Lathe Chuck Quality

[Mark in Indiana]

Are there any used equipment dealers in your city or the surrounding area?
I just bought a good Poland brand, 4 jaw chuck for 100$ from a dealer in my area.

 

[kingmt01]

I bought it a few years ago but I think $180 is all I paid for my Bison 4 jaw chuck new. Have you coincided selling yours on eBay to fund a new one with both jaws?

 

[EmilioG]

I heard that some Kitigawa chucks have zero run out!

 

[chips&more]

There's one of those questions again with the word "best" that can't be answered. It's opinionated & a specific type of chuck from one manufacturer can be "better" than another & vise versa.

Not counting CNC lathe chucks, "best" in my book today is Pratt Bernard (England). But that can change. Buck used to be one of the best in my book but they're no longer made the US anymore. My best chuck in my possesion today is a Bison but I'll probably never buy one again going forward due to the company changes, in the past few years. Currently my most used chucks are Bison & Gator (Fuerda). Kitagawa & Kalamazoo are also excellent chuck manufacturers.

Also, there’s one of those questions, “where is the origin of manufacture”. I think if you read “made in the USA” on a tool/machine. That to me is misleading. Because, I’ll bet you can find components inside or bearings or something that is not USA made. This world is becoming a one big soup bowl of manufacturing resources. I’m getting kinda numb about "who made it". And more into it working well and lasting and not worrying about who made it…Good Luck, Dave.

 

[darkzero]

I heard that some Kitigawa chucks have zero run out!

That's "impossible". That's one of the reason why there are "acceptable" tolerances". One might measure something that is zero or perfect but somewhere out there is an instrument with higher accuracy that will tell you something different.

Also, there’s one of those questions, “where is the origin of manufacture”. I think if you read “made in the USA” on a tool/machine. That to me is misleading. Because, I’ll bet you can find components inside or bearings or something that is not USA made. This world is becoming a one big soup bowl of manufacturing resources. I’m getting kinda numb about "who made it". And more into it working well and lasting and not worrying about who made it…Good Luck, Dave.

I hear ya. IIRC, for the US there is an act or something that states a product must only have 50% of it parts made in the US to be considered "made in the USA". I'm sure it varies on the type of product & in other countries. These days having something 100% made in a country is very hard, except maybe for China.

For example, I have a 60 gal HF air compressor (which I swore I would never own an air compressor from HF). We all know what COO HF products tend to be from but not always & they actually sell items that are made in the US. But related, my air compressor is "considered made in the USA". My tank & motor are made in the USA. The pressure switch is made in China but is a US company. The pump is made in Italy. Later models of the same compressor differ slightly though. Recently made in the USA really doesn't mean much to me anymore.

 

[wrmiller]

I am really liking my new Pratt Burnered. Best chuck I've owned so far (DTC, Bison, Gator). But as Will has pointed out, there's always 'better'.

 

[coolidge]

I have a brand new PBA 8 inch 3 jaw awaiting install, the chuck and back plate look of high quality but the BPA T wrench is black oxide, rusted and corroded

 

[wrmiller]

I have a brand new PBA 8 inch 3 jaw awaiting install, the chuck and back plate look of high quality but the BPA T wrench is black oxide, rusted and corroded

My T-handle wasn't corroded, but after looking at it and comparing it to the mirror finish on the back plate I decided that a new billet T-handle project would get added to the projects list.

 

[coolidge]

My T-handle wasn't corroded, but after looking at it and comparing it to the mirror finish on the back plate I decided that a new billet T-handle project would get added to the projects list.

Mine was old stock that had sat on Grizzly's shelf since 2012, the shipping label from PBA to Grizzly was still on the box.

 

[rivettlathe]

To the OP, like several others I'd get new jaws from Bison. I needed a new chuck for my lathe and even though it hurt, I threw down for a new forged Bison 3-jaw. I don't know if anyone mentioned Rohm yet, but they make some magnificent chucks also.