What chucks do you use??

[Random Orbital Bob]

I might switch my SC choice to the SC3 instead of the 4" version for the CL4 but probably not because when I had a CL4 my first chuck was a Supernova2 which is of course a 4" chuck. Furthermore, my CL4 was an original MT1 3/4" x 16 tpi spindle so less robust than MT2 x M33 and yet it coped with the SN2 no problem. The SC4 is of course a blatant rip off of the SN2 and look incredibly similar except as mentioned before, the clockwise tighten function and the fatter jaw slides. Part of this plays into what work you plan to hold because when I started I did turn a fair bit of green and out of true work as I experimented with organic forms and you need good holding powers for that hence the 4" chuck. I would trust a smaller 3" chuck less for that kind of out of balance work.

But if you were turning a 12" bowl on a mini or midi lathe and the blank was fairly true to start with (and you had variable speed to start slow) I would use a 3" chuck happily. I would just observe sensible speeds, sensible cut sizes and keep the tools sharp which you should do at all times anyway. I wouldn't use the little RP2000 but then again if I recall correctly, the manual specifies it's capable of turning a 12" bowl!! I wouldn't feel happy doing that personally.

 

[marcros]

I have that rp2000 too, and have used it once with the wide jaw set to the capacity of my jet mini (10"). It was ok for a platter, but I wouldnt fancy doing anything much thicker than a couple of inches, and certainly not anything unbalanced. That said, for what it is primarily designed for, it is a great chuck for that lathe.

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

Yes, I must say I'm quite the fan of the little RP2000. I only bought mine this Spring and I love it. It's primary job for me is tiny stuff with the pin jaws (apple stems and finials mostly) but there's just no way you're going to get your knuckles wrapped with that little beauty.

The club had a practical day recently which we tend to run from my workshop. During that one of the lads brought a tool handle and we used the bigger jaws in the RP2000 to take the ferrule end spigot to finish off the other end. That meant about a foot of handle was protruding from the RP2000 jaws with no tailstock support. I was surprised at how stable it was to be fair and the chap who was mentoring one of our students did use his hand to balance the end as he removed the tool marks (like a steady). But I was really impressed with the little RP...a great performer.

 

[Fire_frogs]

Well...... I made the decision to go for the record power sc4.