Which chuck to buy for first lathe ?

[Brian JohnParticipant @brianjohn93961]

3 jaw, 4 jaw, independant or self centering ?

[Brian JohnParticipant @brianjohn93961]

It looks like I will almost definitely be buying a Sherline lathe. They can be bought without a chuck so which chuck should I buy : 3 jaw self centering, 4 jaw self centering or 4 jaw independent.

The 3 jaw chuck is obviously the easiest to use but a search on the internet shows that some people think the 4 jaw independent is the most versatile once you get the hang of using it.

[Thor 🇳🇴Participant @thor]

Hi Brian,

If you have plans to buy a dial indicator and only one chuck, I would say buy a 4-jaw independent chuck. The self centering chucks I have used all have some runout, with an independent and a dial indicator you can get less runout. I use both self centering and independent chucks myself.

Thor

Edited By Thor on 06/12/2014 06:29:16

[Roger Provins 2Participant @rogerprovins2]

I have a 3 and 4 jaw self-centering and a 4 jaw independent. I only used the independent when I really have to, offset or irregular stuff for which it is the only option. They take time and patience to setup but probably are the most accurate when correctly used.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by Brian John on 06/12/2014 06:08:41:

It looks like I will almost definitely be buying a Sherline lathe.

.

Brian,

First let me say that I think that's a very wise decision.

As for the chuck: In the fullness of time you will probably want both [and maybe collets], but I agree with Thor .

Buy a 4-Jaw first.

MichaelG.

[JAParticipant @ja]

When I did my machine shop training it was a four jaw chuck and a piece of chalk. The three jaw chuck was not even mentioned.

JA

[Brian JohnParticipant @brianjohn93961]

I had not intended to buy a dial indicator as I have no idea how to use one. Is this item essential if buying a 4 jaw independent chuck ?

Edited By Brian John on 06/12/2014 08:38:32

[Brian JohnParticipant @brianjohn93961]

JA : Yes, but I will not have an instructor watching over my shoulder to tell me when I am doing something wrong

[roy entwistleParticipant @royentwistle24699]

Brian John I was first introduced to lathe work at school about 1948 we were only allowed to use four jaw independant Make life easier get ( or make ) two chuck keys use them diametically opposite put a piece of paper between the job aand the back of a reversed tool in the tool post you'll soon get the hang of it

Roy

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by Brian John on 06/12/2014 08:45:55:

… I will not have an instructor watching over my shoulder to tell me when I am doing something wrong

.

But, looking on the bright side; you do have access to YouTube

This , for example, would be eleven minutes well-spent.

MichaelG.

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 06/12/2014 09:12:47

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Right those with an engineering background won't like this but as the Sherline chucks are known to be quite accurate I would get a 3-jaw independant which will do 80% of the things you want quickly and easily, Then get a cheap far eastern 4-jaw for odd shaped and offset work.

For hobby use life is too short to clock every round item that you are going to make true in a 4-jaw, the sherline chuck will give you 0.001" TIR it will soon become frustrating to have to set the 4-jaw to better than this every few minuites.

I rarely use the 4-jaw to hold round work and seem to be able to make perfectly acceptable running engines using the 3-jaw. I only recently got collets for the lathe but half the time can't be bothered to put teh collet chuck on the spindle.

J

 

Edited By JasonB on 06/12/2014 09:15:11

[Brian JohnParticipant @brianjohn93961]

3 jaw independent chuck…. I had not even considered that ? I thought if I was going to buy a 3 jaw chuck then it would be the self centering type which is what most small lathes come with.

[Nigel McBurney 1Participant @nigelmcburney1]

When I was apprenticed,nobody mucked around making youngsters use a four jaw,typical training school attitude,we were taught to use the most appropriate method and which was quickest, go for a three jaw chuck and then when you get experienced buy a four jaw independent, forget about 4 jaw self centring chucks they are for wood turners I have never seen an trained person use one, Again I have collets for two of my lathes ,they are rarely used, 99% of turning can be carried out with 3 and 4 jaw chucks,faceplate and work between centres.

[jason udallParticipant @jasonudall57142]

JasonB….sorry but I agree with you.
.
When I read the op question..I thought..if I had only one chuck which would I want.
….4 jaw indi…but futher thought was…Frankly a three jaw self center will fit most work and job could be done before the well known flexibility and added finesse of the 4 jaw could have even chucked the part up.

[jason udallParticipant @jasonudall57142]

Although that said..a face plate is worth while..
…

Making..
..

Edited By jason udall on 06/12/2014 09:53:31

[Brian JohnParticipant @brianjohn93961]

All the Sherline lathes come with a face plate. I was surprised that most other brands do not supply one with the lathe.

[IanTParticipant @iant]

At the risk of stating the blindingly obvious Brian – just about any chuck will hold work very accurately provided that you can take a truing cut. For a lot of the small work I do, I often have to bring the work down to some known dimension anyway (I (re)use lot's of "scrap" material) so the 3 jaw is perfectly good enough for this and convenient to use. The 4 jaw independent gets put on mainly for second operation work where I need to clock the work back true or where I need a much better grip or for eccentric work.

Much of this also boils down to thinking a little ahead and planning your work (something I frequently forget to do I'm afraid – and I often end up having to do all sorts of work 'arounds' as a result!). So if you have some small wheels to machine (for instance) then get them all faced and bored before you make a mandrel to do the treads – because once the mandrel is turned in-situ – it will run absolutely true provided you don't take it out the chuck.

Jason believes the Sherline 3-jaw is pretty accurate anyway – so that sounds like a good way to go to me.

Regards,

IanT

[Ian S CParticipant @iansc]

I think Jason 's got it wrong, I think he means 3 jaw self centring, I'v never heard of a three jaw independent chuck(that doesn't mean much, there are lots of things I'v never heard of).

Ian S C

[Russell EberhardtParticipant @russelleberhardt48058]

Yes, another vote for the 3-jaw. Looking at what you are making, a 3-jaw will do everything you need. Any odd job that requires eccentricity could be done by shimming one jaw or by making an eccentric split bush to hold the work in the 3-jaw.

My first lathe came with just a 3-jaw chuck and I managed with that for a few years before buying my present lathe. Now I would estimate that I use the 3-jaw 60% of the time, collets 35%, and the 4-jaw only 5%.

Russell.

[Roger Provins 2Participant @rogerprovins2]

Posted by roy entwistle on 06/12/2014 08:52:44:

………..Make life easier get ( or make ) two chuck keys use them diametically opposite put a piece of paper between the job aand the back of a reversed tool in the tool post you'll soon get the hang of it

Roy

I bought my lathe secondhand and as well as other chucks it came with a 4 jaw independent chuck and 2 keys.

I wondered why – now I know!

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

Why buy an expensive lathe with not even the basic tooling. That is folly if you are on a budget.

If you look at most of the used lathes on ebay they have the 3 jaw fitted – because that was the most likely to have been the last one used. Maybe 70% of work is done using it. The problem is square stuff just cannot (properly) be held in it so then you are stuffed.
However as mentioned earlier cheap 4 jaw chucks are available so you can get one and a pre-threaded backplate. I know you may be on a limitted budget but if that desperate wash cars, chop wood, rake leaves to scrape together the dosh as it will be less trouble in the long run.

[Gordon WParticipant @gordonw]

Like previous posts- it depends what you want to do. If money is tight get a 3 jaw, odd stuff can go on the faceplate. Now I have a set of ER32 collets they seem to get used most of the time.

[NJHParticipant @njh]

Brian

My choice, without a doubt, would be a 3-jaw self centring – most of my work needs this. The next would be a 4-jaw independent which is needed for "non round" work ( but, as has been said a faceplate can be used – maybe with some difficulty however! After a few jobs like this I suspect you would find a way of "diverting" funds to a now essential item). A 4-jaw self centring is a bit of a luxury which may afford a firmer grip on large work but most folk manage to live without one.

Good luck with your new "obsession"!

Regards

Norman

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

The short answer is you will end up with both eventually, so if you can afford it, buy both straight away!

A 4-jaw will do anything a 3-jaw can do, and more, though there are a whole host of wrinkles for doing some 4-jaw jobs with a three jaw (like putting a spacer on one jaw to machine an off-centre hole, or holding rectangular bar stock for facing with one jaw on one side and two on the other).

The downside is that, despite the protests of those who are good at it (and I'm getting better) it is fiddly to set stock up in one to run concentrically, especially for a beginner.

A long as you realise all round surfaces that must be concentric need to be turned without taking the work from the chuck in between, then a 3-jaw will make your life much easier. The 4-jaw will, no doubt, quickly bubble up your priority list as you find yourself wanting to machine other shapes, and you may well have it for some considerable time before you start to use it for round work.

It's also worth noting that the 4-jaw probably have slightly greater capacity for a given diameter. A 4-jaw can grip better than a 3-jaw, but only if it's been properly adjusted – it's possible to have one jaw loose, allowing work to wiggle out, and you can be tempted to hold things in the most precarious of ways.

Even so, I would say beginner start with a 3-jaw as its easy to use and therefore safer and less frustrating during eth period when you are getting to learn how to use the machine.

Neil

[Russell EberhardtParticipant @russelleberhardt48058]

Posted by Neil Wyatt on 06/12/2014 11:27:18:

A long as you realise all round surfaces that must be concentric need to be turned without taking the work from the chuck in between, then a 3-jaw will make your life much easier.

… or mark the work and one jaw with a felt tip marker before taking it out so that it can be replaced in the same position.

Russell

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