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Lathe chuck

John Torchick

John Torchick

Joined
Jan 24, 2010
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Location
Cleveland, Tennessee
Need some advice. (Remember, Socrates gave advice and they poisoned him.) I have some extra money for a change. I am looking at buying a lathe chuck. I have a used Harbor Freight lathe #34706. I need a chuck that will turn round and square stock. I build custom fishing rods and will turn my own reel seats from different woods. Trying to keep it about $100-125. Woodcraft has a chuck, Nova SuperTeknik2 I think for $119. Thanks for your help.
Edit: WC also has a 4-jaw self-centering chuck for about $86 with #1 jaws for about $21. Good deal?
 
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Go with the Nova. It's a well respected chuck and will retain it's value should you want to sell it some day. You will have to also purchase a threaded insert for it to fit your lathe spindle.
 
I think the Super Nova is more chuck than you need for your size lathe and the application you described.You are looking at a minimum of $140 because you will need to buy the adapter and another $55 or so to get the pin jaws I think would be best suited to your needs figure $205 for the Super Nova.Maybe go somewhere in the middle http://www.woodcraft.com/Family/2005185/NOVA-Precision-Midi-Chuck.aspx If it comes in your size you didn't mention your spindle size.With the jaws your looking at $160 and your still getting the Nova quality.The downside to this chuck is if you upgrade to a bigger lathe you might have trouble finding an adapter.
 
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You might want to take a look at the Teknatool Chuck Support page, where you'll find Manuals and other interesting things like the Jaw Travel Table, which also lets you know which jaws are recommended for each different Nova chuck model.

Good to know what you can still utilize if you ever step up to something bigger.
 
Think I found one

I was looking at the Woodcraft website and found a 4-jaw self-centering chuck with 1-8 threads for $86.95 and jaws for $21-35. P/N is 146801. The four reviews gave it a good grade. Anyone have any experience with this chuck set-up? Again, thanks.
 
Go with the Nova,@119.00 that is a good price.just remember you get what you pay for and in chucks. want good results buy good. want cheap results buy cheap
 
Let me clarify that I will not be using this for large parts. Reel seat inserts are about 3/4 dia. and about 3-1/2 to 4 inches long. Material will be about 1x1x6. I'm wondering if the Nova is overkill. Thanks.
 
Have you considered Grizzly's H6265? About $100, another $20 for pin jaws. And another $20 for larger jaws will accommodate anything you can put on your 34706, with 12" swing. It's a clone of Vicmarc's VM100. Although neither of them lists the feature, they both have index holes (different quantities, of course), for more exotic work.
 
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