Suggestions on jaws....

[Manny Yabar]

Good morning, fellow woodturners. I'm looking at the Vicmarc 120 chuck and want to order some shark jaws, but I'm unsure which size to get. I primarily plan to use it for spindle work. I've included a picture of the available sizes. If you have any suggestions for additional jaws that you consider a "must-have" for me to use in the future for bowls and other stuff.... please share them. Thank you!

 

[Chelsea Wagner]

I have all three, the 4 inch for sure and the one that holds 1.5 to 2 inch. The hardest jaws to find are the regular 4 inch everyone is sold out.

 

[Wyatt Holm]

I would need more information. What diameter of spindle do you want to turn? Are you only turning spindles? If so you don't need a chuck, you can use a spur drive. If you want to turn boxes or peppermills I would get the 2" shark jaws. However unless you want to do larger projects that you will need 4" shark jaws, get a 100 with shark jaws. Big chucks with small jaws never made much sense to me. I have 3 sizes of shark jaws, the 2" that fit a vm100, a 2 1/2" for a vm120 and 4" for the vm120

 

[robo hippy]

I do have one set of "step" jaws some where in my shop, but never use them. If you are turning mostly spindles, then I would consider the standard jaws that come with the chuck. While those shark jaws do work, I do have a set of them, but don't use them. I guess If I had a lot of rough stock to turn down, then maybe. I generally mill stuff up first before putting it on the lathe. Most of the time, I start between centers, spur drive on the headstock, and live center on the tailstock. I turn a tenon on the headstock side, and then use the chuck. If I am doing a bunch of them, then turn the tenons on all of them first, then put the chuck on.

robo hippy

 

[John K Jordan]

but I'm unsure which size to get. I primarily plan to use it for spindle work.

What diameter of spindle do you want to turn?

My first thought also was what diameter and length or rather, what range of diameters and lengths would be turned. I have some large jaws for a different brand of chuck but my most often used jaws are pin jaws for small diameter spindles. Turning between centers is fine for some spindle diameters and lengths but impractical for others due to flexing. Long spindles are often best turned when gripped firmly in chuck jaws to help control the flexing. The type of wood can make a difference too.

Chair and table legs, stair can often be held between centers, as can parts for staircases.

For thin spindles, I like to first hold between centers, turn a short #2 Morse Taper on one end, then insert that taper firmly into the headstock MT. That's the method I almost always use for spindles less than 1" in diameter. For example, these taper from about 1/2" down to 1/16" over maybe 25" to 26".



If interested, I uploaded a document on how I turn thin spindles:
www.aawforum.org/community/threads/turning-thin-spindles.23116

JKJ

 

[Manny Yabar]

I think I explained myself incorrectly when I said "spindle"... I primarily do spindle turning (between centers) as pepper mills and boxes., end grain turning.. rather than faceplate turnings,bowls,etv

 

[William Rogers]

I usually do spindles the same as Robo. I do not have any experience with the shark jaws. I would also suggest dovetail jaws. Size would depend on the work. I do have One
way Talon with the number 2 profile jaws I like those jaws a lot as they can be used for both spindles and bowls.

 

[John K Jordan]

I do not have any experience with the shark jaws. I would also suggest dovetail jaw

I found that shark-type jaws work better for long spindles in the 2"-2.5" diameter or so range. I use similar jaws from Teknatool. They have a longer gripping area than typical doveltail jaws and minimize flexing, the bane of long spindles. When not turning between centers, I do use dovetail type jaws on most shorter spindle orientation pieces such as boxes, vases, pepper mills, ring keepers, etc. (I don't cut an actual dovetail angle but use a straight-sided tenon which the dovetail holds well.)