# Lathe chucks and sizes



## Fishin Bob

Just got a new Central Machinery 10X18 wood lathe from Harbor Freight. It's an MT2 taper and looks like the head stock chuck is 1" 8TPI. Can someone confirm this. It may be 7/8 because I took the measurements from o.d. of the threads. I want to purchase a new adjustable chuck and I know they aren't all the same thickness and thread diameter. I was looking at the NOVA JS70N 70mm. Can't find the thread size.

https://www.amazon.com/NOVA-JS70N-7...d=1488128861&sr=8-8&keywords=lathe+wood+chuck


----------



## Catpower

What you posted is just the jaw set for the chuck, I am quite sure the HF lathe is a 1" 8 tpi, so you will need to get the chuck to fit the jaw set


----------



## holtzdreher

Some chucks come threaded to fit the spindle and some require an extra adapter for the threads on your spindle. According to the Harbor Freight web site, your lathe has the 1x8. threaded spindle. When I got back into turning after 30 years, I found the accessories had changed dramatically. It was very confusing trying to pick out a chuck. I ended up with a G3 chuck that came threaded for the 1x8. (I have the next size up HF lathe with the same thread and tapers as yours.) I have little experience with chucks on a wood lathe and I am having trouble getting mine to hold properly. Perhaps a larger chuck would have been better.


----------



## NCPaladin

Catpower is correct, your lin is just to the 70mm accessory jaws.
The following link shows the G3 in insert style ($88) or direct threaded style ($99). Either comes with the 50mm jaws.
https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_...ck&sprefix=nova+g3,aps,182&crid=33PPQLMC10ZWP
The insert for your lathe is here. The total would be $108, or $9 more than the direct thread but if you ever went to a larger lathe all you would need is a different insert.
https://www.amazon.com/NOVA-IDNS-IN...qid=1488148436&sr=8-5&keywords=nova+g3+insert
The G3 will handle anything your lathe can dish out and more. (I have 4).
This is a link to Stuart Batty on Vimeo. Has has 30+ videos and three of them are about chucks, tenons, and recesses. Each is 12-15 minutes.
He is an excellent teacher and presents the information clearly.
Most problems with chucks and new turners are tenons too long, no flat area for the top of the jaws to seat against, improper diameter, or too little wood around a recess. These probably cause 90%+ of orbits with new folks. 
https://vimeo.com/woodturning/videos/sort:alphabetical/format:thumbnail


----------



## Fishin Bob

NCPaladin said:


> Catpower is correct, your lin is just to the 70mm accessory jaws.
> The following link shows the G3 in insert style ($88) or direct threaded style ($99). Either comes with the 50mm jaws.
> https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_...ck&sprefix=nova+g3,aps,182&crid=33PPQLMC10ZWP
> The insert for your lathe is here. The total would be $108, or $9 more than the direct thread but if you ever went to a larger lathe all you would need is a different insert.
> https://www.amazon.com/NOVA-IDNS-IN...qid=1488148436&sr=8-5&keywords=nova+g3+insert
> The G3 will handle anything your lathe can dish out and more. (I have 4).
> This is a link to Stuart Batty on Vimeo. Has has 30+ videos and three of them are about chucks, tenons, and recesses. Each is 12-15 minutes.
> He is an excellent teacher and presents the information clearly.
> Most problems with chucks and new turners are tenons too long, no flat area for the top of the jaws to seat against, improper diameter, or too little wood around a recess. These probably cause 90%+ of orbits with new folks.
> https://vimeo.com/woodturning/videos/sort:alphabetical/format:thumbnail


Thanks to all for the inputs. I did some more research and wound up with the Woodstock D4054 3-Inch 4 Jaw Chuck 1-Inch by 8 TPI. https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B005W16R72/ref=od_aui_detailpages00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It should arrive tomorrow and I'll either pat myself on the back or kick myself in the butt.


----------



## NCPaladin

I hope it works out for you but be very careful. They call it a wood chuck in the listing but it is really a metal working chuck. On wood chucks the jaws are circular instead of just four points.
I orbited a few bowls when I just started because I was forming the tenon or recess improperly; maybe the same problem holtz was having.
My analogy would be a baseball catcher. One batter steps up and his hands encircle the bat (wood chuck), the next steps up and he is holding the bat only by his finger tips (metal chuck). I would not want to be the catcher behind the second batter.
It can be done but be safe. JMHO


----------



## Fishin Bob

I see what you mean and thanks for the input. The chuck should arrive today and can be returned just as quickly tomorrow.


----------



## Fishin Bob

I was also wondering if I'll need a different centering pin


----------



## NCPaladin

I'm not sure what you are referring to as a "centering pin". I am going to assume it is the drive spur which comes with most lathes.


Although they are make drive spurs to fit a chuck I just remove the chuck to use the drive spur in the MT.
In the Nova's I linked to earlier I think I would go with the direct threaded ($88). You may never have a lathe with a different size spindle and can you always use a spindle adapter if necessary.
Wood chucks also allow you to buy different jaw sizes and styles to meet you needs as well as coming with a woodworm screw for mounting items while the chuck is still on the lathe.


This video by Mike Peace covers almost every method of holding items on the lathe, about 1.5 hours total.


----------



## 9thousandfeet

Bad Bob said:


> Thanks to all for the inputs. I did some more research and wound up with the Woodstock D4054 3-Inch 4 Jaw Chuck 1-Inch by 8 TPI. https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B005W16R72/ref=od_aui_detailpages00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
> 
> It should arrive tomorrow and I'll either pat myself on the back or kick myself in the butt.


 Send it back, that's not what you're looking for and trying to make that one work, especially as a beginner, could be dangerous.

What you want is a real woodturner's 4 jaw chuck. Brands which will work for you are Nova, Oneway, Vicmarc and several others. 

Watch the video ncpaladin posted to get your bearings before you go shopping. Good resources for shopping would be Packard Woodworks and/or Craft Supplies, which you can find via any internet search, and they both treat their employees decently, unlike Amazon, which treats their employees like dirt.


----------



## Fishin Bob

Again, thanks for the input. I sent it back today and am looking at the NOVA 48232 G3. I'm sure it will do everything I plan on doing.


----------



## richardanmmol

Spam


----------



## Maylar

Metal workers deal with round or hex stock, so 3 jaw scroll chucks are normal on a metal lathe. Wood turners deal mostly with square stock so we use a 4 jaw chuck. I have a 3 jaw "knuckle buster" that I use when drilling round stock, but most of the time a 4 jaw is mounted on the lathe.


----------



## miket68

I just got a Nova G3 with 1-8 thread as I dont want the insert type and its pretty good.
Jet.com had 15% off so went through them for the best price.

Id like to get some small jaws and some bigger jaws now. Might get some plastic, machine a bunch of blanks for some soft jaws.


----------



## Pineknot_86

I bought a SuperNova2 chuck and 1-8 adapter. I added the pen jaws when I started making pens. As for the thread size of the headstock and any chuck, this should be listed in factory specs.


----------



## Larry42

That is a horrible site. They show metal working chucks to be used for wood. It is just an advertising scam. You could get hurt bad following their bad advice.


----------

