Est. 1998 — 27 years of woodworking knowledge
Key or Lever operated Chuck?
Joel Hunnicutt
>Was talking to a well respected turner recently who professed a strong preferance for lever operated chucks. He locked the spindle and used only 1 lever to tighten the chuck. Said it was much quicker and a stonger bite.
Would love to hear opinions from you guys who have tried both. Having only a super nova, I don't have any frame of referance.
Re: Key or Lever operated Chuck?
Brad Vietje
>Hi Joel,
IF you can lock the spindle, the lever-lock chucks (w/tommy bars) are fine. Otherwise, the key-operated chucks are far superior. I use a Supernova every day, and a Oneway Stronghold fairly often at my dad's shop, and have used a number of other chucks.
Truth is, Joel, that the Stronghold, and Talon from Oneway, and nearly every other key-operated chuck are quite a bit easier to use than the Supernova. I can't quite understand why the folks at Technatool don't machine a little funnel-shaped gizmo to help the chuck key quickly and accurately engage the gear on the back of the chuck -- the other key-operated chucks drop right in without any bothersome wiggling, swearing, or skinned knuckles !
Safe Spinning,
Brad Vietje
Thetford, VT
Re: Key or Lever operated Chuck?
Russ Fairfield
>If ease and convenience of use, and a greater mechanical advantage were the only criteria, we would never want anything other than a keyed chuck. However, there are still a couple things that can make a scroll chuck with the tommy bars the better choice.
An advantage of a smoothly operating scroll chuck is that it is easier to "feel" the grip of the chuck on the wood. This makes it possible to hold a delicate piece with a very light touch of the jaws without over-tightening. The grip can be as light as "finger tight", or just a tad more than that. This grip is more difficult, and impossible with some, keyed chucks because the sensitivity of that "feel" is reduced by the extra gearing and its greater mechanical advantage. Someone who is making boxes and similar items might prefer a scroll chuck for this reason.
Large changes in diameter are faster with the scroll chuck. This might make it preferrable to the production woodturner who sees the time spent twisting on a chuck key as wasted time.
Re: Key or Lever operated Chuck?
Robert Simmons, Atlanta
>I have both in my shop and generally prefer the keyed chuck over the tommy bars. Not much to report beyond that, I think it's mainly a matter of personal preference in the long term.
Robert
Re: Key or Lever operated Chuck?
John Lucas
>I agree. I have both and think the keyed chuck holds better. However on days when arthritis acts up it's easier for me to use the lever chuck.
I seem to remember a post
Dustmaker Mike
>that showed a magnet holding one lever while you use the other to tighten the chuck.
Re: Key or Lever operated Chuck?
bill crommett in Seneca
>John: On those days the arthritis is in bloom, just get a length of EMT for a cheater. It makes a world of difference.
Bill
Re: Key or Lever operated Chuck?
Jim Rutten
>Is this in anyway hard on your spindle lock? Just curious.
Re: Key or Lever operated Chuck?
Jim Pugh in Ohio
>I have both types of chucks, an original Nova, the "Oneway" that uses tommy bars plus a couple of Oneway Talons that use the keyed wrench and personally don't see any benefit/objection to either style. Rockler's had the 'Oneway' on sale for a terrific price recently and I had to resist buying it because I actually (really) have enough chucks.
The simplest way to install the tommy bar type chuck onto a tenon/recess is to place the turning on a flat surface with the tenon/recess facing up. Place the opened chuck into position and gently tighten it up using the bars. No struggle, no balancing act and gravity puts the chuck against the shoulder. Mount the whole thing on the lathe and give it another tweek if you feel the need.
It only takes about 5 minutes to figure out what hole positon(s) will tighten and which will loosen.
Re: Key or Lever operated Chuck?
Russ Fairfield
>This is a hard one to argue because it is so easy to do and there is no apparent problem at the time, but....
There is never a situation where we should be using a scroll chuck with one lever against a locked shaft. When the shaft is locked, all load is absorbed by the locking device and the bearings. When both levers are used, the load is between the levers and there is nothing absorbed by the lathe. It should be obvious which is the better way to do it.
A side issue is that it is very easy to forget to unlock the spindle before hitting the START button, and that isn't good for drive belts. It also takes a more complex motion to unlock and check rotation before starting the lathe. Maybe others aren't as forgetful about these things as I am.
To answer your question on wear to the locking device......
If the wear to the steel spindle locking device is anything like I am seeing around the lever holes in the chuck after 5-years of use, that is reason enough not to not use the spindle lock for tightening the chuck.
Whatever we do, we should never use the indexing plate. Wear is a definite problem because these are usually aluminum and a smaller diameter pin.
Re: Key or Lever operated Chuck?
Brian Roberts
>Have to agree Russ. Although the index plate on my PM45 is steel and the pin is pretty hefty, I don't feel good about cranking against it with the chuck bars.
I have an old, original Nova chuck. It can be a balancing act to get it all in place and tight. I can usually rotate the chuck to a point where the two bars are situated closely enough together so my left hand is cradled between them to act on both with the one hand. This works well to get it somewhat tight and check the centering. Then, of course, final tightening with both hands.
To mount something larger or heavier, or especially with the cole jaws, I will lock in the indexing pin until I get the piece firmly mounted, then release the pin and tighten with the bars.
Brian
Re: Key or Lever operated Chuck?
Joe Fleming
>I have both kind and I much prefer the key operated chucks. While I agree with Russ that you feel the grip better with Tommy bars, Tommy bar chucks require either three hands or a "goofy" mounting method like what Jim suggests, or by employing the tailstock as the third hand. The tailstock is not a bad method, but I often have it removed from the lathe requiring an additional lift and set-down.
A keyed chuck allows you to support the stock with the right hand while tightening with the left.
Also, I think the gearing in a keyed chuck holds better. About four years ago, I bought a new tommy bar Vicmarc VM90 at the San Diego Woodturning Centre (SDWTC). That night, our club had an egg cup race there like they do at the Utah Woodturning Symposium. The chuck (a VM90) let go of the wood two different times during my try. Both times the block flew up and hit me in the faceshield. I returned that chuck right back to the SDWTC and bought the VM100 instead. Also, the SDWTC sold out of more than a dozen faceshields that night. They didn't give me a discount, though.
Joe Fleming - San Diego