Sometimes Crap is Just as Good
April 30th, 2009Chucks on Sale at Enco!
Here’s a clever tool question.
I clearly need a 4-jaw chuck for my lathe. I have been holding out for a used American chuck. But it has occurred to me that since the jaws are completely independent, this should be a relatively low-precision device compared to a 3-jaw chuck. The jaws don’t have to be in any particular relationship to each other. If that’s true, shouldn’t an import be just as good?
May 1st, 2009 at 12:17 AM
The four jaw chuck is more precise since you have to use a dial indicator to center the part. I personaly think four jaw chucks are safer since there is less chance of pinching the part between just two jaws also. It takes a little longer to set up but is worth it for high precision.
May 1st, 2009 at 6:22 AM
An import 3 jaw is pretty much as good.
In the business world, most chucks are Japanese and German. A few US brands. At a consumer level, a new chaiwanese chuck is as good as it’s going to get. All about finding an adapter for your spindle nose.
May 1st, 2009 at 10:20 AM
I don’t think I explained this well.
.
A 3-jaw chuck has to be made well, because you can’t adjust the way the jaws relate to each other. They have to be right before the chuck leaves the factory. I figure a 4-jaw chuck has to be easier to make, because the user moves all the jaws independently. So even if it’s not machined accurately, a Chinese 4-jaw chuck should be hold work just as precisely as a name brand. That’s the theory I’m proposing.
May 1st, 2009 at 10:30 AM
This discussion is all way over my head because I’m still trying to answer the question:
“How much wood can a wood chuck chuck if a wood chuck could chuck wood?”
(and the wood chuck only has one set of jaws as far as I know…)
May 2nd, 2009 at 8:44 AM
Virgil, thanks for the guffaw – it got me out of my end-of-vacation funk.
May 2nd, 2009 at 12:44 PM
Enco sells Bison chucks; if that’s what’s on sale, they’re good. As usual, Og gives good advice.
A worn-out American chuck will be a bad thing, they get bell-mouthed from over tightening on short pieces, then will not hold anything securely.