Chuck suggestions

[chizlr40]

I have a large craftsman wood lathe I purchased several years ago. Used it very little but now being retired I have time to get into turning. I was thinking of making some larger bowls and wondering about a good chuck. I only have a small 4 inch that you have to secure with screws. Suggestions? what about chisels I have a 5 piece set that I think I paid $60 for

[crokett™]

Do you know the model # on the lathe, or do you know the spindle diameter and thread pitch of the head stock? You'll need to know that to know what adapter to get with a chuck. I have an older Teknatool Nova and a Nova G3. I like them both. I also have a Baraccuda chuck from Harbor Freight, but I don't turn anything big with it. I use it to hold pen blanks and other small parts. If you are on a budget, you can make carbide-tipped tools for ~20.00 or so. those will turn bowls but will do it a lot more slowly than a proper bowl gouge. However a bowl gouge requires time to learn to use it, time to learn to sharpen it and a sharpener. Carbide tools you can rotate the bit and/or replace it.

[iclark]

I have a large craftsman wood lathe I purchased several years ago. Used it very little but now being retired I have time to get into turning. I was thinking of making some larger bowls and wondering about a good chuck. I only have a small 4 inch that you have to secure with screws. Suggestions? what about chisels  I have a 5 piece set that I think I paid $60 for

The bold sounds like you have a faceplate rather than a chuck.

As Crockett said, we need to know more about your lathe to give the best advice.

The spindle diameter and thread (assuming that it is threaded and not smooth like a Shopsmith) are the first step. The swing over the bed (not over any cutout next to the headstock) and the maximum length between the drive spindle and the tailstock ram are the next.

The next thing is that some manufacturers choose to have turning the chuck wrench clockwise tightens the jaws onto a tenon.
Other manufacturers choose to have turning the chuck wrench clockwise expand the jaws to tighten them against a mortise/recess.

I decided early on that I would pick one of those 2 and stick with it. In my shop, the chucks are almost all Nova and all of them turn the key in the same direction to tighten. That allows muscle memory to keep track of how to snug the chuck after a break or every so often while turning green wood.  Oneway is an example of a company that does it the opposite way from Nova.

Both companies make good chucks, but sticking with just one approach helps reduce the number of times that I do it wrong and drop the blank on the floor.

[chizlr40]

Ok I went and checked its a craftsman model 351.217150 gotta be 20 years old. Spindle is 1"x 8 it's 38" max turning width and it says max bowl diameter is 15" thanks for any add infromation

[MichaelMouse]

Ok I went and checked its a craftsman model 351.217150 gotta be 20 years old. Spindle is 1"x 8 it's 38" max turning width and it says max bowl diameter is 15" thanks for any add infromation

By Colovos, apparently.  Light-duty "variable-speed".   Is this it?  Craftsman 15 in. Lathe, Bench Top, Variable Speed | Shop Your Way: Online Shopping & Earn Points on Tools, Appliances, Electronics & more  

I've been NOVA since the original, but have used some others' 4-jaw types.  As mentioned "leftie Lucy doesn't spread 'em for Chuck" is the NOVA mnemonic, because they prefer to operate as a wedged tenon rather than a spigot chewer.  

I use the 2" jaws up to the 15.75 capacity of my lathe, but I also use the tailstock, and stay the heck back out of the throw zone.  Second sold with set used to be 1", which is good for starts in the face of lighter work.

Oh yes, NOVA insert for L/R 1"8 is the one to buy, so you can go out.

[AHill]

Teknatool SuperNova 2 would be a good choice. It comes with jaws, but additional jaw sets are a benefit for different types of turning. With the insert type of SN2, you have to buy an insert matched to your lathe spindle. The types of jaws you buy will depend on the type of turning you do and your preference for work holding. Some prefer pin jaws that fit into a hole you drill in the work piece and then expand the jaws to grip the wood. (That works best for initial shaping of bowls. Once shaped, the wood is reversed and then held with a different set of jaws. Some prefer to turn a tenon and clamp down with dovetail jaws. Some prefer to turn a mortise and have the jaws expand into the tenon to hold the work. Each method has advantages and disadvantages. Spindle turning is a whole different animal where the jaws simply need to grip one end of the wood.