Is There A Way To Tell A Wood Lathe Chuck From A Metal Lathe Chuck?

[jere m]

I am looking around for a 6" 4 jaw chuck for my 8x12 hft lathe. I am looking for cheap not crazy precision. This lathe is a learning project to puttz around on. I might make some brass bearings and maybe an aluminum flashlight, no parts for a nuclear reactor or anything like that.

I do want to avoid buying a wood lathe chuck...I think, but dont really know the difference other than the descriptions offered by sellers.

I am having a hard time identifying the differences between the two variants on ebay. How do i tell if the seller is listing a much cheaper wood chuck as a metal chuck for more money? Or how do i tell which style chuck it is if there is no description other than chuck sizes. Is this a realivant concern or do i just need to find a chuck that fits?

 

[kd4gij]

This is a wood lathe chuck .

 

[kd4gij]

This is a metal lathe chuck. Note the size difference in thickness. Both are 6"

 

[jere m]

Ok those have a big difference between the jaws and the key system too. Are those differences universally consistent between the different styles?

 

[Bill C.]

Some of the wood working shows I watch use this type of four jaw chuck, http://www.cpooutlets.com/nova-js50...ap=nvanjs50n&gclid=CNe7nqXA_coCFYU2aQod918D_A

I metal holding chuck should be able to hold any material.

 

[Beone]

Magnets stick to the metal ones
Dave

 

[kd4gij]

Ok those have a big difference between the jaws and the key system too. Are those differences universally consistent between the different styles?

Yes pretty much.

 

[jere m]

Ok thanks guys, guess i need to make sure to zoom in on the photos in the ads. I have been looking through the paper little machine shop and grizzly catalogs in addition to the ebay ads. The pictures in the catalogs dont have any of the details of the above photos (at least the ones i my price range). That was throwing me off the most.

There were some three jaw styles that looked suspiciously similar but i think i can pick them apart now.

(A few 4 jaw chucks I have seen look something like these [GALLERY=]http://c.shld.net/rpx/i/s/pi/mp/294...b68ccecbf75729d5e5be42c5f1a6a&hei=300&wid=300[/GALLERY] but it does look like aluminium and there is yet another style of key system)

 

[kd4gij]

That in your link is a very light duty scroll chuck known also as a tommy chuck. It uses tommy bars to tighten.

 

[dave2176]

A 4 jaw metal lathe chuck typically has independently adjustable jaws for setting your workpiece dead center or an inch or two off center. Woodturning chucks are frequently scroll chucks like the one with tommy bars though most have a key of some kind to tighten all the jaws simultaneously. Woodturning lathes have much smaller spindles as well, where a 24" throw machine may have a 1.25x8 thread.
Dave