Will this affect the performance of the chuck. It’s my first brand name chuck and I’m not sure if it’s designed this way or a defect. When fully closed there is a small gap between the jaws. Thanks in advance.
-
August 2025 Turning Challenge: Wooden Version of Non-Wood Item! (click here for details) -
Congratulations to David Croxton for "XOXOXO" being selected as Turning of the Week for August 11, 2025 (click here for details) -
Welcome new registering member. Your username must be your real First and Last name (for example: John Doe). "Screen names" and "handles" are not allowed and your registration will be deleted if you don't use your real name. Also, do not use all caps nor all lower case.
Vicmarc chuck owners
- Thread starter Brandon Sloan
- Start date
I would try this... Open jaws a bit, loosen all jaw screws, then tighten them down, snug, but not so snug the jaws can't move.
now tighten jaws, like you are gripping a tenon and see if the jaws don't rotate into place, if they do, tighten the jaw screws...
And rejoice... If not, someone else will have a better answer.
now tighten jaws, like you are gripping a tenon and see if the jaws don't rotate into place, if they do, tighten the jaw screws...
And rejoice... If not, someone else will have a better answer.
Thanks for the reply, trying it now.
Are the jaws mounted in the base piece?
Yes, I went ahead and tightened everything up. I tried the advice from earlier and it helped. Still a small gap I’ll take a picture when I get back home.
My Vicmarc chucks all have a small space between the jaws. I was told in the manufacturing process the jaws are made as a single piece, the dovetail is machined first then sawed apart to get the four individual jaws. The space is the kerf of the saw.
I checked my vicmarc with two different sets of jaws and closes perfectly with both sets.
john lucas
AAW Forum Expert
Should not matter in the least. You never want the jaws completely closed when holding a piece. I always re.tighten several times.while turning to make sure.the jaws stay tight. E en in expansion mode you might start with the jaws closed but you will expand them. I have 3 Vicmarc chucks and numerous jaws and they all.close with almost no gap. I do.what was mentioned above about installing the jaws a d then tighten them so they align before finally snuggling the screws.
I received a chuck that the major diameter of the heads of the cap screws were not concentric, resulting in the same condition. The seating taper was fine, so ground a little off the major diameter of the heads to true it up so that the taper determined the seating position, not the ecentric head outside diameter. From the picture it looks like you may have a similar condition. It also looks like the same manufacture of cap screw. You could also swap positions of jaws 1 and 3 to see if there is any inprovement. Like John said, it really won't make much difference with wood. You could mark the position of jaw #1 on the wood if you are going to remove and remount it right away.
Stronghold
Thank you for all of the replies, the gap seems to be negligible after closing the chuck with the jaws loosened and then tightening them down.
Definitely gave the stronghold consideration. I think both are top notch chucks.
This is a good practice for any brand of chuck.
Quite a while ago someone told me this method, which seems to most always work.
First clean and de-burr all the parts, this even on the best of jaws/chucks, I've found enough shipping coating to cause all kinds of misallignment. Shavings and sanding dust are frequently problems.
Make sure you have the top jaws on the correct base jaws. Seat them into the grooves, carefully, then install only the inner screws. Close the jaws and torque the inner screws, then install the outer screws and tighten them.
Almost the same technique as Clifton's, but the order of tightening has cured a couple of "out of allignment" chucks.
First clean and de-burr all the parts, this even on the best of jaws/chucks, I've found enough shipping coating to cause all kinds of misallignment. Shavings and sanding dust are frequently problems.
Make sure you have the top jaws on the correct base jaws. Seat them into the grooves, carefully, then install only the inner screws. Close the jaws and torque the inner screws, then install the outer screws and tighten them.
Almost the same technique as Clifton's, but the order of tightening has cured a couple of "out of allignment" chucks.