Would this enrage you enough to return the product?

[mac1911]

I'd say that's sort of dealing with Amazon...the pictures don't always match the items perfectly. Let's face it, that's why you can get a chuck for $43 when the same item from a big name would be $500.

San Ou is a chuck manufacturer in China. There is a company here in Michigan which imports many (if not all) San Ou chucks to the U.S. and ships them to other distributors. I asked if they were the importer, and they said yes, but I didn't ask if they were the only importer of San Ou chucks. Going off the numbers of chucks I saw, I'd be surprised if there's more than one, but it's certainly possible.

I've been there in person several times and the guy who I've dealt with the most says San Ou is the largest manufacturer of chucks in China and makes them for several big names as well. The last time I was there they had pallets of outbound San Ou chucks as well as inbound bundled stacks that were so tall they would have just fit in a shipping container, so I believe what they told me.

This and many sellers never even see the product , so they use a generic picture. So basically a remote party that takes your water and it gets drop shipped from God knows where, and whoever shipping it probably just grab something that’s within the description of what you’re buying.

I I only use Amazon with Amazon prime these days just too many issues. Even Amazon prime is starting to play different games. Getting picky on where you drop it off for returns. They’re getting back to have a new package it up. It is what it is if there were only local stores that had the physical products I wanted near me I wouldn’t use Amazon sell them to the local stores have anything I want or need

 

[G-ManBart]

Sort of related to the OP's question, I did a little poking around on Amazon looking at listings for the San Ou and Vevor chucks. I should have it mentioned above, but the local company is CME Tools in Madison Heights, MI. CME (Complete Manufacturers Equipment) is the/an importer of San Ou chucks. They sell directly, on eBay and on Amazon. It seems another company, Yinmao, is the Amazon Prime vendor for many of these chucks and there are others as well. If you go with a CME listing on Amazon I'd be confident you'd get one marked San Ou (likely has both San Ou and CME markings). I wouldn't be surprised if Yinmao is one of the companies that sells stuff without having the inventory in their own facility, so someone else is essentially filling the order for them...certainly possible.

The San Ou chuck brand appears to be Zhejiang Sanou Machinery Company. San Ou and Harvest are two of their brand names and they claim to be the actual manufacturer, which fits with what the folks at CME told me. BTW, their Harvest brand keyless chucks are shockingly good, even when compared to an Albrecht and 1/10th the price.

I have found it's worth checking the CME website, Amazon and eBay to see where they show the lowest price. Generally their lowest price is on their website (no eBay fees) but not always, and sometimes Amazon does their magic with pricing and lowers the price regardless of what the retailer would like.

 

[mac1911]

Sort of related to the OP's question, I did a little poking around on Amazon looking at listings for the San Ou and Vevor chucks. I should have it mentioned above, but the local company is CME Tools in Madison Heights, MI. CME (Complete Manufacturers Equipment) is the/an importer of San Ou chucks. They sell directly, on eBay and on Amazon. It seems another company, Yinmao, is the Amazon Prime vendor for many of these chucks and there are others as well. If you go with a CME listing on Amazon I'd be confident you'd get one marked San Ou (likely has both San Ou and CME markings). I wouldn't be surprised if Yinmao is one of the companies that sells stuff without having the inventory in their own facility, so someone else is essentially filling the order for them...certainly possible.

The San Ou chuck brand appears to be Zhejiang Sanou Machinery Company. San Ou and Harvest are two of their brand names and they claim to be the actual manufacturer, which fits with what the folks at CME told me. BTW, their Harvest brand keyless chucks are shockingly good, even when compared to an Albrecht and 1/10th the price.

I have found it's worth checking the CME website, Amazon and eBay to see where they show the lowest price. Generally their lowest price is on their website (no eBay fees) but not always, and sometimes Amazon does their magic with pricing and lowers the price regardless of what the retailer would like.

Anyone have experience with CME drill bits,taps,dies and reamers?

 

[G-ManBart]

Anyone have experience with CME drill bits,taps,dies and reamers?

I haven't used the drills, taps, dies or reamers, but have had good luck with their end mills. Their M42 TiaLn coated cobalt roughing end mills work really well and sort of my go-to for general use. I'm getting ready to put together a list of carbide end mills to try next.

 

[skogkatt007]

True. I am not a wealthy man either.
But $50 won't get you a decent 3/8 drill chuck much less a 4 jaw.

"There is hardly anything in the world that some man cannot make a little worse and sell a little cheaper, and the people who consider price only are this man’s lawful prey."

You'd be surprised what little or no money will get you. I view this site and get an ample healping of smack talk for nothing.

 

[Red96]

FWIW, San Ou chucks are what came with my Precision Matthews lathe. (PM1030) Like everything from China, disassembly/cleaning/lubrication/deburring makes a huge difference and is my accepted reality in trade for the price point. If you take the time to do the above, your chances of having a lasting tool increase dramatically IMO. I'm sure there's others with a different perspective.

No complaints on either the 5" 3-jaw or the 5" 4-jaw after some due diligence. That said, I'm not a fan of Amazon's business practices, but still fall prey on a regular basis - the convenience is just too hard to pass up sometimes, for lack of alternatives.

 

[skogkatt007]

I'm not even considerimg returning it, as something is (hopefully) better then nothing. But I was of the understanding they take stuff back without any arguments. People have bought high priced computer components and found out they were fakes. Maybe they give extra consideration in certain instances? Buy a 400$+ fake cpu and get stuck with it could might put an extreme damper on people's willingness to buy from them in the future.

 

[mac1911]

I haven't used the drills, taps, dies or reamers, but have had good luck with their end mills. Their M42 TiaLn coated cobalt roughing end mills work really well and sort of my go-to for general use. I'm getting ready to put together a list of carbide end mills to try next.

Im a very new hobby lathe runner.
With the amount of work I do and actual time on the machine I think I can get by with some inexpensive tools.

 

[skogkatt007]

500$+ (discounted) for a hobby lathe chuck is just insane. I wasn't expecting perfection for the price. I used to boycott the h out of Amazon and other online and brick and mortar entities. And realised the only one getting hurt so to speak was me. If people aren't going to deprive themselves in the least, why should I deprive myself of an extreme bargain. I probably have 12+/- chucks bought from Amazon, 1 was about 64$, another 40ish. The rest were under 30$. A few rinky dinks were 15$! I doubt I'm feeding the beast at those prices.

(And if anyone is looking for a cheap 2-4" 3 jaw Sanou, send me a pm. I may have something you're looking for. I buy too much ...).

 

[matthewsx]

I looked at this deal when another member posted it. Would have bought one too, except I really didn't need it. Need to get a backing plate for the 8" Bison I've had for a couple of years now....

John