Need a new lathe chuck

[Beckerkumm]

For a small lathe I'm a big fan of the 6 jaw if you find one that is reasonably priced. I don't hog off more than .1 generally so the relative holding power between 3 and 6 isn't all that relevant. I seldom use my three jaw but mainly because the 6 jaw repeats to less than .001.

I'm primarily a used machine guy and have a bunch of used Bison chucks I paid little for but learned that rehabbing old chucks has much more risk and lower reward than buying a used lathe. It is very difficult to bring worn chucks back into spec across the diameter range. I can compensate for worn ways within reason but a chuck that needs to be checked every time you use it is a stroke inducer in my world.

I think a set tru design is worth the money but if a good chuck with out it come up, a chuck that has mounting bolts on the face is much easier to dial in on a specific machine than one where you need to remove the whole thing and adjust the backplate to the chuck.

Finally, don't stop talking about the good stuff. Just because it may not be in reach is no reason to not acquire knowledge. When you know what to look for, deals, mislabeled ads, or even almost new chucks with incorrect backplates show up at prices that justify making or waiting for the proper plate. That is how I got my almost new Bison 6 jaw set tru for about $750. Dave

 

[mksj]

Similar to what Dave mentions above, one needs to shop around and sometimes its a waiting game in the long run to find what you are looking for. I also look at a lot of my acquired tooling as long term use/investments and not having to buy it again in my lifetime. On chucks, I have bought some 2 and 3X to end up with ones that worked for my needs. I wasted a lot of money in the learning process, so I am of the motto buy once and cry once. The buying is spread out over years so the hurt is a bit less, and also some very good deals. If someone reputable offers you a deep discount, then it probably isn't going to happen again. An example on the Bison combination chuck several years ago one vendor was unloading their inventory and the all steel version of the chuck was being sold at 50% off. Needless to say all 6 went out the door quickly once the word got around. Unfortunately the price of things is going up in double digit jumps over a short time, I cringe at the thought of what it would cost for replacements in the current market. I also do not expect prices to come down anytime soon.

This forum is a good source of diverse information, based on each person's experience and one tries to provide the +/-'s when someone asks a question. Hopefully they gain experience in the process and then pass it along.

 

[Firstram]

I'm certainly kidding about discussing higher end tooling. I grew up strapped for cash and had to get by with cheaper tools in the early days but moved away from that a long time ago. I made it a point to buy one quality tool on each film and I'm still using the 7 1/4" Super Sawcat, Starrett combo square set and the 2 sets of trammel points that I bought in 1990. I didn't stop the slow march of buying top shelf tools until I was totally self sufficient, then I slowed down a bit. In fact, most of my power tools have been around so long they have metal cases!

Now that I have the means to buy just about anything I want, I find myself 2nd guessing each purchase! It doesn't make much sense. That being said, with the drastic price increases we're seeing and the slow down in supply, I'm trying to buy every accessory I'll ever need while I can without being foolish.

The most important thing I have to consider is the footprint of each tool and having the room in the tool trailer, I should have purchased a 48 footer instead of a 36!

 

[mmcmdl]

Any old timey top quality tools are getting harder to come by these days . Most are being bought up by hobbiests such as ourselves . Fleabay , FBMP , CL makes it a world wide advertising market and no longer a day long auction at your local tool and die shop going out of buisness . Buying tools was once a social get together where everyone knew who was going to these auctions and we worked together to get what we needed . Tools and equipment were then shared between the smaller start-up shops in the neighborhood . These days , if I see them , I buy them . Buck , Bison , Pratt Burnard , Hardinges are always on my list . Jacobs SSBs and Albreghts chucks , Wohlhaupters , Narex , anything B&S , Starrett , Mits , are always on my list as well as any nice condition equipment . Nothing is getting cheaper and this was the reasoning behind my last large haul . One day it will pay off , maybe not for me , but for somebody in the family .