Axminster (new chucks) vs New Vicmarc

[Ed Sandle]

I have sk114's with the O'Donnell and others. I try to keep a set of small medium and large jaws on the chucks. It usually ends up being a "H" gripper, a "C" jaw so I can use face plate rings that I have set up for my vacuum plate and then the "G" gripper for larger bowls. I also have the colossus jaws for the "why am I doing this?" times.

I prefer the gripper jaws because it's just easier for me to make a tenon with 90 degree sides instead of putting the correct angle for a dovetail.

The main reason I went with the axminster was because of the stainless steel construction that was mentioned before. At the time I was turning a bunch of green wood and all I had was a grizzly chuck I had bought with the lathe so I figured no rust was better.

Each their own, but for me, making a dovetail is much simpler than a straight tenon. The actual cut is a simple push cut that takes no more than 2 or 3 seconds. Comes out perfect every time. You just need to grind a 3/4" or 1", scraper with the angle of the dovetail, and keep that for making your cut, which is just an extremely simple push cut. I would never want to use a straight cut unless I had to for some special needs, as the dovetail will always pull your chuck up to the flat. Also, after rough turning, it is just as simple to clean up the dovetail for the final turning.
I would think it would be such a waste of wood to use a straight tenon as to get any meaningful grip for most projects, your tenon length would have to be much longer than the 1/4" or less needed for a dovetail one.
I can go out to the shop later to take a photo if you would like to see better.
As to what chucks? I only have experience with Oneway, and Vicmarc. Started with Oneway as that was the lathe I briefly had. I probably had about 6 or so of them. Then started buying Vicmarc's and sold off a couple of my Oneways. I have 10 or 12 chucks now and never have to change jaws. Both chucks were fine, but prefer the Vicmarc's.

 

[Sam Fleisher]

Each their own, but for me, making a dovetail is much simpler than a straight tenon. The actual cut is a simple push cut that takes no more than 2 or 3 seconds. Comes out perfect every time. You just need to grind a 3/4" or 1", scraper with the angle of the dovetail, and keep that for making your cut, which is just an extremely simple push cut. I would never want to use a straight cut unless I had to for some special needs, as the dovetail will always pull your chuck up to the flat. Also, after rough turning, it is just as simple to clean up the dovetail for the final turning.
I would think it would be such a waste of wood to use a straight tenon as to get any meaningful grip for most projects, your tenon length would have to be much longer than the 1/4" or less needed for a dovetail one.
I can go out to the shop later to take a photo if you would like to see better.
As to what chucks? I only have experience with Oneway, and Vicmarc. Started with Oneway as that was the lathe I briefly had. I probably had about 6 or so of them. Then started buying Vicmarc's and sold off a couple of my Oneways. I have 10 or 12 chucks now and never have to change jaws. Both chucks were fine, but prefer the Vicmarc's.

My straight tenon is no longer than your dovetail. Even though it's shown that way in the ad picture. The serrations on the gripper jaws are relatively small. Not like the hollow forms jaws that have a long tenon.
Maybe I'm doing it wrong, but it works for me so far. I just bought this set "BF" and am finding it really handy for some small stuff I'm working on.

Axminster, Gripper Jaws Type BF

Your Source for Woodturning Tools, Chucks, Lathes, Pen Kits and Project Supplies

www.thewoodturningstore.com

 

[Ed Sandle]

My straight tenon is no longer than your dovetail. Even though it's shown that way in the ad picture. The serrations on the gripper jaws are relatively small. Not like the hollow forms jaws that have a long tenon.
Maybe I'm doing it wrong, but it works for me so far. I just bought this set "BF" and am finding it really handy for some small stuff I'm working on.

Axminster, Gripper Jaws Type BF

Your Source for Woodturning Tools, Chucks, Lathes, Pen Kits and Project Supplies

www.thewoodturningstore.com

Small things, I guess you are right, for the most part I very seldom turn anything so small and would have such a limited use for me.

 

[Bill Alston]

My Axminster SK100’s came with the standard C Jaws and I’ve not had any issues with grip. I did though get some small gripper Jaws very cheap and they’re my favourites now. I don’t turn many bowls though.

 

[James Humphries]

Thank you so much for your detailed reply. VM it is.

 

[Thomas Lynch]

4) I consulted Vicmarc and made sure there was no technical reason I couldn't buy extra jaw carriers and do the "spin in", "spin out" changing of jaws. Axminster promotes that "feature" and even makes a a sheet metal wall rack for their jaws with the jaw carriers on them. You can see them on the wall in some of Collin Way(?)'s videos. As long as I understood the risks and reasons to be sure I did not over-open a Vicmarc jaw set, then there was no technical reason I coudl not. The Chuck would be perfectly happy with the different jaw carriers. As long as you don't mix up the carrier sets, which are matches sets, you're golden. And I'd never mix them as they are all attached to different jaw sets. I've marked mine so I know the spot they would stop at with the safety stop in place. It would be rare I'd be that extended anyway, but I know when and where to look if it's needed, so I'm comfortable, safety wise. So, that did away with that feature difference between the 2 brands, and the Vicmarc jaw carriers were less expensive as well (IIRC).

Thanks for clarifying this. I was wondering why nobody was talking about removing the safety roll pin on Vicmarc chucks to accomplish the same jaw replacement method as with the Axminster chucks. I think I'm gonna follow you and get myself another set of jaw carriers to make life simpler.

I see it as an investment in safety. If the task of swapping out jaws is tedious, I will definitely feel more inclined to avoid doing it if my smaller jaws expand enough, losing the benefits of the perfect circle.
If the task is quick and simple, there is pretty much no excuse and I'll be happy to make a quick swap to the best fitting jaws for the job.

I'm an avid 3D CAD/design/3D printer guy, so I made my own storage system for my Vicmarc jaws. Protects the jaw carrier's teeth, stores them neatly. They are held in their "perfect circle" position so I can see at a glance which one I want/need. They are magnetic and quick change, they are easy to stack on a 1/4" rod, or you could put them on pegs on a wall. With all of my jaws having jaw carriers attached, I no longer mess with the screws and I can change jaws under a minute, probably half that. I have an appropriate size hex driver for my little Bosch power screwdriver, so I can do the spin out in a couple of seconds. But I'm never in a hurry anyway. Some of mine in these photos. A few sets not pictured. Colors represent the magnet strength, heavier jaws get a size bigger on magnets. Magnets aren't needed unless you were to wall mount them. Which was my original plan. But I found stacking works great and I'm short on wall space anyway, so the stack is my method.

Your jaw holders look amazing. I'm gonna take some inspiration in them to design something similar.
I currently only have 3 sets of jaws and two cucks, so would like to find a way to make one holder that could fit whichever set is not in use, and have it mounted to the wall.
Since jaws are different sizes, it might have to be an inline mount, but I'd lose the nice visual guide of seeing the diameter they form.
I'll have to give it a deeper thought.

Thanks,
Thomas

 

[Bill Alston]

Someone may have mentioned that the Axminster Chuck Jaws (carriers) have a stop bolt that prevents them being wound right out?
The screw is easily removed if you want to swap jaws, then replaced if required.

 

[Thomas Lynch]

Someone may have mentioned that the Axminster Chuck Jaws (carriers) have a stop bolt that prevents them being wound right out?
The screw is easily removed if you want to swap jaws, then replaced if required.

I've read about that and it seems like it was something added in later models of the cucks. Older ones did not have the grub screw.

 

[Ross Berning]

Someone may have mentioned that the Axminster Chuck Jaws (carriers) have a stop bolt that prevents them being wound right out?
The screw is easily removed if you want to swap jaws, then replaced if required.

They come with a grub screw but it is optional. The jaw carriers also have marks on them to indicate when they are too far out.

 

[Scott Horton]

…..
Since jaws are different sizes, it might have to be an inline mount, but I'd lose the nice visual guide of seeing the diameter they form.
I'll have to give it a deeper thought.

Thanks,
Thomas

I find the store in a circle way more helpful than I thought it would be when I designed them initially. That visual improves the storage. It’s like having them in a chuck. Also I found that orientation actually was the most efficient sq-in wise. I tried stacking, alternating, wave formation etc. All of them took more room in the end. And while I had planned on a wall mount, I’ve since decided the “stack” is the most efficient and getting to the ones I want is a non issue. I do use a piece of anodized alu rod so they slide on and off smoothly.

Note that the jaws are different size but the carriers are all identical. I designed my jaw holders around holding the carrier not the jaw, so all jaws fit any of my holders. I did make one set for a large diameter jaw set (blue in photo) but technically those fit the smaller holders too. I also color coded mine with yellow having smaller magnets for lighter jaws, makes it easier to pull them out. Red has larger magnets for the heavier ones. Although that isn’t necessary. Slightly larger magnet version (red) works fine for all of them.

 

[Scott Horton]

I need to make a video on how easy it is to change them once you know the procedure.

 

[Bill Alston]

I've read about that and it seems like it was something added in later models of the cucks. Older ones did not have the grub screw.

I’m not sure when they were introduced but as the Chuck Jaws remain otherwise virtually unchanged the later Jaws should fit virtually any age of Axminster Chuck?
Notwithstanding that the larger Chuck should be fitted with the longer jaws and vice versa.