Re: Chucks?
David Walser
There's nothing more like a Vicmarc than a Vicmarc. You cannot go wrong with them. They're well made and will last long enough for your kids to give them to their kids. But, they're expensive. They also require regular cleaning or they may rust. I have several Vicmarc and a handful of other brands (none of the big name brands, however). The Vicmarc's are in a much higher class from a quality perspective. Because I've already started a Vickmarc collection, I'll most like keep buying Vicmarcs. That way, all the jaws and other items are interchangeable.
If I didn't have a Vicmarc collection, I might go with the Easy Chuck from Easy Wood Tools. The main advantage is that the jaws are much easier to replace. I've not had much personal lathe time with an Easy Chuck, but the chucks seem to be very well made.
Lee Valley is now carrying Axminster chucks. These are Vicmarc-level quality chucks. They have the smooth dovetail jaws you prefer (as well as almost every other jaw type imaginable). They're also made from stainless steel, so rust should be less of a concern. Axminster designs their chucks so the slides are easily removed. Axminster sells extra jaw slides, so swapping out jaws is painless. My only concern with the brand is that it is not widely available. For a few years their chucks were sold in the US, then they weren't, now they are again.
Finally, if I were to go with one of the less expensive Asian imports, I think I'd give Bulldog chucks a try. They are basically a Vicmarc clone, but they've made some improvements. For example, they've both their jaws and chuck bodies have a special anti-corrosion coating.
HTH
