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Spindle Adapters & Chuck Inserts - Advice?

Tom LeTourneau

Tom LeTourneau

Joined
May 3, 2022
Messages
13
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9
Location
York County, ME
I am relatively new to turning and love reading this forum. I have a Jet 1221 and hope to add an 1840 for larger work in the near future. My current chucks are the Nova G3 1 1/4 x 8 with a 1 x 8 insert for my midi… and a VM100 direct thread 1 x 8. I love the Vicmarc! Please offer your opinions and experience with adapting the VM so I can use it on the larger lathe. I know I can use the G3 on a larger lathe spindle by removing the insert, but would love to move the VM100 without issues, perhaps with a spindle adapter. What do you think? Thanks so much!
 
I use a 1 1/4 to 33x3.5 adapter with my vicmarc 120 when I demo.
Works fine especially for demo size pieces.

The adapter does hang the piece further from the headstock and probably gives a little more vibration but demo lathes always vibrate some because they are never leveled.

You will probably want to get a vicmarc 120 in your future years it’s better suited for larger work.
A quality adapter should work until you do.
ONEWAY has great adapters.

I sometimes use my VM120 on my jet 1221 using a ONEWAY 1x8 to M33x3.5 adapter. It only sticks the chuck out about a 1/2” as it is threaded inside and out.
 
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Consider that all adapters are not made with equal. I've found that hardware made by Vic at Best Wood Tools is always well and precisely made. For example, I, and others I know, think the Baxter threading jig is the best available anywhere. I always buy from him if possible. And not because the company is somewhat local to us.

JKJ
 
Tom LeTourneau said:
I am relatively new to turning and love reading this forum. I have a Jet 1221 and hope to add an 1840 for larger work in the near future. My current chucks are the Nova G3 1 1/4 x 8 with a 1 x 8 insert for my midi… and a VM100 direct thread 1 x 8. I love the Vicmarc! Please offer your opinions and experience with adapting the VM so I can use it on the larger lathe. I know I can use the G3 on a larger lathe spindle by removing the insert, but would love to move the VM100 without issues, perhaps with a spindle adapter. What do you think? Thanks so much!
Click to expand...
Double check that your nova g3 chuck is actually 1 1/4 x 8, I wasn't aware that they ever made one. I've only seen the g3 direct 1 x8 and the insert version. The insert version requires a new insert to go to 1 1/4 x 8.
 
I bought a well known brand of chuck years ago that had different threaded inserts available for it. It never ran true so I got rid of it. I now only use direct threaded chucks. I always avoid using adapters as well unless I have no choice.
 
Russell Nugent said:
Double check that your nova g3 chuck is actually 1 1/4 x 8, I wasn't aware that they ever made one. I've only seen the g3 direct 1 x8 and the insert version. The insert version requires a new insert to go to 1 1/4 x 8.
Click to expand...
My G3 needs my insert to thread onto the Jet 1x8 spindle. I guess I just assumed the female threads at the rear of the G3 were 1 1/4 x 8. I should check. Sometimes (well, often) I feel so clueless.
 
Bill Alston said:
I bought a well known brand of chuck years ago that had different threaded inserts available for it. It never ran true so I got rid of it. I now only use direct threaded chucks. I always avoid using adapters as well unless I have no choice.
Click to expand...

Can you say the brand?

I have a bunch of Nova chucks and all have the threaded inserts except for one Titan. All of them run quite true. (I check with a dial indicator on a ground or machined rod.) I had one I bought used and abused which didn't. I did have to debur an insert before it would seat properly. I check the threads and mating surfaces of each new chuck and insert for burrs or debris.
 
Tom LeTourneau said:
My G3 needs my insert to thread onto the Jet 1x8 spindle. I guess I just assumed the female threads at the rear of the G3 were 1 1/4 x 8. I should check. Sometimes (well, often) I feel so clueless.
Click to expand...
The hole and threads into which you put the Nova insert are bigger than 1X8, but whatever they are, they aren't 1.25X8.
 
Dean Center said:
The hole and threads into which you put the Nova insert are bigger than 1X8, but whatever they are, they aren't 1.25X8.
Click to expand...

@Tom LeTourneau
Well, I never knew the thread specs but the size has to be considerably larger than 1-1/4x8, the inside thread for the inserts I use on PM3520b and Jet1642 lathes.

Oh, I just asked Sir Google who, through his AI Overview assistant, suggests the female thread in the insert type Nova chuck may be M38 x 3.5mm. If you choose to trust AI.

Here's some handy info about the inserts, the secret codes, and the lathe spindle sizes supported:
www.teknatool.com

NOVA ALL INSERT SKUS - CHUCK INSERTS/ADAPTOR COMPATIBILITY CHART - NOVA, a Teknatool Brand

SKU: Various - See chart below for full list. NOVA uses an easy and inexpensive insert/adaptor system on all its NOVA insert chucks (apart from chucks that are directly threaded) The insert has different lathe spindle thread sizes internally and simply screws into the back of your NOVA chucks...
www.teknatool.com www.teknatool.com

JKJ
 
Well thank you, Hockenbery, John, Russell, Dean, and Bill! Each of you has given me valuable insights. Were money no object, I guess I would prefer all my chucks to be direct threaded to each lathe. No matter; I will adapt myself to what need be. My VM100 is already direct threaded 1 x 8 for my Jet 1221. Will probably get insert versions of any additional Vicmarcs so I can use them on any other size lathes. Same with the Novas.

I joined the AWW Sunday, in part due to this forum and folks like you. Much appreciated!

Tom
 
My own personal opinion is that threaded chuck inserts are a bad idea. There are commercially available several other ways of mounting chucks though that are likely to be inherently more accurate. The first are the latest versions of Axminster Chucks. These use threaded back plates. There is also another brand here in the UK called the Versachuck that also utilise removable back plates.
Some German Lathes do not have a threaded spindle like most other lathes. They have instead a plate to which any number of different threaded mounts may be attached. The back plate and associated spindle flange concept has been around for many years on metal work lathes. I have four or five chucks for my metal work lathe and they all run true.

Axminster back plate fitting:


Versachuck:

IMG_4428.jpeg

German “Bayonet” Mount.

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IMG_4429.jpeg


I thought it may be useful for me to mount my metal work chucks, particularly my ER32 collet Chuck on my lathe so I modified a threaded chuck mount by cutting a suitable register on it:

IMG_8063.jpeg
 
Get adapters. It'll be fine. Especially for what you'll be doing with a VM100.
If it's not good enough for what you end up doing, you'll find out - but haven't spent a bunch of money to know.

For future chucks, buy for the larger 1-1/4 spindle and use a 1" to 1-1/4 spindle adapter on the smaller lathe.
 
Thanks, Dave. I do find the Axminster information from Bill fascinatng, though. Never stop learning. Yeah, if I come into an inheritance…

Are spindle adapters and chuck inserts equally workable?

John, with good fortune I’ll turn 76 in November. It’s so amazing thinking about what I used to be able to do earlier in life. I’ve been playing with wood for many decades, turning sporadically for ten or so. I wish I’d begun many years ago, because I’m fascinated with hollowing techniques and kit. Seeing what talent others have developed is really inspirational. But I’m content with the journey God has allowed.

Best to all!
 
Tom LeTourneau said:
Are spindle adapters and chuck inserts equally workable?
Click to expand...
There are 2 basic shapes of spindle adapters - they can go from a smaller spindle to a larger chuck (i.e. 1" lathe to 1-1/4" chuck):
a2.png

or from a larger spindle to smaller chuck (i.e. 1-1/4 lathe to 1" chuck:

a1.png


This kind sorta look like chuck inserts, and basically function similarly. But the chucks I have that use inserts (vicmarc and nova) have some chuck-specific threads in the chuck body that probably don't fit any lathe (at least they won't fit 1-1/4 spindles). You gotta get the adapter (or adapters) for that chuck to fit your lathe.

Most of my chucks (3 VM120s, 1 VM100, 2 Novas) are the insert type (I also have 1 direct-thread VM100). The chucks with inserts all run true just like the direct threaded one. I never remove the inserts.
I use an adapter when I demo on a lathe with a different spindle (like 1" or M33) rather than fussing with swapping out the insert.
 
I think it is important to heed warnings about quality. I purchased some adapters some years ago now (2022, IIRC) to adapt my 1x8tpi threads to my PM lathe which has 1 1/4x8tpi. One of the adapters is fine, the other is NOT! It actually introduces a slight angle to the chuck, and nothing can ever be turned true.

I later realized that my Record Power SC4 chuck supports inserts, and I switched to using inserts with that, so I could utilize the chuck on different spindles. That was a far better solution, IMO. The inserts are not that expensive, and are quite precise.

At the very least, if you use adapters, find a maker reputable for precision and accuracy. Even the slightest bit of misalignment can result in some fairly significant problems if the plank is long enough.
 
My SuperNova 2s are all the insert version. I bought them because they were $85 at KMS tools (with CAD to USD exchange rate). The inserts are pretty expensive at $25 each, but the total was still a bargain.
 
I’ve used inserts and chucks from PSI (Barracuda 3 different size chucks), Nova (g3), and Oneway (stronghold). I’ve always matched the insert and chuck mfr. One of the Nova inserts had an issue, the other 2 are perfect. All the other chucks/inserts were perfect (yes, even PSI). I prefer inserted chucks, never know what spindle one may need to fit.
 
We are fairly lucky here in the UK and other parts of Europe that some years back the M33 x 3.5mm thread became something of a standard, even on modest size midi lathes. Some small budget lathes do still use 1” x 8 tpi spindles though which is a shame. My first wood lathe bought about 25 years ago had the 1” x 8 but as I only had the one chuck for it I sold it with the lathe enabling me to replace it with an M33 for the new lathe.
 
Bill Alston said:
We are fairly lucky here in the UK and other parts of Europe that some years back the M33 x 3.5mm thread became something of a standard, even on modest size midi lathes. Some small budget lathes do still use 1” x 8 tpi spindles though which is a shame. My first wood lathe bought about 25 years ago had the 1” x 8 but as I only had the one chuck for it I sold it with the lathe enabling me to replace it with an M33 for the new lathe.
Click to expand...

I believe OneWay lathes use 1 1/8" x 8 (M33 x 3.5). I always found that odd. They are a Canadian company.
 
Kent Reisdorph said:
believe OneWay lathes use 1 1/8" x 8 (M33 x 3.5). I always found that odd. They are a Canadian company.
Click to expand...
Russell Nugent said:
It's not really odd. We operate on the metric system for most everything up here.
Click to expand...
the **Metric Conversion Act of 1975** declared metric as the **preferred system for trade and commerce**, it did not mandate full adoption. So we haven’t gotten too far away from SAE

The world runs on metric We are a metric country for many things in our everyday life that have global links.
military, bottled drinks, automobiles, medicine, science, electronics,

For woodturning metric is fairly common beyond ONEWAY, vicmarc chucks, lots of turning tools are actually metric sizes, rulers, calipers, most pen parts,

For a few years I was the metrification officer for the National cryptologic school.
 
Axminster Tools used to import Powermatic lathes with an M33 x 3.5mm spindle. The last time I looked at the Powermatic website they were only offering imperial spindles.
 
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