Accessory Recommendations

[wrz0170]

Hey Everyone,

Looking for couple of recommendations or opinions so I can continue my journey through the vortex! Looking for quality stuff that won't break the bank :)

Oh and I have a MT#2....for head and tail stock.

1. Live center (system?). The one that comes with JET is "ok". Tough to close to the work.

2. Faceplate. I have a Vicmarc chuck and there are faceplates for their line. You use the dovetail jaws to afix the faceplate. Is this recommended? Or is it better to get an inclusive face plate.

3. Jacobs chuck. Do they all pretty much work the same? They drill holes. Saw some cheapy ones on Ebay. So I am a little hesitant.

Thanks!

William

[deathwish2]

>1. Live center (system?). The one that comes with JET is
>"ok". Tough to close to the work.

I'm working with an 'ok' one myself . . . looking forward to recommendations. ;)

>2. Faceplate. I have a Vicmarc chuck and there are
>faceplates for their line. You use the dovetail jaws to
>afix the faceplate. Is this recommended? Or is it better to
>get an inclusive face plate.

IMHO, you'd be better off with seperate faceplates. They will be more secure and repeatable threaded on rather than chucked.

>3. Jacobs chuck. Do they all pretty much work the same?
>They drill holes. Saw some cheapy ones on Ebay. So I am a
>little hesitant.

http://www.grizzly.com/catalog/2004/247.cfm?

[Sonny Edmonds]

1. I use my stock ones. No problems so far. And since both lathes are #2 MT, stuff interchanges with each that way.

2. When I do, I use the faceplates that came with, as well. Not the chuck kind, the threaded kind.

3. I have a cheapy that has a MT adaptor in it for #2 MT. 5/8" capacity. About 20-25 bucks. I kinda wish I had a "keyless" chuck though. But what the heck, it works fine.

:D

[link:www.sonnyedmonds.com | Sonny Edmonds]
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[Bill G]

Hi William

There are a couple of options on live centers. I have a Oneway, which is very nice, but also very pricey (about $100). Nova makes a similar system, but it is almost as pricey, if not more so, depending on the vendor. Each system features different attachments to the basic center which expand its capabilities. I am about to purchase a Pro center from Woodcraft (about $50) to replace my cheapie Jet center, which is about to go belly up. It is more basic that the two mentioned above, but offers interchangable points and is bored through. I am buying it for the bored through feature. If I was starting from scratch, I might buy the Nova and skip the Oneway, but since I have not seen it in person, I would hesitate to recommend it on the strength of seeing a picture.

Buy a separate faceplate. A 4" diameter will be big enough to hold anything your lathe will spin, and faceplates can be used for a number of different things, allowing your chuck to be freed up. One nice thing about starting a bowl on a faceplate is you can check the tenon you turn to see if it will fit the chuck before you remove it form the faceplate. If your faceplate is affixed to the chuck, you lose that advantage. You can also use a faceplate for single purpose wooden chucks, such as a custom mandrel or a comreession chuck for turning the foot off of a bowl.

Did you get my response to your email about this week?

Bill

[Stacey S]

I just got a cheap drill chuck from harbor freight for $8.99. It is not a Jacobs but for that price I decided that I could live with it. And came with #2 MT but if you have a different taper I would think that they carry them in other sizes.

Stacey

[wrz0170]

Bill,

Hey there, yep, just got it and looks like tomorrow is going to be a good day! Supposed to actually be nice and a little warmer than today.

William

[PaulRussell]

I use this live center, it's great.

http://www.littlemachineshop.com/pro...ProductID=1592