Interesting Chuck design

[VicParticipant @vic]

This is one of Axminster Tools New Woodturning Chucks. I took this screenshot from the video and couldn’t help noticing the detent balls and corresponding recesses in the scroll wheel. I’ve not seen anything like this in a chuck before.

 

 

 

[VicParticipant @vic]

The Video if anyone’s interested.

https://youtu.be/vwinDkB2vgo?si=nI-2FGra5p0mxti3

 

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

I like that, Vic !

… no immediate use for one, but I’m impressed.

MichaelG.

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Ref. https://cdn.axminstertools.com/media/downloads/GK88_manual.pdf

[Bo’sunParticipant @bosun58570]

I think a Five Year Guarantee would give me “peace of mind”, not “piece of mind”.

[BazParticipant @baz89810]

If to goes wrong in the five years they would get a “ piece of my mind”.

[old martParticipant @oldmart]

I cannot understand the need for any indexing with a chuck that needs to be tightened until it grips on any diameter in it’s capacity. Fine quality and made in the UK to boot.

[VicParticipant @vic]

Some Axminster chucks have a lifetime warranty.

[Tim StevensParticipant @timstevens64731]

This method of making each jaw in two parts seems a sensible way to add the ‘soft jaw’ facility. The curved slots for locating the outer parts would be a complication when making your own soft jaw outers, but once made they could serve for many tasks. And even then, easier than cutting your own scroll teeth.

Why are they only suggested as wood turning chucks? Perhaps because that is Axminsters main business, but is there a technical reason too?

Tim Stevens

 

[BazParticipant @baz89810]

We used to have an Axminster shop in town, sadly it closed a year or so ago, I spent quite a while in the shop examining their chucks with a view to putting one on the Myford and they were beautifully made, better quality than the Chinese or Indian offerings.

[Tim Stevens]

On Tim Stevens Said:

This method of making each jaw in two parts seems a sensible way to add the ‘soft jaw’ facility. The curved slots for locating the outer parts would be a complication when making your own soft jaw outers, but once made they could serve for many tasks. And even then, easier than cutting your own scroll teeth.

Why are they only suggested as wood turning chucks? Perhaps because that is Axminsters main business, but is there a technical reason too?

Tim Stevens

 

The first Axminster “super precision” chucks offered to wood turners were standard engineering chucks, but with two part jaws. Some were made for them by Bison in Poland. Two part jaws are not at all uncommon on chucks for metalwork lathes but the registration between the base and top jaws seems more positive.

If you do a Google for chuck Top Jaws you’ll get lots of hits.

The current Axminster chucks are very well made.

[VicParticipant @vic]

You can get engineering style Top Jaws for Axminster chucks but only in Aluminium.

[Vic]

On Vic Said:

Some Axminster chucks have a lifetime warranty.

…

Nothing wrong with Axminster’s lifetime guarantee, which is typical of the breed, but as always read the Terms and Conditions to find out what’s actually covered.  What vendors mean by the word ‘lifetime’ is rarely as generous as a customer might hope!  In this case:

Axminster Tools agree to repair or replace components without charge for any defects due to faulty material or workmanship, provided that:

• original proof of purchase is available (invoice, sales receipt etc)
• the chuck has not been modified or altered in any way whatsoever
• the chuck has not been subjected to misuse, negligence or accident
• the chuck has been used in accordance with the instructions
• an inspection will be carried out by a qualified servicing engineer at Axminster Tools whose decision will be final

And the requirement to use the chuck “in accordance with the instructions” also makes the guarantee less than universal: If after prolonged use you should detect wear in any components or you should lose an item, replacement parts can be purchased direct from Axminster.  In other words, lifetime cover only applies if the customer keeps the chuck in good working order.  Which I think is reasonable.

I’d describe Axminster’s guarantee as decently reassuring.  It’s neither empty promise or sooper-dooper cover-all.   If I was into wood-turning and needed a new or better chuck, I’d be tempted.  But not because I think “Lifetime Guarantees” mean much.  Read the Ts and Cs.

Now I have to do some work!

Dave

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

The detents are probably because it is used on wood. If the chuck relies on friction in the parts when tight to hold its position then the softness of wood will allow it to loosen in use. The detents were probably because they found the regular chucks did slacken off in use. One would expect that to be patented though if it proved effective the rogues would copy it anyway.

[Bazyle]

On Bazyle Said:

The detents are probably because it is used on wood. If the chuck relies on friction in the parts when tight to hold its position then the softness of wood will allow it to loosen in use. The detents were probably because they found the regular chucks did slacken off in use. One would expect that to be patented though if it proved effective the rogues would copy it anyway.

Sounds reasonable. I have three different makes of Wood Turning chucks including an Axminster SK100 and none of them have detents. Must be a new idea?

[old martParticipant @oldmart]

My concerns about having detents is what might happen if the tightness was just right, but the balls were moving out of the detents at that point. The spring pressure would then be trying to loosen the chuck.

[NealebParticipant @nealeb]

I always thought that “lifetime guarantee” implied that when the item breaks, it has by definition reached the end of life and so the guarantee is no longer valid?

All the same, Axminster stuff does generally seem to be of decent quality – I have two of their bandsaws in my workshop and no problems with either (once tweaked…)

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

[ Mmm … my recent attempted post is AWOL ]

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I’ve been trying to get my head around this design:

It seems to me that the balls and detents are a ‘face-lock’ for the backplate … to take the torsional stress off the relatively small fixing screws.

Comments welcome !

MichaelG.

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Here’s a tricky screen-grab

[VicParticipant @vic]

Another mystery. The hole arrowed black is for the chuck key, there should be another on the opposite side. What about the one arrowed in red? Could this be for lubricant for the detent? Seems quite large.

[VicParticipant @vic]

Another thing I noticed was that there appears to be a universal body type, in either 88mm or 100mm diameter. This Chuck body seems to be able to accommodate back plates of two different types?  One completely encloses the scroll wheel and has pinions for the (square) chuck key. The other leaves the teeth of the scroll wheel exposed and uses a toothed chuck key. Both types are seen being fitted in one of the videos.

Only one type (exposed scroll) is available as a spare on their website though!

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