Wood lathes are straightforward pieces of equipment; however, they have the most extraordinary ability to produce very high levels of fine, quality wooden products, from simple lampshades and bowls to ornate, brilliantly carved works of art. One, slightly more complex, part of the lathe, namely the wood lathe chuck, enables this.
There are three size ranges of wood lathe chucks that you can use. The size of the wood lathe chuck is determined by your lathe’s size and engine power. A smaller desktop lathe is restricted to a four-pound chuck, and the size increases with the increasing capability of the lathe.
Choosing the size and type of lathe chuck can be very confusing. If you try to research the subject and google the solution, it will present you with many different options and opinions about the suitability of varying wood lathe chucks.
A Guide To Choosing The Best Wood Lathe Chuck
Wood Lathe chucks come in several different sizes, weights, and styles. This article has been written to help you objectively choose the best-suited chuck for your application.
We will study each of the factors to consider when selecting a wood lathe chuck, and finally, we will offer an opinion on the best brands to consider.
In determining the optimal size of the chuck, you need to consider the size of the turning project, the spindle size of the lathe, the desired jaw shape, the lathe swing size, and the size of the lathe motor.
A lathe Swing is measured from the top of the bed to the center of the spindle multiplied by 2. This value is the maximum diameter wooden blank that you can turn on the lathe.
In addition, you will want to consider the size of the project you plan to turn. A rule of thumb is that the tenon on a turned project should be at least 30% of the size of the diameter wood being worked.
A 10-inch diameter bowl, therefore, should have approximately a three- to four-inch tenon on the base.
This rule is only a guide, as it is possible to cut a tenon smaller than 30%- 40% of the diameter of the bowl. The larger the tenon, the less strength it has and the stronger the possibility of becoming detached.
What Size Chuck Do You Need?
There are three size ranges of wood lathe chucks. These are
- Mini chucks
- Medium-sized chucks
- Full-sized chucks
You need to correctly size the wood lathe chuck because you don’t want a massive chuck on a mini-lathe, and visa-versa.
Large lathe chucks are mainly used with huge – sixteen-inch lathes (full-sized lathes 14 – 20 inches) and have a larger thread of 1 ¼ inch by 8 threads per inch.
The Smallest Chucks Are Mini Chucks
Mini chucks are the smallest chucks available and are best suited for benchtop lathes, with a lathe swing between 5 inches and 7 inches (12 cm to17 cm) and a motor horsepower of between 1⁄4 1⁄2HP.
Mini chucks weigh up to 4 pounds (1.8 kg). Some people say that a mini wood lathe can only use a 3-pound chuck; this is not true.
The Next Size Chucks Are The Medium-Sized Chuck
This size chuck is best suited for lathe swings between 7” to 14” and a lathe engine size between 3⁄4HP and 1HP.
Medium-sized chucks weigh up to 6 pounds.
If your wood lathe has the size and capacity to use a medium-size chuck, it will be more flexible.
Full-Sized Chuck
Full-sized lathes with beds large enough to handle swings more significant than 14” to 20” are considered full-size machines and have motors rated between 1 ½ to 2HP.
These chucks way over 7 pounds and can turn large platters or bowls.
Size Doesn’t Matter
A lot of discussion centers around the optimum chuck size.
The actual restriction is the size of the swing of your lathe. As discussed, this is the maximum diameter wood blank that can rotate over the cross slide.
Many woodturners believe that the size of the project is restricted to a wood lathe chuck which is not less than 30% of the size of the wood blank.
Irrespective of the size of the chuck, you will have to cut a parallel or dovetail tenon anyway; the wood blank can essentially be made to fit the chuck.
A larger tenon
opening can be weaker than a smaller one.
If the tenon for the chuck has been cut accurately, the ratio can be significantly increased, and the only restriction will be the swing size of the lathe.
What Should Be Considered When Selecting A Lathe Chuck?
The following factors are the most important considerations when choosing a lathe chuck.
The Make Of Chuck-Is Very Important
The Difference between the top brands and the rest are in the following areas.
- Quality control ensures consistent standards for each unit.
- Quality of documentation and manuals.
- Quality of materials. The top-tier companies use materials that maintain tolerances over the years.
- Quality of warranty. If things go wrong, you need support to rectify the issues.
There are three tiers of chuck manufacturers, those are.
- Top Tier – aimed at the professional woodturner who often uses the lathe.
- Second Tier – These are great brands; however, they are aimed at the amateur who turns wood less often.
- All the rest – These are not chucks that can be recommended.
Top tier manufacturers include One Way Chucks (Canada), Technitool (New Zealand), Eastwood’s (United States), Vic Marc chucks (Australia), and Sorby Patriot Record Power Chucks.
Second-tier chucks are still good quality; however, they are aimed at the amateur woodworker who uses them a few times a month instead of the consistent daily usage of the previous Tier. Manufacturers in this Tier include Bulldog, Barracuda Grizzly, and Hurricane Chucks.
How Many Jaw Sets Does The Manufacturer Offer?
How many jaw sizes are provided by the manufacturer for each chuck?
The top-tier and second-tier manufacturers will offer more jaws or jaw sets.
Different jaws are used for various applications. Some examples of this are.
- #2 Jaws – Great for bowls between 5-10 inches in diameter.
- #3 jaws – Used for bowls with a diameter greater than 10 inches.
- Pin Jaws – Deep grip of more extended pre-bored opening.
- Alligator Jaws – Internal or extremal gripping.
Jacob Chucks
- – Drilling pen blanks precisely in the lathe.
- Jumbo Jaws – Used for the application of finishing processes.
How The Chuck-Is Attached To The Lathe
Chucks are sold with a threaded insert or a direct thread on the chuck body itself.
Threaded inserts benefit as they can fit different lathes with varying lathe threads.
Direct threaded chucks are cheaper, but you cannot switch them between different lathes unless an adjustable insert is purchased.
Both Mini and medium-sized lathes generally use a 1 inch wide 8 thread per inch attachment, so having a direct threaded chuck should not be a problem. Some of the older equipment may have a different thread size; however, this won’t be a problem unless you have both a mini lathe and a large lathe.
The Type Of Jaws Which The Chuck Uses
What type of tenon does the chuck jaws clamp down on – parallel or dovetail.
It is not a consideration, as both styles offer an excellent level of support. Once you get used to one or the other system, generally, that is the type of chuck you will opt for in the future.
Conclusion
With lathe chucks, the old axiom of what you pay for is what you get applies. The lathe chuck size is less important than the quality of chuck you purchase. If you have a mini lathe, it’s essential that you only use a chuck that weighs up to 4 pounds.
The main restriction on the size of wood blank that you can use will be determined more by the lathe swing measurement than the size of the chuck.
References
https://www.woodmagazine.com/woodworking-tips/techniques/woodturning/four-jaw-lathe-chucks
https://forum.shopsmith.com/download/file.php?id=40804&sid=f13d922891164bda17e81b9c561db490
