[Dave62]

Hello All, I'm new to wood turning. I have a Rikon 12"x16" mini lathe and just got a WEN LA4275 2.75-Inch 4-Jaw Self-Centering Keyed Lathe Chuck Set for Christmas. The chuck will only clamp around a 1-3/4" tenon. I've read that the tenon should be 30% the size of the bowl; so if I want to make a 10" bowl I need about a 3"tenon. Is that correct? What size chuck will fit a 3" tenon? Thanks for your help.

 

[Dave McCann]

The chuck will only clamp around a 1-3/4" tenon.

According to WEN;
This versatile chuck features dovetailed jaws, allowing you to grip the outside of stock between 1-1/8 to 1-3/4 inches in size, or to hold internal pilot holes ranging from 1-1/2 to 2-1/8 inches in diameter.

Apparently your chuck has a range of tenon sizes it will grip. Most chucks are similar, in that each jaw set has a limited range that particular jaw set will handle. Purchasing larger or smaller jaw sets will increase the ranges that the chuck will handle.

Does Wen offer additional jaws to fit your chuck? If so, you may be able to use a larger size tenon.

 

[Dave62]

According to WEN;
This versatile chuck features dovetailed jaws, allowing you to grip the outside of stock between 1-1/8 to 1-3/4 inches in size, or to hold internal pilot holes ranging from 1-1/2 to 2-1/8 inches in diameter.

Apparently your chuck has a range of tenon sizes it will grip. Most chucks are similar, in that each jaw set has a limited range that particular jaw set will handle. Purchasing larger or smaller jaw sets will increase the ranges that the chuck will handle.

Does Wen offer additional jaws to fit your chuck? If so, you may be able to use a larger size tenon.

Thanks for the response. Not sure if they sell additional jaws, still looking. There is so much out there it is confusing.

 

[sanchez]

Hi Dave, welcome to the addicting world of turning.

To be honest, I would return the WEN chuck and get a teknatool supernova, direct thread. All of their extra jaw sets are backward and forward compatible, and easy to find.

As Dave McCann stated, all jaws have a range. I believe the basic 4 jaw chuck comes with 50mm jaws, so for larger bowls, when you want a 3" tenon, you would need the 70mm jaws

 

[Olwoodguy]

Eh just kinda trying to help but did you go look n see if the manufacturer has different chucks ? If not these dudes know what their talking about n told you. Just do what they say or go figure it out. Myself I like figuring it out because I'm learning more about my equipment but that's just me n I'm ol school.