Barracuda, Steelex chuck queries

Hi, Tom.

I don't have any personal experience with either of these chucks, and don't really know which Steelex model you are talking about. Personally, I know in the bad old days there were folks that used three jawed chucks, but not me. I want all the holding power I can get.

I have read on other venues that the Barracuda can be hit or miss. Some folks think they are just fine, others don't like the loose fit of some of the parts. I haven't heard of any failures, though.

If you are counting your $$ these days (who isn't), you still don't want to get something that won't last or get the job done well. I have heard plenty of good things about this chuck:

Fit, finish, and operation all seem to be good. The only thing that seems to be common with this chuck is that it is good to dismantle it, give it a good cleaning, then put it back together after a light lube job.

One fellow on the WoodCentral site bought one a couple of years ago and loved it so much he bought another. It is a dead knockoff of the VicMarc chucks, including using a hex key to adjust the jaws.

For me, I think it is important to get a good chuck. One of my VicMarc chucks is 10 years old, and with all the hard use, all it has done is get smoother and smoother to adjust. I also like the fact it has never let go of anything!

I appreciate the fact though, that you can get two of the Grizz chucks for he price of one Vicmarc.

I hope whatever you get you will post back a review of which one it is and what you think of it.

As always, just my 0.02.

Robert

On Mon, 1 Dec 2008 2:51:10 -0600, snipped-for-privacy@aol.com wrote (in message ):

Thanks for your reply, Robert. Agreed onb the shortcomings of a 3 jaw juck, versus 4 or more contact points. I was wondering what the catch might be, on the Barracuda chuck, as its price was so low. Hit-or-miss is part of the reason for the price point, perhaps. Thanks for the heads-up on the Vic Marc/Grizzly connection. I'll have a look. tom koehler

wrote in message news: snipped-for-privacy@w3g2000yqc.googlegroups.com...

Tom & Robert, No expert here, but I did have one of those Grizzly's you referenced for a while, and it worked just fine for me. The extra jaws were fairly low cost, and helped me a lot in learning how to hold things tight. My Grizzly was sold to make way for a new lathe which took a different spindle thread. The new lathe chuck is a SuperNova, which I had heard about on this newsgroup. It works OK, too, but has ever so slightly better finish. Operation and holding don't seem to be any different. As Nail mentioned, I did disassemble the Grizzly and removed a couple of metal shavings or grindings that you could feel as it was expanded and contracted from one end to the other. (Did the same with the SuperNova, but did not find any loose stuff inside.) Both the Grizzly and the SuperNova took a little oil stone honing to make the attachment jaws fit down perfectly in the alignment grooves. A thing I noticed was that after the jaws were finally seated firmly in the alignment grooves, the Grizzly jaws actually fit together more squarely (when closed) than the SuperNova. I asked both the retailer and US Nova importer about the less than perfect alignment (which, was, true enough, quite minor), and the retailer did respond to quell my worries, but the Nova importer did not respond. (Yes, I know the jaws are numbered for correct position) OK, this was a long winded response, without answering Tom's original question, and from a newbie woodturner (but with more than 70 years tinkering with tools) so, YMMV! Old Chief Lynn

On Mon, 1 Dec 2008 17:19:45 -0600, Lynn wrote (in message ):

well, Lynn, thanks for the added input on the Grizzly chuck, and the fine-tuning work. I am comfortable with that, and have found this a common thing to do with many other tools.

to you and Robert, and any others, what is the largest outer diameter you can grasp externally with the stock Grizzly chuck (not any extra larger jaws)

I'm finding that it is not just a simple matter of ordering a chuck, and puttin' it on. I am prepared to get the necessary adapter for my SS, but am also seeing a differing range of capacities on these chucks, and am trying to learn how to find *that* information, too.

Also, there seems to be differences in the weight or mass of the chucks, for a given size -- maybe the difference between a closed back or not closed (?) An example being in the Barracuda line of chucks, the cheaper one is much less massive than the more expensive one of the approximately same capacity. Maybe something to do with the nature of the scroll mechanism, I do not know, yet. The more massive-looking chuck used a tee handle wrench (allen or square) to tighten the chuck, and the lighter chuck provided a less robust "L" allen wrench.

I'm ready and willing to do plenty of homework in shopping for a chuck. I am attracted to the price point, of course, but will readily pay a higher price for the better quality. I guess I just have to learn more about chucks, before I can learn more about them. (somewhat like using a dictionary to look up how to spell a word, you kinda gotta know how to spell it first)

Thanks... tom koehler

Grizzly jaws

Now that's discouraging. I always hope that when I pay more, I get more.

And when I read about their lack of response, all that does is push me away from spending the extra dollars.

I know spending twice as much won't get me twice the chuck, but if you get a better response from a service standpoint with the cheaper product than you do with the more expensive one, it sure helps me make a decision on my purchase.

Good post, Lynn.

Robert

From the Craft Supplies site that sells the similar Vicmarc chucks:

*********************** Vicmarc 3 1/2" - This chuck is recommended for use on lathes from 8" to 12" capacity. It is supplied with a 2" dovetail jaw set.

Vicmarc 5 1/2"- This chuck is recommended for use on lathes from 16" to 24" capacity. It is supplied with a 2 1/2" dovetail jaw set.

************************

So if you are turning on a Shop Smith, a 3 1/2" should do just fine.

The retail sites like Craft Supplies, Packard Woodworks, etc. can be great for finding information like that.

Yes. Closed backs mean a big difference in weight. And although you aren't buying a chuck by the pound, you will be able to see that almost all the better chucks are heavier built than their brethren.

The reason I would personally consider the Grizz/Vic chuck is that it has a closed back (which helps keep the dust and debris off the scrolls), solid construction, it has add on jaws at a great price, I think you probably get at least 95% of the performance of the Vic (see Lynn's post) at >> 1/2

Tom, Not what you want to hear, but here's my limited chuck experience:

On the recommendation of several folks here, I went with the Oneway Talon chuck for my Shopsmith.. This was quite a while ago, and I was on the fence between Oneway and Nova, but Shopsmith had a sale on the Talon with free adapter and I went for it..

3 lathes later, I'm still using the same chuck, plus an additional Talon.. I've never had it apart, never tweaked it.. I do blow it out with air when I remember and spray a bit of dry lube in it.. It's turned hundreds of projects and been abused for years and just keeps on working.. To me, the cost was well worth it, though it was almost $200 and more now.. My guess is that I would be just as happy with the Nova chuck, but have no experience to offer on them... YMWV

mac

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On Tue, 2 Dec 2008 10:02:18 -0600, mac davis wrote (in message ):

Thanks for your reply. What's not to like? You used a chuck on your SS, and it worked great, and you didn't get beaned by flying chunks of wood. Great report. tom koehler

On Mon, 1 Dec 2008 22:35:27 -0600, snipped-for-privacy@aol.com wrote (in message ):

Thanks for your reply, and feedback, Robert. I guess what I was wondering about, is when the chuck is opened to its greatest extent, what diameter will the jaws embrace without the accessory jaws? I will check the retail sites you mentioned. Thanks. Thanks for confirming my thoughts on the value of an enclosed back, and the greater weight. tom koehler

Just to add something that others didn't mention. Oneway lever chucks and the Talon have a far greater range of usable sizes per set of jaws than any other make. The jaws have a pin safety system that prevents opening them too far and this system has 2 settings. No other chuck has this as far as I know. Oneway has their patented profile jaws that grip any diameter tenon with the same amount of contact area unlike other makes where the tenon diameter has to be pretty close to the jaw diameter to get the most amount of contact. For the range of sizes that fit Oneway chucks see here

For an explanation on the jaw design see here The Oneway chucks are still Canadian made. I have used Axminster and Off Shore chucks and they don't even come close (less than 50%) to the quality and usefulness of the Oneways.

Robert,

When you say dead knockoff of the smaller Vicmarc does that mean they are close enough that the jaws are interchangeable?

Thanks in advance,

Gerald

Well, in some cases I ducked quick, but can't blame a chuck for oversize, over weight or badly mounted stuff.. the story of my life.. ;-]

I might add that I also sprang for the spigot and jumbo jaws... and if "I knew then", I wouldn't of bought either set.. YMWV

mac

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I only use my spigot chuck for turning bracelets anymore. I did buy a "pin chuck" 1" chuck. I love it to hold a bowl blank for initial outside turning. Just drill a 1 1/8" hole in the center, chuck it on and use the tailpiece live center and it's ready to go. No more faceplates for this. When it is shaped I back off the tailpiece and turn a dovetail, remove the blank, put on a dovetail chuck and turn the inside. It is nice to have a chuck for each set of jaws too.

On Wed, 3 Dec 2008 11:36:57 -0600, mac davis wrote (in message ):

so, talk to me about oversize jaws, please. What do you know now, that you didn't know then, about them? tom koehler

hole in the center, chuck it on and use the tailpiece live center and it's ready to go.

turn a dovetail, remove the blank, put on a dovetail chuck and turn the inside.

I prefer the wood screw that comes with the Oneway chucks... I'd rather drill a small hole that's 3/4" deep than use a forstner to drill a 1" or larger hole.. Especially on an odd shape piece..

Another advantage I've found that fits my turning style is that if I can drill a hole in it, I can use the screw to pull the wood towards and against the chuck jaw face... That helps me get a firm grip on some pretty irregular chunks of wood that seldom have a flat surface on them..

OTOH, if I was still turning conventional bowls with nice flat bowl blanks, I'm sure I'd be taking advantage of my spigot jaws as you use the pin chuck..

mac

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Tom.. Oneway's Jumbo jaws are like other brand's "Cole" jaws... They're for reverse mounting the work to finish the bottom..

I spent over $100 for them, and should have just gone to a vacuum system instead.. My vac system, (from Bill Noble) was just over $200 at the time and made the jumbo jaws obsolete..

Note: On the Shopsmith, you'd need a "between the work and the spindle" vacuum system, since the SS doesn't have a hollow spindle)

mac

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On Thu, 4 Dec 2008 11:05:06 -0600, mac davis wrote (in message ):

Thank you for your reply about the jumbo jaws. For the way I work, and the amount of turning I do, it does sound like the big jaws would be right for me, if they will hold the work okay. There's no vacuum system in my future, especially, as you note, I do not have a hollow spindle, even though there is a workaround. tom koehler

Tom.. You might want to play with jam chucks and stuff before investing in the jumbo jaws..

I actually find that I'm using my vac chuck setup WITHOUT the pump on more and more bowl bottoms.. Now that I've built vac chucks in several sizes, (picture a hollow tube on the spindle with mouse pad on the open end), that it's normally faster and easier to just hold the bowl on the vac chuck with the tail stock and sand off the tiny nub that the tailstock point covers.. YMWV

mac

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On Fri, 5 Dec 2008 8:57:13 -0600, mac davis wrote (in message ):

Thanks for your remarks, Mr. Davis... by jam chuck, do you mean the purpose-made turned wooden chuck, snug fit, sometimes moistened ever so slightly to grip better? If so, I have used them for several years, and I'd like to try some chuck turning, where i don't have to make a chuck for each thing I make. I like to make stuff that is anywhere from an inch or two in diameter, up to about 8 or 10" in diameter, according to my mood, and what wood is available in my shop at the time. I do not have the space to have a whole clutch of wooden chucks sitting around waiting to be used. My shop is almost like the lower level machinery room in a submarine. tom koehler