I always figured 4-jaw chucks to be relatively low risk since each jaw is moved independently. That said, I've never bought a used chuck specifically; they always came with the various lathes I've bought.
Assuming the chuck is on a pallet / shelf and not a machine, what would you look at or measure when evaluating it? My biggest concern on a 4-jaw would be the slop between the jaw and track; the value of the chuck would seem to be inversely proportional to the amount the jaws cock and pull the workpiece away from the body of the chuck as they're tightened. And obviously need to inspect for gross damage: signs of crashes, cracked or sprung body, etc. On that note, I'm also looking for a steel / semi-steel body versus a cast iron body.
How about brands to look for and brands to stay away from? I don't know many chuck manufacturers but the ones I know I break up in the following categories:
Top Tier: Buck, Cushman (the old USA made ones)
Middle Tier: Bison
Bottom Tier: No-names / Asian imports / Cast iron bodied chucks (which tend to be low speed and poorly balanced in my experience, although I think Buck makes a line of CI chucks that are probably decent)
Finally, any thoughts on what you would pay for a small (8"-10") used chuck? How about a medium used chuck (12"-16")? Let's say back plate included.
Assuming the chuck is on a pallet / shelf and not a machine, what would you look at or measure when evaluating it? My biggest concern on a 4-jaw would be the slop between the jaw and track; the value of the chuck would seem to be inversely proportional to the amount the jaws cock and pull the workpiece away from the body of the chuck as they're tightened. And obviously need to inspect for gross damage: signs of crashes, cracked or sprung body, etc. On that note, I'm also looking for a steel / semi-steel body versus a cast iron body.
How about brands to look for and brands to stay away from? I don't know many chuck manufacturers but the ones I know I break up in the following categories:
Top Tier: Buck, Cushman (the old USA made ones)
Middle Tier: Bison
Bottom Tier: No-names / Asian imports / Cast iron bodied chucks (which tend to be low speed and poorly balanced in my experience, although I think Buck makes a line of CI chucks that are probably decent)
Finally, any thoughts on what you would pay for a small (8"-10") used chuck? How about a medium used chuck (12"-16")? Let's say back plate included.
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