Wood Lathe Chucks and Jaws

Wood lathe chucks are designed specifically for securely holding workpieces on a wood lathe. The self-centering 4-jaw chucks available today make mounting workpieces to the lathe quick, easy, and secure. We carry a variety of lathe chucks and jaws from trusted brands like Vicmarc, Oneway, Record Power, and Easy Wood Tools in sizes to fit your lathe. Rest assured, every woodturning chuck and accessory we offer will provide years of service and is backed by our 100% Satisfaction Guarantee.

Things to Consider When Choosing a Lathe Chuck

Selecting the right wood lathe chuck for your lathe and turning projects is something that needs careful consideration. Following the steps below can simplify the process when choosing a lathe chuck.

Lathe size: The swing, or diameter capacity, of your lathe is an important factor when selecting a chuck. If your mini lathe has a 10-14” swing, you’re going to need a smaller sized lathe chuck like a Vimcarc VM100 chuck or Record Power SC2 chuck. Their smaller mass won’t tax your lathe motor like a larger chuck will. If you have a full-size lathe with a 16-24” swing you’ll want a large lathe chuck like the Vicmarc VM120 chuck or Oneway Stronghold chuck. They are much more robust and built to hold larger workpieces. If you have a lathe with 24” or larger swing, or are turning large pieces outboard, an extra-large lathe chuck like the Vicmarc VM150 chuck is the best choice.
Workpiece size: If you have a large capacity lathe but are turning smaller diameter pieces, it’s a good idea to use a smaller chuck. A smaller chuck will provide better access to your workpiece and make turning safer. However, you would never want to mount a large workpiece in a small chuck as it won’t hold the piece securely enough to turn safely.
Lathe spindle thread: Every wood lathe has a threaded spindle for mounting accessories to, like a lathe chuck. When purchasing a wood lathe chuck, you’ll choose the thread size to match your lathe spindle. Check the owners manual of your lathe to determine the spindle thread specifications. The most common mini-lathe spindle thread is 1”-8TPI, while the most common full-size lathe spindle thread is 1-¼”-8TPI. But as mentioned before, check your lathe owners manual for the spindle thread specs.
Budget: All the lathe chucks and accessories we carry are high quality and will serve the hobbyist woodturner very well. Choose a brand that fits within your budget and has the accessory jaws you require. For professional woodturners, Vicmarc chucks and jaws are the standard bearer. They are built to withstand the demands of a professional woodturning shop, but this level of quality comes at a slightly higher price.

Types of Wood Lathe Chucks

4-Jaw Chucks: Most modern chucks for woodturning are self-centering 4-jaw chucks. They use interchangeable jaw sets that are simultaneously tightened or loosened using a chuck key or set of lever bars. The 4-jaw lathe chuck threads onto the lathe spindle using either threads cut directly into the chuck body or a threaded insert that can be changed out for different thread sizes.
Screw Chucks: The primary purpose of a screw chuck is to mount raw turning blanks to the lathe when making bowls and platters. They thread onto the lathe spindle and have a faceplate and screw with aggressive threads to securely hold the workpiece. Using a tailstock to support the workpiece, the outside profile is turned to round and a dovetail foot or recess added to the bottom for mounting in a 4-jaw chuck to finish turning the inside of the project. Screw chucks are also commonly used for mounting jam chucks and other temporary workholding jigs. If you are turning bowls and platers, the screw chuck is a must have.
Collet Chucks: A lathe collet chuck has a machined body that houses interchangeable collets in various sizes. This is the same type of mechanism used to mount router bits into a router. They are very precise and often used for holding pen mandrels and bottle stopper mandrels. They require the workpiece to be just slightly smaller than the collet size to work properly. There are also expanding collet chucks used to hold workpieces by expanding out into a drilled hole as is commonly done when turning duck calls.
Drill Chucks: A drill chuck with a morse taper is commonly used in the tailstock of the lathe to hold a drill bit for drilling a workpiece held in the headstock. It is a very controllable way to drill precise holes in pen blanks, pepper mills, and other turning projects. A drill chuck can also be used in the headstock to hold small diameter workpieces for turning like finials and bottle stoppers.
Eccentric Chucks: An eccentric chuck is a special type of lathe chuck that holds a piece on the headstock off-center creating a spiral pattern. This creates a unique effect often used for intricate box lids.
Vacuum Chucks: Used for remounting turned pieces to finish the foot and final sanding, vacuum chucks use a vacuum source to suction the workpiece in place without leaving jaws marks. They are not intended for anything but very light cuts and sanding. Several parts are needed in addition to the vacuum chuck such as a rotary head and vacuum pump. Not all lathes are compatible with a vacuum chuck, but our lathe experts can help you find what will work best for your wood lathe.

Types of Wood Lathe Chuck Jaws

There is an extensive selection of lathe chuck jaws available today, each designed for a specific purpose. Here we’ll cover the most common jaw types here, but for detailed information and a video demonstration of each jaw in use, see our blog post, Vicmarc Chucks & Jaws: The Ultimate Guide.

Dovetail Jaws: The workhorse for most woodturners, the dovetail jaw is incredibly versatile and is what comes with most wood lathes chucks. The chuck jaws have a dovetail profile designed to clamp onto a dovetail tenon or into a dovetail recess on the workpiece. This interface provides a very secure way to hold workpieces for turning bowls, platters, and spindles.
Step Jaws: Featuring multiple sized dovetail profiles in one set of chuck jaws, step jaws allow you to clamp onto several different sizes of tenons. While they can be a cost saver, the nature of these chuck jaws limits your design options since you won’t always be able to reach the bottom of your turning. If the budget allows, having different sizes of dovetail jaws is the best option.
Extended/Long Nose Jaws: These chuck jaws are designed to move the workpiece further away from the chuck body providing better access to the workpiece. Straight sided extended jaws are also fantastic for turning pepper mills. Slide the drilled mill body over the chuck jaws and expand them to safely and precisely turn the exterior profile.
Pen Drilling Jaws: These chuck jaws are a must have for pen turners. They consist of only 2 jaws to mount either square or round pen blanks in the chuck allowing you to use a drill chuck in the tailstock to precisely drill the blank while also preventing splitting. Even if you have a drill press in your shop, we highly recommend pen drilling jaws for their control and accuracy.
Remounting Jaws: Designed for remounting bowls and platters so you can turn away the foot or work on the bottom of your piece without jam chucks or vacuum chucking. They typically feature adjustable, non-marking grippers that can be moved to fit your workpiece. Only use remounting jaws for light cuts and sanding and operate at speeds recommended by the jaw manufacturer.

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