What I have Recently Learned About Chambering

[WSnyder]

I’m fortunate to have mostly upper quality lathe chucks purchased when prices weren’t so crazy and purchased during economic downtimes. Older Bison, Buck’s, Pratt-Bernerd. The Pratt’s are beautifully made chucks. I also have a TMX (Toolmex) 3 jaw set-tru that’s pretty good for the money. It’s an import but at higher quality than the cheaper imports. They aren’t too far off at all from a nice Bison chuck. Might be a brand to watch for if a used one comes up. I wouldn’t hesitate to own another if I needed one. I have some imports for low use like on a rotary tables and indexers I don’t use very often. Definitely noticeable difference in quality but still functional.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Toolmex and gators are just fine. I have bucks but i assure you i wouldnt buy another buck new unless it was on clearance sale.

 

[dnellans]

a 6 inch 6 jaw gator set true with cam lock backer is only $1200 - thats 1/2 the price of others. I always assumed they were crap based on that price to be honest. hmmmm

 

[WSnyder]

I have bucks but i assure you i wouldnt buy another buck new unless it was on clearance sale.

New Buck chucks certainly aren't what they used to be that's for sure. That's how I ended up with the TMX. Pretty far up there quality wise for far less $$$ than a new Buck.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

a 6 inch 6 jaw gator set true with cam lock backer is only $1200 - thats 1/2 the price of others. I always assumed they were crap based on that price to be honest. hmmmm

I have an 8” gator and its a very solid chuck. They dont have to be perfectly accurate and repeatable in our application as long as its an adjust tru type and you put it on a good backplate properly

 

[LVLAaron]

My 4 jaw is a "cheap" D1-5 Gator. It does the job for chambering, but the chuck itself is not an inspiring piece of workmanship. I'll probably get a TMX 4 jaw and put the gator on my rotary table.

I ended up with a good deal on a set true 6 jaw Buck w/ back plate. This thing is so incredibly beautiful and pleasant to the eye and hand I hated using it at first because I didn't want to get it dirty! - I can't use it for barrels but it's a dream to work with on all other projects.

 

[dnellans]

why can’t you use it for barrels?

 

[Dusty Stevens]

You put that buck on your lathe and itll do anything and everything in style. No need to ever change. On second thought you should send it to me im needing a 6” right now

 

[INTJ]

The thing that bothers me about the Set True and Buck Chuck type is the bolts on the face that hold it in place after the fine adjustments. Doesn't tightening those face bolts cause movement?

How do they compare to the True Bore system. The True Bore looks like it is a very long chuck and I hear complaints about chatter. Anybody have one of these?

 

[Dusty Stevens]

The ring that bothers me about the Set True and Buck Chuck type is the bolts on the face that hold it in place after the fine adjustments. Doesn't tightening those face bolts cause movement?

How do they compare to the True Bore system. The True Bore looks like it is a very long chuck and I hear complaints about chatter. Anybody have one of these?

Your concerns about the true bore are well founded. As far as the bolts on the set tru i just keep them snug and never touch them

 

[WSnyder]

As far as the bolts on the set tru i just keep them snug and never touch them

Exactly this^^^^not a problem and I never even think about it.

 

[LVLAaron]

why can’t you use it for barrels?

End dial the bore and use an outboard spider. No way to allow a barrel to gimbal in the 6 jaw. I could set something up if I had to, but the 4 jaw is faster.

 

[dnellans]

End dial the bore and use an outboard spider. No way to allow a barrel to gimbal in the 6 jaw. I could set something up if I had to, but the 4 jaw is faster.

However you’re making it gimble in a four jaw applies in the 6 jaw. The gimble setup is pretty much independent of the number of jaws.

Only thing I can imagine is if the max diam of the jaw is too small relative to the barrel and there isn't enough room to get the gimble setup around the barrel?

 

[tobnpr]

^^^This.
I don't use my 6-jaw buck for chambering, either. If you're using a 4-jaw you must be using some method like copper wire to allow it to gimbal, it would be the same for the adjust-tru. For me, I have the 6-jaw dialed in to a few tenths and I prefer to leave it that way to use for machining ops and use the spider for barrels. To each their own...

 

[LVLAaron]

However you’re making it gimble in a four jaw applies in the 6 jaw. The gimble setup is pretty much independent of the number of jaws.

Only thing I can imagine is if the max diam of the jaw is too small relative to the barrel and there isn't enough room to get the gimble setup around the barrel?

Getting 4 little "inserts" between the barrel and jaws is enough work. I don't need to juggle 6 with jaws that all open and close at the same time. I don't want to use copper wire. It moves.

I don't adjust within a couple of tenths, I dial until it's zero. That's easier to do on a 4 jaw.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Getting 4 little "inserts" between the barrel and jaws is enough work. I don't need to juggle 6 with jaws that all open and close at the same time. I don't want to use copper wire. It moves.

I don't adjust within a couple of tenths, I dial until it's zero. That's easier to do on a 4 jaw.

An adjust tru is way easier than a 4 jaw. It doesnt loosen up each time you move it- torque never changes. A copper ring is all you need

 

[Alex Wheeler]

The adjust tru type chuck is basicly a 4 jaw so far as how you adjust it. The benefit is equal force on each jaw. The main reason that a copper ring moves is because on independent jaw chucks theres different force on each one. The adjust tru chucks fix that. I dont use a ring but if you do thats the best chuck.

 

[LVLAaron]

I'm willing to give it a shot. I'd like to use it because it's a much more well balanced chuck on top of everything else. I find the adjust-tru part a bit annoying to fine tune but I probably just need some muscle memory for it.



In my head this looks like a great way to gimbal the barrel. Don't have the tools to get those brass inserts in the jaws though.

 

[Doug Beach]

I do some thin wall work where a 6 jaw would be useful. I currently do barrels with a 4 jaw. If an adjust-tru type 6 jaw could do both, that would be excellent. Is there any issue with the clamping force on a 6 jaw, for barrel work?

 

[Dusty Stevens]

I do some thin wall work where a 6 jaw would be useful. I currently do barrels with a 4 jaw. If an adjust-tru type 6 jaw could do both, that would be excellent. Is there any issue with the clamping force on a 6 jaw, for barrel work?

You get way more holding power for the same tightness. Its not going to slip