Articles
Ask WWGOA » Purchasing a Lathe Chuck
Purchasing a Lathe Chuck
Posted: June 23, 2009
"I have an inexpensive harbor freight lathe. I would like to purchase a chuck to hold blanks to turn stuff. Don't know how to go about doing that. Can you help?"
Submitted by: TommyG
WWGOA Editor Response
You'll need to look at your owner's manual to get some information about your lathe. Specifically, you're looking for the diameter and thread count of the spindle on the headstock. A few common sizes are 3/4". x 16 tpi (threads per inch), 1" x 8 tpi, or 1-1/4" x 8 tpi.
Once you know the correct size of your spindle, you can shop for a chuck. The best way to buy a chuck is to get one with a body and threaded insert that are two separate pieces.The threaded insert needs to be the correct size for your machine. If you ever change lathes, you can simply remove the insert and buy a new one (if your new lathe doesn't have the same size spindle) instead of replacing the entire chuck.
You'll find chucks at places like Craft Supplies (www.woodturnerscatalog.com) Rockler (www.rockler.com) and Woodcraft (www.woodcraft.com).
George Vondriska
Managing Editor
Got a woodworking question you need answered? Email us at editor@wwgoa.com or post your question on the Forums board for help from fellow WWGOA members.
Related Videos
