# Help! need to pick out a 4 jaw chuck



## sschering (Sep 14, 2013)

I have a small budget to order a 4 jaw chuck.. 
Right now I use either a very work out 3 jaw or colets.

Whatever chuck I use will need to be adapted to 5/8 shaft (shopsmith)
My lathe is collet only and 5/8" is the largest one I have.. 


So far I prefer the Nova chucks because they offer a 5/8 adapter for the shopsmith that I can use.
I would rather not have to run 2 stacked adapters.

Right now I'm looking at the following

PSI CSC2000C
PSI CSC2000C Barracuda Wood Lathe Chuck System - Amazon.com

Penn State Utility Grip
Utility Grip 4 Jaw Chrome Lathe Chuck System: includes 2 sets of jaws and FREE 8" Jumbo Flat Jaws at Penn State Industries

Hurricane HTC100
Amazon.com: Hurricane HTC100 4" Woodturning 4 Jaw Chuck Kit, w/ Dovetail Jaws. For Wood Lathes with 1 1/4" x 8 TPI Spindles: Home Improvement

Grizzly H6265 (Vicmark V100 clone)
Amazon.com: Grizzly H6265 4 Jaw Wood Chuck, 1-Inch: Home Improvement

Reconditioned SuperNova 2
http://www.novatoolsusa.com/RECONDITIONED-SuperNOVA2-Wood-Turning-Chuck-23055-R.htm

Reconditioned Nova G3
http://www.novatoolsusa.com/RECONDITIONED-NOVA-G3-Wood-Turning-Chuck-48202-R.htm

others?


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## terryf (Sep 14, 2013)

I have the reconditioned chuck from Nova and I must say it looked like it was brand new when it arrived. Dont have a single complaint about it. ALso has a fantastic range of jaws to go with it. 
Cant comment on the others but did look at the CSC and Grizzly and decided against them based on advice offered here on IAP 
Good luck with the purchase!


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## Jim Burr (Sep 14, 2013)

There are so many threads on this...but I have 3 referb G3's and will never have any use for anything else. From 15" platters and rounding 3/4" pen blanks...the best! I may buy a fourth, but then I'd have to have jaws for it.
Buy something like we have and give a review.


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## kovalcik (Sep 14, 2013)

I think your first 2 options are the same chuck with different accessories. I have that chuck and like it a lot.  I got it when I was using my shopsmith.  It is a nice basic chuck.  It is not a scroll chuck, so you sometimes have to juggle your project and the lever bars to tighten it up, but it is not too bad. It holds very well and all the Barracuda series C jaws fit and are interchangeable.  If you do bowl turning, I recommend getting the PSI version which has the jumbo jaws. 

 You will need the 5/8" shopsmith to 1"x8 adaptor which PSI also sells if you don't already have it.


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## ChrisN (Sep 14, 2013)

I bought a used Barracuda2 (CSC3000C) from a member here, and I like it. I don't know if there is a Shopsmith adapter for it, though.


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## NittanyLion (Sep 14, 2013)

See this recent discussion:

http://www.penturners.org/forum/f30/chuck-113404/

Everyone has an opinion......mine is the Grizzly.  The others are good too.  I recently broke mine completely down to clean it good.  It is solid throughout, no shortcuts in design or build.


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## walshjp17 (Sep 14, 2013)

Personal preference is the Nova chucks.  But don't rule out the Grizzlies as they are clones of Vicmarcs.  Both have a wide variety of add-on jaws .


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## Dan Masshardt (Sep 14, 2013)

Does anybody have a chuck that they really don't like?

It seems like most of them are decent.


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## bgio13 (Sep 14, 2013)

If you drill your blanks on the lathe and you decide on a Nova chuck, check out the Pen Plus Jaw set. Might be another reason to go with a Nova.

Bill


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## kovalcik (Sep 14, 2013)

Dan Masshardt said:


> Does anybody have a chuck that they really don't like?
> 
> It seems like most of them are decent.



I think you are right.  I have the PSI barracuda utility chuck, the PSI Barracuda II, and the Nova II.  They all do what I expect them to do, hold wood.  The Nova is a little bigger and heavier than the Barracudas, but I don't think that will matter either way, though I have not used the Nova on my Shopsmith.  The only real benefit to the Barracuda vs. Nova is cost.  You get more sets of jaws with the Barracuda chuck where you have to buy them for the Nova.


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## The Penguin (Sep 14, 2013)

for just small items, I don't think there's much difference in many of the chucks.

I wouldn't want to use the cheaper ones on bowls.


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## log2lumber (Sep 14, 2013)

+1 on the Nova chucks.  I have an adapter if you need one cheap.


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## flyitfast (Sep 14, 2013)

+1 +1 on the Nova.  The G3 is on sale at Woodcraft right now if you live near one.
They have an adapter for the Shopsmith - works fine.
gordon


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## Donnie Kennedy (Sep 14, 2013)

Dan Masshardt said:


> Does anybody have a chuck that they really don't like?
> 
> It seems like most of them are decent.




*Mini Grip 4 Jaw Lathe Chuck


I realized how much it sucks when I bought my G-3s. I still use it for rough turning but it mostly collects dust.
*


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## ChrisN (Sep 15, 2013)

Donnie Kennedy said:


> Mini Grip 4 Jaw Lathe Chuck
> 
> I realized how much it sucks when I bought my G-3s. I still use it for rough turning but it mostly collects dust.



I really don't blame you for not liking it. A lot of reviews on this chuck or other tommy-bar chucks say you have to use 3 hands to put something in them. However, if you have 3 hands, that's no problem... :biggrin:


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## gimpy (Sep 15, 2013)

Dan Masshardt said:


> Does anybody have a chuck that they really don't like?
> 
> It seems like most of them are decent.




I have 2 chucks that come with 2 bars to operate
I much rather have the chucks that use keys


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## PenMan1 (Sep 15, 2013)

IMHO, the Nova chucks are a far better value than any of the other low end chucks. If you buy a Nova chuck for a ShopSmith, it'll have to be a "keyed" chuck as the Nova Midi (my chuck of preference) only comes 1x8 and will not use thread adapters.

A keyed chuck is probably a better solution for a ShopSmith since there is no real "index lock". With a lathe such as a Delta or Jet with an index lock, I find a tommy bar chuck much easier to use, as you only need one bar and a "key hole" isn't necessary. It seems that each time I needed to chuck something big or unusual the key hole was exactly in the wrong place and I needed 3 or 4 hands for a simple chuck up.

One reason I prefer NOVA chucks is that all NOVA jaws fit all NOVA chucks. This is NOT the case with most others. This means with Nova, if you get another lathe, you don't have to buy new jaws for different sized chucks. They interchange.

It has been my experience that NOVA spins much more accurately than the other low line chucks. If your chuck doesn't run true, it makes precision lathe work virtually impossible.


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## PenMan1 (Sep 15, 2013)

kovalcik said:


> Dan Masshardt said:
> 
> 
> > Does anybody have a chuck that they really don't like?
> ...



I couldn't DISAGREE MORE. The main function of a chuck is to hold material AND RUN TRUE.

I've yet to find a Barracuda chuck (regardless of price) that runs true. You can put TN GOLD on a turd, but in the end it's just a turd.


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## edstreet (Sep 15, 2013)

As you can see in this thread http://www.penturners.org/forum/f30/chuck-113404/  we had a good discussion on chucks and I posted several shots of the G2 vs G3.

The one thing that I needed to show but still have not is the tools to open/close the chucks.  Personal favorite of mine is the T handle on the G3.






One thing that I really like about the attachments is the faceplate.


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## Dan Masshardt (Sep 15, 2013)

The factor Andy brings up about running true is a good one.  

I would be awesome if somebody with several chucks would test runout.


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## PenMan1 (Sep 15, 2013)

A few years ago, someone here did a study on chucks. I THINK it was KenV. Someone here published the data on a variety of chucks.


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## sschering (Sep 16, 2013)

I made a choice and went with the Reconditioned Nova G3 and  threw in a 6025 Mini step jaw set.
With the insert it was $174 shipped.
Family will soon be asking what I want for my birthday.. I'll be sure to tell them the pen plus jaw set.


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## joefrog (Sep 16, 2013)

I bought a Nova G3 set from Woodcraft for $199. it came with an assortment of other jaws.  I've loved it so far!


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## edstreet (Sep 16, 2013)

joefrog said:


> I bought a Nova G3 set from Woodcraft for $199. it came with an assortment of other jaws.  I've loved it so far!



That is a hefty over priced package deal there.  I looked on teknatool's home site and the same products runs $156 + shipping.

For that $ it would be wiser to go with the g3 and the pen plus jaws for $140 + shipping.


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## lyonsacc (Sep 16, 2013)

edstreet said:


> joefrog said:
> 
> 
> > I bought a Nova G3 set from Woodcraft for $199. it came with an assortment of other jaws. I've loved it so far!
> ...


 
This year it is not a good deal. Last year the $199 Woodcraft G3 sale came with 4 sets of jaws, that was a good deal.


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## The Penguin (Sep 16, 2013)

edstreet said:


> joefrog said:
> 
> 
> > I bought a Nova G3 set from Woodcraft for $199. it came with an assortment of other jaws.  I've loved it so far!
> ...


list price on Nova's site for a G3 is $149.99, and I don't see the boxed set.


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## edstreet (Sep 16, 2013)

RECONDITIONED NOVA G3 Wood Turning Chuck - Teknatool USA Inc    $99.99

NOVA Pen Plus Jaw Set     	$39.99

NOVA Mini Step Jaw Set      $36.99

NOVA Universal Spanner - Teknatool USA Inc     $18.99


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## The Penguin (Sep 16, 2013)

well then - that's not a fair comparison of price...

the Woodcraft price is a NEW G3 chuck, and you're offering up a reconditioned chuck.


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## triw51 (Sep 16, 2013)

I also have a reconditioned super nova chuck and have had no problems I love it, Just wish I could afford a few more so I did not have to change jaws


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## beck3906 (Sep 16, 2013)

Just ordered the reconditioned G3 from Nova.  Also ordered one of the spanner wrenches to help get the chuck off the lathe.  Looking forward to getting it.


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## edstreet (Sep 16, 2013)

You can use the G3 T handle wrench as a breaker bar.  Just use the rod to lock up the head.  

It is also highly advisable to get you 2x + of these Turners Select No-Lock Spindle Washer | Shop Supplies | Craft Supplies USA

With 1x on the lathe I have had some seizes but with 2 on there it does not interfere with accuracy and things like the chuck is way easy to remove.


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## sschering (Sep 25, 2013)

It came in today.. 

I cut down a piece of 5/8 drill rod long enough to go full depth in the collet and chuck adapter.
It was a nice fit in the adapter after a quick scuff with a scotchbrite pad on the drill rod... the G3 and adapter machining is spot on.  The whole assembly turned true without any messing around.

I think I spent 30 minutes just finding things around the shop to chuck up and see how true it turns.. It didn't disappoint.

A a bonus the adapter and jaws uses the same size key as my pulley setup so I already have the right allen wrench hanging on the peg board ready to use when needed.

I'm very happy with my selection.. Thanks!


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