Mark Hepburn
Artist & Chef
As a newish turner with limited skills, I've been trying lots of different work holding methods and most especially for small boxes and lids. I turned a set of jaws from UHMW polymer and they were pretty good but it was a huge hassle to get the screws just so (for me anyway).
So I stumbled on the Nova nylon jaws on Amazon. After much debate, and having recently stepped back from the precipice of purchasing a ginormous compressor, I purchased these and the G3 chuck. BTW, these are compatible with just about all Nova chucks so if you use them, these are only $15 per set.
Anyway, like clamps, one can't have too many chucks and I got them and the jaws and have been very happy so far. They machine very easily, and if you put a small dovetail in them, you get a very positive hold on your small work - up to about 5" in diameter.
Another plus is that you can make stepped jaws, which I did.
And, they are to my mind a much better way to hold delicate work than, say, cole jaws, because they apply even pressure instead of just spots.
So no, I didn't buy stock in Nova or anything.
By the way, if you don't own a G3 chuck and get one, you'll find that they are "backwards": clockwise opens and counter-clockwise tightens. But it's a nice chuck for the money. I put a 1 1/4 x 8 adapter on it and it's still cheaper than the old Barracuda chucks I bought when I first started turning. And nicer overall.
So I stumbled on the Nova nylon jaws on Amazon. After much debate, and having recently stepped back from the precipice of purchasing a ginormous compressor, I purchased these and the G3 chuck. BTW, these are compatible with just about all Nova chucks so if you use them, these are only $15 per set.
Anyway, like clamps, one can't have too many chucks and I got them and the jaws and have been very happy so far. They machine very easily, and if you put a small dovetail in them, you get a very positive hold on your small work - up to about 5" in diameter.
Another plus is that you can make stepped jaws, which I did.
And, they are to my mind a much better way to hold delicate work than, say, cole jaws, because they apply even pressure instead of just spots.
So no, I didn't buy stock in Nova or anything.
By the way, if you don't own a G3 chuck and get one, you'll find that they are "backwards": clockwise opens and counter-clockwise tightens. But it's a nice chuck for the money. I put a 1 1/4 x 8 adapter on it and it's still cheaper than the old Barracuda chucks I bought when I first started turning. And nicer overall.
