everyone's help!

Jay Templin · Apr 2, 2023

What’s a chuck?

Jay

sheriff john · Apr 3, 2023

Jay Templin said:
View attachment 212045What’s a chuck?

Jay

Wow! That's outstanding. Thanks for posting.

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