Buying a 4 jaw chuck

[Gary Armitstead]

One of the best 3-jaw chucks available is the Buck Adjusta-Tru 3-jaw. Very pricey, but they can be made to be as accurate as you would want. Concentricity to within tenths! Look up Mr. Pete on Google and watch his YouTube all about Buck Adjusta-Tru 3-jaw chucks. He also gives quite a few tips on getting your 3-jaw closer than the normal .003 concentricity.

BTW, I just purchased a brand new 6 inch 3-jaw chuck with removable jaws and has the ability for me to make soft jaws for specialized work setups. I purchased it from Joel Rogers at MyMachineShop.com in Niles, Michigan. I should receive in the next week or two. Joel is a great guy to work with and his prices are very fair.

Link to mymachineshop:
http://www.mymachineshop.net/

[SteveM]

Don't make soft jaws.

US Shop Tools has them so cheap, it's not worth your time. They have aluminum and steel, and for just about any chuck.

You can also pick them up cheap on ebay. Some shops will sell their used ones and if they left enough for you to use, you can get those really cheap.

I made mine and it took longer than it was worth.

Steve

[TheSandman]

The last I looked at were .0016 6" and .0023 8" but I would need a back plate

[Steggy]

I purchased it from Joel Rogers at MyMachineShop.com...

You sure about that URL? I got a page about a prescription drug of some sort.

[earlgo]

Just a FYI and slightly off topic: After you buy your preferred chuck, and I am in agreement with the others that an independent 4 jaw is right, you then need to buy a floating reamer holder for your chambering reamer(s). In spite of trying your best you will not get a properly sized chamber without a floating holder. The floating holder is able to self-compensate for slight runout and axial miss-alignment. This is one of the first things that was taught at the Colorado School of Trades Gunsmithing school way back in the '70's, when we started chambering rifle barrels.
--earlgo (class of 1971)

[liveaboard]

I think the URL is mymachineshop.net

[Steggy]

I think the URL is mymachineshop.net

So it seems...

[SteveM]

Just a FYI and slightly off topic: After you buy your preferred chuck, and I am in agreement with the others that an independent 4 jaw is right, you then need to buy a floating reamer holder for your chambering reamer(s).

I discovered the hard way that if you ream a hole with the tailstock not in perfect alignment, you end up with a really nice tapered hole.

Steve