Beware Of Chinese Jacobs

[24dickinson24]

I recently went to a local tooling supplier to buy a Jacobs chuck for a newly acquired Walker-Turner drill press. The box said "Made in China". Almost puked. Strangely the price demanded was as if it were still Made in USA. It would seem if Jacobs now puts their products on par with horrible freight junk the price should reflect this. At any rate I couldn't do it. I ordered a Rohm (made in Germany) instead and contacted Jacobs to congratulate them for turning one of the best products in the industry in to cheap "quality import" junk.

 

[burnrider]

I bet they still charged the US price

 

[jumps4]

I bought a 1/2" jacobs chuck at harbour fright but i havent mounted it hummm
it's probably no better than their chuck.
steve

 

[swatson144]

Jacobs was bought out and what you saw was the result, the MA. plant and any others in the USA were closed a couple years ago. I still have 4 of the Chinese 14N chucks after selling one (with proper warnings) on ebay. I'll be selling the others soon. http://www.ebay.com/itm/261019404678?ssPageName=STRK:MESOX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1562.l2649 was the auction with pictures.

Steve

 

[jgedde]

At any rate I couldn't do it. I ordered a Rohm (made in Germany) instead and contacted Jacobs to congratulate them for turning one of the best products in the industry in to cheap "quality import" junk.

I'm glad you wrote that letter. Nonetheless I'm sure they don't give a &*@!. If you do hear back, please follow up and let us know what they have to say. "Our quality hasn't suffered" "Thanks for your interest" and the like I'll guess.

So even the high end Jacobs ball bearing chucks are Chinese? If so, then I'll wager they will stop being able to sell those. Why? Because people in the know (HSMs, commercial machinists, etc) will all buy Rohms and Albrechts instead leaving Jacobs with the only thing left: chucks for hand drills.

BTW, I bought keyless chucks from two places:
1) CDCO: chinese low end and cheap ($35 with arbor): 0.005 TIR (<0.002 is the claimed figure). No response from them when I emailed them to say I was unhappy with the product not meeting spec.
2) From the local machine shop supply house (no arbor): made by a company called GS Tooling (for about $120) and it's a dream: 0.0006 TIR and smooth as glass. Easily as good as the Albrechts. This chuck impressed even seasoned precision machinsts at work...

John

 

[McRuff]

Last several chucks that I have bought for me and the several we have bought in the last 8 months at work all still say made in the USA right on the chuck. Not sure about the box though. They are definitely not like the old ones with the laser engraving as compared to the old rolled engraving on them. They have been accurate but loook different, they also now have serial numbers on them that in years past they did not have.

 

[swatson144]

The ones I have are etched not rolled no mention of USA but has "Jacobs®", The tips of the jaws do not form a flat when closed but a cone, the etching (poor) on the barrel says "JACOBS BALL BEARING SUPER CHUCK" Just to tell how much concern went into these things the extra spaces cause it to have 'CHUCKJACOBS" run together. "SUPER CHUCKJACOBS BALL BEARING" :lmao: as started reading from another spot.:huh: I have taken one apart and the balls are tiny and held in a plastic ring. When pressing it back together It felt rough and not fully seated exactly like the 4 others feel) a a little more pressing in hopes it would smooth out broke the plastic carrier and dropped the balls. Interesting thing is is that there seems to be no difference in the function compared to the others but I use it as a paper weight anyhow.

 

[flutedchamber]

I bought a 1/2 inch Jacobs Super chuck from Enco last year. Figured I'd bite the bullet and buy a new unit that would last me the rest of my life.

When I opened the box and tried the chuck it felt rough. All the differences previously mentioned were present. I called Jacobs thinking that I was sold a knock off copy.

The guy said that the chuck was authentic, and made in China. I sent the chuck back to Enco for a refund and bought a used older Jacobs off of Ebay. Took it apart, cleaned and greased it, and it works like a charm and is as accurate as a new unit, for a lot less money.

More Chinese lack of quality.

 

[EmilioG]

The last time I contacted Apex Tools (Jacobs chucks), they wrote that the new Super Chucks are made in Taiwan and not China.
Very strange change of information. Maybe other Chucks are made in China? Not sure anymore, but I bought a nice USA made older
16n super chuck from Ebay for $35.00. Very nice. I guess any new chucks will be Rohm and Albrecht from now on.

 

[Billh50]

I have 3 Albrechts that I have had for years.....great chucks.