# Is this really a chuck for a woodworking lathe?



## sprior (Aug 31, 2008)

Early this week I bought an old Craftsman tube lathe for cheap and it came with a chuck, but I don't see how it would grab onto wood. It's identified as a Craftsman 111-21560. Googling that model number brought me to some sites which looked more oriented to metal work. Can someone tell me for sure from the attached picture?


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## ACP (Jan 24, 2009)

I think they are called stepped jaw chucks. They are for woodturning. They can grab a tenon or expand into a mortise. Some of the more experienced folks will way in, but the turning book I just read had them in it and I've seen them on sites I've been searching for a chuck at. I've seen those with the four and others with three jaws.


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## sprior (Aug 31, 2008)

I figured a woodturning chuck would have slanted edges for a dovetail shaped hold on the workpiece. I don't see how this chuck would have much of a grip, but I don't have a clue yet.


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## woody woodturner (Jul 9, 2010)

i concur with sprior its a metal chuck but in a pinch it can be used for wood :thumbsup:


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## john lucas (Sep 18, 2007)

Way before the current wood turning chucks came out this is what some people used. It is a 4 jaw independant chuck and was originally just for metal lathes. The jaws move independantly which means you have to center the piece by loosening one jaw and then tightening the opposite jaw. Repeat this many times until the piece runs true. Not fun.
couple that with the shape of the jaws and it's really not fun to use. The jaws were not designed for wood. They crush the fibers and leave nasty marks. They don't have much of a shoulder for the wood to ride on so it was common for wood to fly off these things.
The current batch of wood turning chucks were designed just for wood. The jaws are curved so more surface area touches the wood. The mostly circular outer lip gives a much larger surface area for the shoulder of a tenon to ride on. This prevents the wood from rocking which helps prevent it from flying off the lathe. And last certainly not least. They are self centering. Simply tighten the jaws and the wood is centered.
The type of jaws you have are fun for doing off center work. Since you control the jaws you can move a piece off center in any direction. I've been wanting one of these for my wood lathe. I have a huge one for my metal lathe. If you decide you want to sell it let me know. I can probably build the correct adaptors to make it fit my lathe.


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## Barry Ward (Mar 22, 2008)

*Is this chuck for woodworking lathe?*

I have to agree that it would be a great big PITA.I would save up and get a nice woodworking chuck.Nova has some real nice ones,I have about 4 or 5 (not sure) but love em.


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## H. A. S. (Sep 23, 2010)

The Independent 4-Jaw chuck works great for wood and metal.

Say you have a porch spindle with square or rectangular ends.

Set an object off center to bore a hole.

The jaws are reversible to hold larger offset diameters.


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## H. A. S. (Sep 23, 2010)

I bought the wife the Barracuda chuck, 1"-8 spindle threads.


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## rrbrown (Feb 15, 2009)

woody woodturner said:


> i concur with sprior its a metal chuck but in a pinch it can be used for wood :thumbsup:


From what I read 3 jaw chucks are for metal and 4 jaws for wood. The slanted jaws are on the newer chucks that I've seen. I could be wrong but I've been looking to get a chuck for my new lathe and have been doing allot of reading on different chucks.


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## H. A. S. (Sep 23, 2010)

rrbrown said:


> From what I read 3 jaw chucks are for metal and 4 jaws for wood. The slanted jaws are on the newer chucks that I've seen. I could be wrong but I've been looking to get a chuck for my new lathe and have been doing allot of reading on different chucks.



Someone told you wrong, 3 and four jaws have been used in wood and metal work since they were invented. Here's some examples:

http://www.google.com/images?client...arch+Images&gbv=2&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=


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## john lucas (Sep 18, 2007)

The 4 jaw chucks designed for wood will hold a square piece. They do put a mark on it because the corners of the circle jaws cut into it. The 4 jaws on this chuck will also leave marks. They leave marks in metal and that's a lot harder than wood.
High quality 4 jaw chucks that look similar to the one above are often used in metal working to get pieces dead on center. Apparently 3 jaw self centering chucks are accurate for most things but when you need it dead on a 4 jaw chuck and some painstaking work with a dial indicator is the way to go.
I've used these things for wood and they just don't hold as well as a good quality woodworking chuck. Here's a good selection of quality chucks.
http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/store/Chucks?Args=


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