-
Welcome back Guest! Did you know you can mentor other members here at H-M? If not, please check out our Relaunch of Hobby Machinist Mentoring Program!
What Ajust-tru chuck for pm1440gs?
- Thread starter Hozzie
- Start date
- Joined
- Jun 12, 2014
- Messages
- 4,810
There are a number of options to consider. Matt carries Chandox which is a very high quality Taiwanese chuck, and about 2/3rd the price of the Bison equivalent. He also carries the Bison chucks. I have the PBA, (same as Bill above, but mine is 6.3") which are slightly more than Bison, but excellent quality and function. Very pleased with it, but others with the Chandox were equally impressive. Often for gunsmiths I see them going to a 4J or 6J type chuck, but usually 4J independent because one can set the alignment. I might suggest looking into a Bison 4J combo instead of the 4J independent if you just want to get one chuck instead of two. The 4J combo have fairly narrow jaws tips (0.2") that move on a scroll mechanism and each jaw is also independent. I use mine for very precise work, and I find it much quicker to dial in stock over a 4J independent (I have both), less than a minute to swap out stock and dial it in. The repeatability of the scroll is around 0.002" because the pressure on the individual jaws varies slightly based on how you adjusted it previously, but it can be adjusted down to nothing with a few tweaks on the independent jaws. Also from an angular holding perspective, of the chucks I have used it has the least TIR (wobble) at 6 and 12" out. The grinding of the jaws is such that it holds stock very securely, better than my PBA 3J. I use the PBA set-tru if I am doing a lot of repetitive steps in/out of the chuck, so I do not need to dial it in with each step. The PBA TIR on repeat clamping is better than 0.0004" spec, but the Bison combo is nice if the stock is uneven or the OD center is different than the ID center.
So if a 3J set-tru type, Candox, Bison and PBA would be top of the list, Shar's does makes some decent Set-Tru type chucks from what others have posted, so 6J might be a consideration. I personally would get the Chandox over the Shar's at that price level. A general comment on the two piece jaws and also the set-tru chucks, at least on my PBA if you reverse the jaws for ID/OD work, I found it is very critical when flipping the jaws of how you mount them and torque them down and also to always recheck the TIR of the Set-Tru when remounting the jaws. I mount my jaws and lightly bolt them down, then but some precision ground stock in the chuck and lightly tighten the chuck, then tighten the jaw bolts. This seemed to keep the jaws aligned better when tightening the mounting bolts. But I always rcheck the TIR after flipping the jaws. The better chucks have all the jaws numbered.
So if a 3J set-tru type, Candox, Bison and PBA would be top of the list, Shar's does makes some decent Set-Tru type chucks from what others have posted, so 6J might be a consideration. I personally would get the Chandox over the Shar's at that price level. A general comment on the two piece jaws and also the set-tru chucks, at least on my PBA if you reverse the jaws for ID/OD work, I found it is very critical when flipping the jaws of how you mount them and torque them down and also to always recheck the TIR of the Set-Tru when remounting the jaws. I mount my jaws and lightly bolt them down, then but some precision ground stock in the chuck and lightly tighten the chuck, then tighten the jaw bolts. This seemed to keep the jaws aligned better when tightening the mounting bolts. But I always rcheck the TIR after flipping the jaws. The better chucks have all the jaws numbered.
Thanks. I ordered the 8" toolmex set-tru 3 jaw and also have the Taiwan 8" independent 4 jaw coming. I think they will do anything I need them to. If I need something smaller, I have a 6" Vertex I got with my Vertex rotary table. I can always get a backplate for it. I will test the Chinese 3 jaw and 4 jaw that come with the lathe. They may surprise me. If not I will sell them.
Thanks everyone for the input.
Thanks everyone for the input.
- Joined
- Mar 2, 2013
- Messages
- 895
If this toolmex set tru works out, I'm going to look into getting one for my 13×40 d1-4 enco lathe. It's a very substantial piece of kit when you get it cleaned up and bolted to the backplate.
Good luck with yours.
Another nice feature on their set tru, the 4 set tru bolts are at 90 degrees. This has been a problem for some with other models, I think gator set tru are 3 screws at 120 degrees making the adjustment just a bit more difficult... ymmv
Rich
Good luck with yours.
Another nice feature on their set tru, the 4 set tru bolts are at 90 degrees. This has been a problem for some with other models, I think gator set tru are 3 screws at 120 degrees making the adjustment just a bit more difficult... ymmv
Rich
Last edited:
- Joined
- Jul 13, 2014
- Messages
- 1,051
Rich,
If you were to chamber barrels with the lathe, I will be glad to share the little knowledge I learned chambering over 60 rilfe barrels the last year and a half. I tried a couple of different 6J set thru chucks, am 8 inch Bison and 6 inch Gator, 4J, 4J using copper rings, and spiders. In the end I settled on front and back spiders.
I also have a 90 page compilation of different chambering discussions on bench rest central I can share.
Send me an email if interested. bambanbarrelbarn@gmail.com
Here are a couple of pictures showing front spider with finger clamps. The barrel pivots on the clamps via ball bearings when dialing the front and back spiders. Just another way to skin the proverbial cat.
If you were to chamber barrels with the lathe, I will be glad to share the little knowledge I learned chambering over 60 rilfe barrels the last year and a half. I tried a couple of different 6J set thru chucks, am 8 inch Bison and 6 inch Gator, 4J, 4J using copper rings, and spiders. In the end I settled on front and back spiders.
I also have a 90 page compilation of different chambering discussions on bench rest central I can share.
Send me an email if interested. bambanbarrelbarn@gmail.com
Here are a couple of pictures showing front spider with finger clamps. The barrel pivots on the clamps via ball bearings when dialing the front and back spiders. Just another way to skin the proverbial cat.
Last edited:
I have thought about doing something like that as well. Once I get my machine I will play with different setups to see what I like best, but I like that idea. Machine should be here next week so it won't be long.
- Joined
- Dec 3, 2013
- Messages
- 1,844
Just to add to the discussion. I have the Gator 3J 8 inch se- tru. The adjusting screws are 120/60 apart though I never found that to be problem. I also have a 6" import set-tru left from my previous lathe that I almost never use on my PM-1440GT. The 8 inch is a better fit for the D1-5 and 2 inch spindle bore.