how many chunks (chucks) do you need?

[spinningwheels]

Maby I have some sort of chunk fetisch.
Have 7 now that i all use , some more than the other.
3 jaw 8 inch
3 jaw 12,5 inch
indexable 4 jaw 8 inch
4 jaw 8 inch
4 jaw 12 inch
4 jaw 15 inch ( about 180 pound with huge jaws )
clamping plate 14 inch

and still when i see one for sale i have to realy tell myself tht i do not need it


remco

[Inspector]

I prefer to use a chuck but yours are a good size and might feel like a chunk when you pick them up.

My lathe came with a 10" faceplate (so far unused), an 8" 4jaw independent, and a 6" 3 jaw scroll. I added a 6" 4 jaw scroll and a 5C collett later. Only the future knows whether I'll add more or not, but a six jaw is alway tempting.

Pete

[BadDog]

I have a 17" lathe, and use every ounce of it's capability from time to time. However, most of the time I don't come close to needing the chucks typically expected on this size lathe, which would often be something like the China 10" 3 jaw and Rohm 15" 4 jaw it came with. But I rarely use them, and in truth, many of my work pieces are actually too small to even be held in the large chucks, particularly the 4 jaw which has roughly 3/4" wide flats on the jaws. So one of the first things I did was add chucks appropriate for my typical range, an Bison 8" 3 jaw (2 piece) and a Buck 12" 4 jaw, and these by far see the most use. But the 4 jaw is still far too coarse (wide jaws) for some relatively high tolerance concentricity small shafting I have to do from time to time. I find that a "light duty" (intended for grinding I've been told?) Buck 8" 4 jaw is perfect for this, with jaws that come to a fairly fine point, and being a plane back, was simply fitted to a D1-6 adapter to put into use. I've also got a 5" 3 jaw (2 sets) Pratt Burnerd that is sometimes held in the 12" 4 jaw for really small stuff (and it repeats near dead on when centered in the 4 jaw). And there is the Jacobs Rubberflex collect chuck that is very handy at times, alone with a 5C chuck that is also sometimes (very rare actually) held in either 3 jaw or 4 jaw. I also have a 16" face plate, a spare D1-6 adapter that has been fitted to special fixtures, and even a Jacobs N18 Super Chuck on a 1" shank that was once pressed into duty held by the Bison 8" 3 jaw when I needed clearance on the chuck side for a very light job.

I'm casually looking to replace the 12" 4 jaw Buck with a "steel" D1-6 native 4 jaw. I also want a roughly 12" 4 jaw with 2 piece jaws (much prefer D1-6 native) to round out my stable.

So yeah, I may have a chuck fetish problem, but I acquired and have used each one for a specific purpose having provided value in several ways. I have no regrets.

[Harold_V]

I have only three chucks, an 8" three jaw universal, and a 10" independent four jaw, which are used on my lathe, and an 8" three jaw universal which is used on my mill (on a rotab). It has no D1-4 backing plate, so it can't be used on my lathe as is. Both of the three jaw chucks have master jaws, so I can use soft jaws, and often do.

Between those three chucks, along with my Hardinge HV-4 indexing head and the Hardinge-Sjogren collet chuck I have ( both use 5C collets), I have managed to handle every possible configuration that has come my way since 1967, with sixteen of those years in a commercial application.

No harm in owning multiple chucks, although if you choose to own more than one of each, it might be wise to consider adding different types instead of duplicating that which you already have. A two jaw, for example, and for those who don't have master jaws for their three jaw chuck, either a second one that does have, or a six jaw.

I can see where a universal four jaw might be a nice addition to one's stable of chucks, although I have managed to get by without one for my entire career as a machinist.

Harold

[Jaxian]

My 15" came with what has proven to me to be like the basic "this is all I should ever need" set of workholding pieces on my lathe.

10" 3 jaw adjust tru scroll -2 piece jaws
12" 4 jaw independent -2 piece jaws
14"? Faceplate
Drive plate for between centers
lever 5C collet closer for small stuff

I think that 2 piece jaws are so useful and convenient that they really are almost indispensable if you don't have a lot of other chucks. Soft jaws of brass, aluminum, Delrin, steel are so useful.
Now I have some others, I have a Kalamazoo 5C collet chuck I clamp in the jaws of the 3 jaw, or dividing head chucks or rotary table chuck. Can also clamp it in a vise on the mill.

For non lathe stuff I have a 3 jaw -2 piece jaw 8" for the dividing head that is screw on 2"x8tpi so good for nothing else I have. Also have the factory 6" 3 jaw one piece jaw chuck from Cincinnati for the DH. It's perfect and I don't think was ever used so I have been just using the bigger one for now. I hear it's very accurate so if I need that I will use it then.

There is also a 8" 3 jaw -2 piece jaw mounted on a backing plate for the rotary table.

With my lathe being just a 15" that is enough for me. My chuck is just at the limit that a large person can easily remove it. If it was any bigger I would undoubtedly have one more 4 jaw for the "chuck held in a chuck" setup that is so popular and convenient for those with very large scroll chucks.

I have a 5C 3 jaw single piece jaw on backorder from Enco just for all that weird shaped stuff in the quick indexer or for sizes of collets I don't have. Plus figure I can use if I am doing collet closer work and need to grab a weird size and don't want to switch back to the larger 3 jaw normal scroll chuck. Been back ordered for a while now though so not thrilled about that.

[SteveM]

I have a bunch of chucks between two lathes (both 1-1/2x8), but I think five is the right number:

5" 3-jaw
5" 3-jaw with only outside jaws (you can get them cheap, and then you never have to change your jaws)
6" 3-jaw with 2-piece jaws. Came iwithout jaw tops, so I got it cheap. It's my dedicated soft-jaw chuck
A pair of 6" 4-jaw chucks with, you guessed it, the jaws facing in on one and out on the other.

Steve

[ronm]

I wouldn't call it a fetish, but I've bought a couple chucks on ebay just because I liked 'em...one tiny little 4-jaw that would be perfect for a 1/4 scale model of a lathe, if I ever got around to making one.
The other is a weird little 2-jaw that does fit my Craftsman lathe, but I bought it mainly because it was made by the Westcott Co., which happens to be my Mom's maiden name...

[f350ca]

I'd like a smaller 4 jaw for my 16 inch lathe. It currently has a 14 inch, the smallest it will hold without filler strips is 1 inch dia. The lathe has a D1-8 spindle, the smallest back plates i've seen in that configuration are for 10 inch chucks, Could I use one of them and make an adaptor plate to go to say an 8 inch chuck.

Greg

[SteveM]

I'd like a smaller 4 jaw for my 16 inch lathe. It currently has a 14 inch, the smallest it will hold without filler strips is 1 inch dia.

What many people do (notably OxToolCo on youtube) is chuck up a smaller chuck in the big 4-jaw.

That would also allow you to, in effect, use the big chuck as an "adjust-tru" backplate to dial in the smaller chuck.

I wouldn't call it a fetish, but I've bought a couple chucks on ebay just because I liked 'em

I've done that too. Have 2 or 3 for which I need to machine the backplates.

Steve

[BadDog]

Could be done, and I have done it, but chuck-in-chuck will even under the best conditions make for a bigger stack and more hang our for deflection.

I had the same problem with my 12" Buck, so I found a "light duty" 8" Buck (I'm told it's considered a grinding chuck?) that is capable of holding small parts (narrow land on the jaw points). I then fitted it to a D1-6 adapter I had, and problem solved. So in short, yes...

[f350ca]

The chuck in chuck method would work but as Russ said there's lots of metal sticking out but the big problem is my 14 inch is only rated to 760 rpm. Would be nice to get some speed on small parts.
Russ your 8 inch chuck will fit a D1-6 adaptor, my problem is the D1-8 is bigger in dia than the chuck I'd want to use.

Greg

[tornitore45]

And after you get all the chucks that fit the cabinet or the budget you start to wish for collets.

I like to add a 5" 3 jaws with master/soft jaw but is not in the budget.