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Nova chuck jaws possible defect.

Aidan Lasky

Aidan Lasky

Joined
Oct 7, 2021
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Location
Lexington Park, MD
So I’ve been really excited to use my new 100mm jaws. Admittedly my tenons could probably use some work but usually I can get my g3 spinning pretty true with the 50mm jaws. Not the case with my new set of 100mm I tried over and over again until I lost about an inch of bowl bottom. I didn’t even think to check the jaws at first, but when I did I noticed a decent sized gap in one of the 4 cuts. Could this be what’s giving me a hassle? Or is this normal? One picture is of the gap, the other three show the rest
 

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The jaws are not aligned if you see a gap.
Remove the jaws clean tops of the jaw slides.
clean the jaws be sure the sides are clean and free of defects.

when re installing the jaws
try loosening the screws a turn then close the jaws and re tighten.

if you still have the gap there is either defect in the new jaws(most likely)
or a defect in your Chuck.
 
Timothy White said:
Pray tell where did you come up with this information?
Click to expand...
A. Nova jaws are numbered to match the slides they go on, because
B. the way they are cut apart from a circular solid piece, it's essential to keep them in the same order.

There's some question of whether they need to be in the matching numbered slides, so long as they are in the correct clockwise numerical order, but the proper order is definitely required.
 
Dean, point B is news to me. A Vicmarc video showed the circular piece being cut into 4 absolutely identical quarters. Numbers on Vic jaws are supposed (i guess) to make it easy for users to remove and remount slides & jaws (combined) in the right order.
In what way are Nova jaws different?
 
Something to consider the old nova SN2 opens by turning the key to the right.
The jaw slides are numbered clockwise the jaws are also numbered clockwise.
The new Nova Pro Tec SN2 opens by turning the key to the left the ja slides are numbered counter clockwise wise. The new jaws are also numbered counter clockwise.
So which direction do you install old jaws on the new Pro Tec chuck?
@ Dean center said
A. Nova jaws are numbered to match the slides they go on,
if this were true then you could not use old jaws on new chucks or vise a versa.
B. the way they are cut apart from a circular solid piece, it's essential to keep them in the same order.
this is true. The jaws are made in one solid piece drilled and everything they have no numbers on them they will fit on any Nova chuck with screw on jaws in any of the four positions. After machining they are then cut into 4 pieces and numbered if you keep them in the order they were numbered at the factory you will get the best match in the closed position the circle should should be round no mater how put them on the chuck.
jaw slides are numbered because the scroll side is different on each jaw get them out of order and the chuck wont work.
 
Last edited:
You would keep the jaws in order, numbered clockwise, which would mean placing them on slides with at least 2 of them on non-matching numbers. Assuming they are drilled the same.
 
Not all chucks are created the same. As discussed Nova’s require matching the jaws and slides. PSI Barracuda require matching, Oneway does not, not sure about Vicmarc.

It is a function of the design and mfg process and not indicative of the “quality” or functionality of the chuck or jaws, there are many other factors to consider. One very good reason to always look through the manuals for tools/accessories you have.
 
Doug Freeman said:
Not all chucks are created the same. As discussed Nova’s require matching the jaws and slides. PSI Barracuda require matching, Oneway does not, not sure about Vicmarc.

It is a function of the design and mfg process and not indicative of the “quality” or functionality of the chuck or jaws, there are many other factors to consider. One very good reason to always look through the manuals for tools/accessories you have.
Click to expand...
I recently bought a new set of jaws for a Vicmarc chuck. The jaws were numbered 1 thru 4 and the included literature directs you match the jaw number to the slide number.
 
Daniel Henry said:
I recently bought a new set of jaws for a Vicmarc chuck. The jaws were numbered 1 thru 4 and the included literature directs you match the jaw number to the slide number.
Click to expand...

Actually, the Vicmarc top jaws don't have to match the numbering on the base jaws as long as you keep the numbers in the same CCW sequence. However, there probably isn't any justifiable reason to not match the numbers on the top jaws to the numbers on the base jaws other than showing that you can.
 
What Bill says is probably true for Nova, too. The jaws are, after all, manufactured separately from the chuck bodies. But the only way I can remember whether the jaws go on CW or CCW is to look at the numbers on the slides, and at that point I might as well match them up.
 
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