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Easywood Chuck-- Did I miss something?

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I recently noticed that several dealers no longer sell the Easy Scroll Chuck? I know that the company was sold, but what's up with the chucks?
 

john lucas

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I could not find them on the Woodcraft site either. I'm guessing they sell the woodriver chuck instead. Also Sorby came out with a chuck with the quick release jaws that was much less expensive and I noticed that EZwood lowered the price $100 after the Sorby came out trying to compete.
 

Bill Boehme

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Didn't realize they sold. Who bought it?

Originally they were sold to the Adjustable Clamp Company (makers of Pony and Adjustable brand clamps),, but continued to operate as a separate division in their same facility and the owner became a VP. About a year later, Adjustable went belly up and ceased all operations, but the Easy Wood Tools division was allowed to continue to operate while searching for a buyer since it was the only profitable part of the company. Fortunately a buyer was found and I think that EWT was able to remain in the same facility with the same employees.

I've seen the EWT chuck and it looked like it was very well made and the jaw change feature was nice, but the price was too high for me to consider buying it. Even after the $100 price reduction it was still too expensive for me to consider buying one. Changing jaws on a chuck isn't something that I do often and when I do, it isn't a big deal anyway.
 
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Penn state industries now has a quick release barracuda chuck.

Some people own a single chuck with multiple jaws; others have dedicated chucks.
 

Bill Boehme

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The late Bill Rubenstein showed me a neat trick that he used for quick jaw changes. He bought extra sets of base jaws and left them permanently attached to the top jaws. He removed the roll pin so that the jaws could be completely ejected from the scroll. It was a little slower than changing jaws on the EWT chuck and a little faster than unscrewing the top jaws.
 

odie

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Some people own a single chuck with multiple jaws; others have dedicated chucks.

I have evolved to three Stronghold chucks. One is "dedicated" to #2 jaws, while a second one usually stays on #3 jaws and interchanges with several other lesser used jaws. The 3rd Stronghold chuck switches between jumbo jaws, and mega jumbo jaws. This works pretty well for me, but is an expensive way to go. If I were looking for a first chuck right now, these new "quick change" chucks would be mighty appealing to me......even at $500 they would!

Switching between jaws is pretty easy, but it is inconvenient at times. I don't see myself ever buying a quick change chuck, now that I am pretty well set with my Strongholds.......but, I do wish they were available about 30 some odd years ago! :D

Right, but Packard and Craft Supplies no longer sell them.

Since Packard and CSUSA are at the top of the list for woodturning providers......it does make one wonder why they would discontinue carrying them.....?

-----odie-----
 
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The late Bill Rubenstein showed me a neat trick that he used for quick jaw changes. He bought extra sets of base jaws and left them permanently attached to the top jaws. He removed the roll pin so that the jaws could be completely ejected from the scroll. It was a little slower than changing jaws on the EWT chuck and a little faster than unscrewing the top jaws.

I have been doing that for years and it is much faster than removing the eight screws and then re-installing them. The only disadvantage is that the base jaws are pricey, $57 for Oneway, and even more for the Vicmarc. Still less expensive than another chuck though.
 
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I checked the Easy Wood Tools website and they are showing out of stock for the chuck (except for metric size) and all of their jaws.

Right, that's why I made my original post.

Too bad about the Adjustable Clamp Company. Their industrial clamps, not the Pony pipe clamps, were standard in all the millwork and cabinet shops. And they were so well made and heavy duty that they are still in the shops. When shops close up and sell their tools the clamps are the first things to get gobbled up.
 

john lucas

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Well I had 4 chucks (2 of them off brand the rest Vicmarcs). I had 5 sets of jaws. So I decided next AAW symposium I would buy another chuck so that all my jaws would be mounted. So I went to the Vicmarc dealer and grabbed another chuck. He says, hey let me show you our new 5" jaws for that chuck. Had to have them. Oops. Now I have 5 chucks and 6 sets of jaws. Well OK if you count the homemade ones and the Mega jaws I actually have 8 set of jaws so I guess I need more chucks. :)
 

hockenbery

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Well I had 4 chucks (2 of them off brand the rest Vicmarcs). I had 5 sets of jaws. So I decided next AAW symposium I would buy another chuck so that all my jaws would be mounted. So I went to the Vicmarc dealer and grabbed another chuck. He says, hey let me show you our new 5" jaws for that chuck. Had to have them. Oops. Now I have 5 chucks and 6 sets of jaws. Well OK if you count the homemade ones and the Mega jaws I actually have 8 set of jaws so I guess I need more chucks. :)
Sound like the infamous fence posts and rails problem one has to be bigger :)
 
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Sound like the infamous fence posts and rails problem one has to be bigger :)
Actually, even if you are the "one chuck: one set of jaws" person, you really need an extra jaw for each size: You need a quick way to check the tenon shape. Nothing faster than butting up a spare unmounted jaw (single jaw) against your tenon (still on lathe). You can assure that your flat is wide enough and your tenon is not too deep.

I haven't seen single jaws in any catalog...:D
 
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The Easy Scroll chuck did have a manufacturing problem, and I think it was with the quick scroll part of the chuck. I know they were 'working' on it. Last I had heard they would be at the Symposium...

From Stuart Batty, "The difference between a British turner, and an American turner??? A British turner has one chuck and 10 sets of jaws. An American turner has 10 chucks and 10 sets of jaws."

I found that funny....

robo hippy
 

Bill Boehme

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From Stuart Batty, "The difference between a British turner, and an American turner??? A British turner has one chuck and 10 sets of jaws. An American turner has 10 chucks and 10 sets of jaws."

:D :p :D :rolleyes:

But, I have about twenty sets of jaws. Maybe this means that I need even more chucks. :eek:
 
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The Easy Scroll chuck did have a manufacturing problem, and I think it was with the quick scroll part of the chuck. I know they were 'working' on it. Last I had heard they would be at the Symposium...

From Stuart Batty, "The difference between a British turner, and an American turner??? A British turner has one chuck and 10 sets of jaws. An American turner has 10 chucks and 10 sets of jaws."

I found that funny....

robo hippy

You should see how many Richard Raffan has-- but then he's an Ausie.
 
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Originally they were sold to the Adjustable Clamp Company (makers of Pony and Adjustable brand clamps),, but continued to operate as a separate division in their same facility and the owner became a VP. About a year later, Adjustable went belly up and ceased all operations, but the Easy Wood Tools division was allowed to continue to operate while searching for a buyer since it was the only profitable part of the company. Fortunately a buyer was found and I think that EWT was able to remain in the same facility with the same employees.

I've seen the EWT chuck and it looked like it was very well made and the jaw change feature was nice, but the price was too high for me to consider buying it. Even after the $100 price reduction it was still to expensive for me to consider buying one. Changing jaws on a chuck isn't something that I do often and when I do, it isn't a big deal anyway.

Thanks for this info. I was wondering what was going on with them since no one seems to be carrying their chuck anymore. I have one and it's very well made. It's sure easier to change jaws on it than my old Supernova chuck. I guess I'm just good at picking chucks that won't be on the market for much longer after I buy them. o_O
 
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Just as a quick update, I did receive this message from Kristi at Easy Wood Tools earlier today:

We had to cease production of the Easy Chuck and Jaws, temporarily, due to a few vendor issues.

We have most certainly not stopped production on the Easy Chuck and Jaws forever and I cannot imagine that we ever will. J

The vendor issues are in the ending stages of being resolved and the plan is to have the Easy Chuck and Jaws back on the market by the end of summer.
 
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Adjustable Clamp Company Status Change =
GreatStar Industrial Acquires Adjustable Clamp Company
Jun 6, 2017

Happy Turning - Tom
 
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Easy Chuck will return in August
I talked with Chris Caliente (owner of Easy Wood Tools since October 2016) while at the AAW Symposium
And that is what he told me.
Had a nice talk with Chris and he is a great guy
 
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