Gator Chucks 3 Jaw Chuck Mount & Inspection

We got a new Gator Chucks 3 jaw scroll chuck in the shop. I'll get it unboxed to unveal all of it's newly ground finish glory, show you how the cam-lock studs are installed, then mount it on the Victor lathe and do some first time run-out checks. What I find was pretty interesting, but as I got further into it, I figured out some interesting ways to improve the TIR when mounting up a 3 jaw.
The Gator chuck brand is precision manufactured with a meticulous focus on quality. Their team of veteran machinists with over 30 years of experience manufacturing lathe chucks builds each unit to include carefully case-hardened thread flanks, hardened jaws and pinions, and superior quality steel or cast-steel bodies guaranteed to hold the tightest of tolerances. The Gator chuck line also offers users one of the most diverse selections of lathe chucks with over 9 separate series. Chucks can range from 5" to 50" diameters and be fit to a variety of backing plate and direct mount configurations from A mount, D mount, and L mounts.
The warranty on your series of chuck is a 1 year warranty.
For detailed information about where to purchase this chuck or about the warranty available, visit: www.shars.com/gator-chuck-dist...
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[@nscantling]

I have found that when you are chasing run-out, if you mark the jaw that is high before you swap locations on the spindle, it will be easier to determine if it's the spindle or the chuck that has the run-out. Keep up the great work Adam, always a pleasure watching your content.

[@normanreid2944]

Thanks for the video Adam. The positions you set your indicators in are normally very easy for us viewers to see the movement. Thanks for all your extra effort in doing this.

[@patlandy21]

Adam, I purchased a 10" 4 Jaw D1-4 Gator with 2 piece jaws last year, largely due to your use of 4 jaw chucks. My lathe is a Chinese 14 X 40 and the largest independent 4 jaw chuck I could find with D1-4 direct mounting was the Gator.... I found the same results on tightening the cam-locks lightly in sequence. I am certainly satisfied with my purchase, I had an 8" 4 jaw and a couple of 3 jaws that I use when I have a multiple piece setup, but my preferred chuck now is the Gator 10" 4 jaw . Thanks for your videos Adam I've been watching you since your start on youtube!

[@larry527az3]

Fantastic video Adam, at first I was thinking you didn't need to show the beginning but after watching your video all the way through I understood why you included it. I got a bunch of tips from this video, I have a lathe with a D1-4 mount and everything you showed applies to my lathe and will be put to use. Thanks again!!!

[@charlescompton4495]

Wow, what a thing to try out! Give it a good try and let us watch. Thanks for the information on what all it takes to mount a new chuck, Greg.

[@dzx37]

Hello Adam, I'm currently in school for machining and your videos have both inspired me to become a machinist and taught me a lot along the way. I just wanted to add that when swapping chucks on our lathes I always use the process of lightly engaging all of the cams and then torquing them down evenly after it's fully seated. I've checked run out with a ground gage pin on a collet chuck with the balanced torquing method and found that on the worn school lathes it does improve run out compared to fully tightening one at a time.

[@sebby4900982sebb]

One of my favorite things about your channel is that always learn new things, thanks for that :D

[@josephp.polnaszek9134]

I primarily use independent 4 jaw chucks on my lathes. However my small lathe a 13" x 36" I picked up a 6 jaw for and man is that chuck nice for grabbing onto thin wall tube. I like how you explained to the kids how to dial in the chuck. This is just as important when changing chucks as it is when installing a new chuck. Always check your runout.

[@andrewterry8092]

The precision required continues to amaze me. So much patience.

[@PorkBarrel.]

I'm glad you liked the Gator chucks the last 2 purchased were Gators and we really like them. Thanks for taking the time and effort for this review. PBE

[@geneelliott3230]

Nice to know that Shar's is interested in as good quality as can be expected for the chuck. Nice score for your shop and looking forward to future use and machining with it! Cheers

[@Abom79]

Thanks Gene. Already did a job on it and will be seen pretty soon.

[@The39racing]

Nice chuck Adam! Very good of them to let you have one to try out!

[@FredMiller]

Very interesting video since I just went through a 3 jaw chuck truing myself. I have a very nice 8" 3 jaw that was made in Poland and had .005" TIR with a .500" gauge pin in the jaws. I went with regrinding the jaw approach and with a LOT of trials got the TIR to .0004" repeatable. I was very happy with the results and I did it myself. Give it a try...

[@professionaloverthinker-x]

New 3 jaw chuck looks nice ABOM!! looking forward to see this beast working in future videos ...

[@esoomreltna]

Adam, Nice job of "dialing it in". A thou run out on a big three jaw is great! Eric

[@howder1951]

Good video Adam, you are still breaking ground in subject matter. It looks like all those comments are keeping you as busy as the shop does, congrats on all the interest you generate. Power to you bro!

[@reideichner8597]

Good looking chuck. You have a lot of good info here! Thanks Adam!! Take Care, Reid

[@walterjoncas12]

thanks Adam Always a gentleman and Craftsman.

[@patio2u]

The beauty of that chuck is, the ability to use softjaws. Repeatable results. :)

[@TroubledTimes2024]

Adam, I did not read every comment, but in case it was not mentioned on my D3 I sequenced it around the lathe hub one pin location at a time checking run out at each pin rotation, it reduced run out by over .001 bringing it down to .002 and less depending on diameter of the shaft. Ken

[@hugoagogo2307]

All the 3 jaw chucks I've used have a line on the back and a line on the mounting plate on the lathe so you can index it in the same place every time you put it on

[@shawnmrfixitlee6478]

Adam , I am running a shars branded chuck , Not a gator and it runs well and never had a problem yet ! There all made in China but China is stepping up there game on accuracy .. Thumbs up man...

[@tailormachineworks281]

That is pretty good Adam, I think you will be able to indicate the part in to zero with all three of the pinions. Congrats on the new chuck. I am looking forward to hearing your opinion of the Gator chuck.

[@jef____4054]

seems like an honest review. cheers Adam

[@jmh8743]

hope their benevolence helps you. made note below. the stud pocket on mine were cut by a beaver. judicious smoothing helped a lot.

[@kappullen]

Adam, if you want to do a bit more testing, you can put a light haze of Prussian blue on the spindle nose and see if it transfers to the chucks locator id. kap

[@jacain1234]

Nice video. I'm thinking of buying one of their 8" L1 chucks for my L&S Powerturn.

[@benbilling4268]

Hi Adam, interesting stuff. I have a import lathe with a import (cheap?) chuck. Chucked up a piece of 5/8 ground steel, 5 tenth, thought I hit the jackpot. Well not really, 1/2 ground toolbit 2 thou. The scroll is where it's at. If your chuck is holding the same tolerance with different diameters you are good to go. Keep up the good work.😊. Ben

[@jfbeam]

That's a great machine. I would've expected more runout from it, given it's age and history. I was thinking the cam-locks were pulling it off center, too.

[@kisspeteristvan]

That is a very nice and accurate chuck , you can do 90% of all the work that fits in . A tought ... , maybe you could buy a couple of sets of softjaws for that chuck .

[@wallacesaan]

I have always done what you said when you remounted ... Lightly tighten each cam lock first, and then go around a second time to give them the final 'gronk' (to quote Tom Lipton). The reason is that the chuck is pulling up on a taper, and is not (or should not) be bottoming out on the spindle face. If you tighten one cam lock first, it will tend to pull the chuck up crooked on the taper and it binds there so the other cam locks won't pull it back straight.

[@johnnyholland8765]

I have found over the years EVERYTHING no matter how precise it was made has pluses and minuses and tolerance stackup to some degree. I deal in tenths and millionths everyday where I work and you would not believe what we see from vendors who are certified suppliers for lots of our parts. Their idea of plus or minus .000050 and ours are not always the same! As you are doing now you have to work with it till your satisfied and through trial and error most of the time you can improve the condition.

[@Abom79]

Heard that Johnny! Tenths can be very frustrating! Thanks for the comments.

[@longstroke1982]

I just acquired a Rivett 1020s that I'm trying to decide on a chuck for. I may look into a Gator for it.

[@jimzivny1554]

Good video, it would be interesting to see the rebuilding of the old chuck, possibly when the surface grinder is up and running.

[@Abom79]

Ya know a break down video of the old chuck might be of interest to some. See how they work.

[@jamesbuchanan5131]

Funny you should say that, as Keith Rucker just did one.

[@sciloj]

Tightening cam locks in two steps is what I've been always taught. Another thing to consider to narrow down possible sources of an error is indicating a chuck face. If it runs true, it means there's something wrong with jaws or a mechanism that moves them, while everything is okay with a spindle face. If not - there is still something wrong with how it is mounted.

[@machiningbasics1729]

Nice review Adam I've just ordered one for my little English lathe .

[@Abom79]

Machining Basics Nice, did you get the same model?

[@mrayco]

thanks for sharing this moments

[@Brian-ug7du]

Hi Adam, I have the exact same lathe and what I found when I bought an import chuck is that the taper in the chuck was slightly oversized and was not pulling up tight. It would always have random runout. I blued the taper and realized the problem. Solution was putting chuck in a large 4 jaw and skimming the rear face of the new chuck to get the taper to seat properly. Not something you expect to do when you buy a new chuck. It would be interesting to see if yours is seating properly. Hope this helps. Brian

[@timmer9lives]

Brian 629 I ran across that too. I didn’t even pay attention at first but then realized I had a sub par L-00 backing plate. It didn’t have a proper taper. It only had one machined area towards the back while all my other packing plates are machined front and back with a relief in the center.

[@RaysGarage]

Nice chuck Adam, I have been looking at Gator Chucks for some time now and would like a 8" 3 Jaw but undecided whether to go with the Direct Mount or the Tech-Tru adjustable, my lathe is a D1-5 six pin Cam Lock as well. Thanks for showing your new Gator Chuck!

[@Abom79]

Ray, if you can swing it I'd go with the adjust true. So far no complaints on this one but have only used it for one job so far and it's working out fine.

[@RaysGarage]

Thanks Adam, sounds good. I'll see what I have left over after the new shop build then look into a new Gator Chuck!

[@marcellemay7721]

That's pretty good runout after you tweaked with it a little. I'd bet you could get it even closer if you fiddled with it a little more. I've taken the removable jaws off, and swapped them around to the different jaws to see if it improves things and sometimes it does. The other thing is that there are 3 scroll tightening keys. I find that if I go around and tighten them all evenly, that also makes a difference on accuracy. I only have a 14", 3 jaw on my 20"lathe, so I've learned a lot of little tricks to get it right. I'd love a nice 4 jaw, but they're expensive when you get up into those sizes, but I'm still looking.

[@Abom79]

Look up Belmont Machinery Co. and give them a call. On there website they show a pile of used chucks. Don't have a clue on there pricing though.

[@marcellemay7721]

Thanks... I will give that a shot. ;-)

[@randomdude1786]

ya you have two points of adjustment with the morse taper drill chucks too.just keep going in 90 degree steps till you find minimum runout in the combo(one zigs the other zags) or try another arbor I have a I think its a sanyou thats .0015 out and its worn in. that gator is pretty damn good fool with it some more I bet it gets under .001 or you may have it good video adam

[@CatNolara]

I would also try the remaining positions for the chuck, maybe there is one where the errors cancel out in some way and you get even better runout.

[@DoRC]

I wonder if the Chuck would drawn down on the taper better if you tightened the cams in a cross cross pattern instead of sequentially.

[@iancraig1951]

Adam you made a comment about the cam locks and I think you have a point---tighten them like you would a rim on a vehicle,that is opposite ones so they cannot kick to one side..

[@donfinch862]

Interesting. Good info - thanks

[@douglaslodge8580]

Better than Christmas day I'll bet.

[@handlebullshit]

0.03mm runout is good. Seems like a great chuck.

[@ytmachx]

I was hoping that you were going to try tightening the cams while indicating. That would really shed some light on the fit of the taper and the pin adjustments.

[@MartinKrafft]

Hi Adam You should try to tighten the cam lock crosswise. As with rims.

[@AllenCavedo]

Absolutely! Particularly while tightening on a taper.

[@timothysvec8568]

Man. I want your lathe. It's good! Real good!

[@Abom79]

Thanks, that Victor is pretty nice.

[@alienmechanic8696]

12/10" ?

[@UnderOpenSkies]

Be interesting to see if you turned it to the low side and then torque on the cam lock a little with the indicator on, and see if it moves.

[@nixonhezekiah6319]

Pro trick : watch series at flixzone. Me and my gf have been using it for watching all kinds of movies recently.

[@adrienrudy8004]

@Nixon Hezekiah Definitely, I have been using flixzone for years myself :)

[@63256325N]

Tightening probably should be done as you would a car wheel, opposite studs, you know what I'm getting at. Might be the way to go always when changing chucks.

[@1jtolvey]

GREAT VIDEO !!!

[@robertkutz]

adam your happy that is good for me ,interesting video.

[@SuperWazsup]

That is why I like 4 jaws Adam

[@johnhillmann9586]

outstanding review! i have good luck when i sorta "massage " and rotate the work piece, pump the T-handle a few times etc... kinda hard to explain, but "feel" the chuck to less than 1 thou usually.... actually always. Thank you Abom! (that's me throwing up a high five)!

[@Abom79]

Thanks John! Appreciate that!

[@jmh8743]

I had to "massage" the studs. they were rough as hell. beaver cut mine.

[@jimliechty2983]

Great! ....nice to see Shars stepping up with you! I'm sure it will pay off for them. A thou is great, but I would try indexing the rest of the way around for sh*#ts & grins!

[@andrewterry8092]

Hey Adam, I hope you are not being de-monetized by YT like other channels. Thank you.

[@davidcolwill860]

I've had problems with camlocks before. If you are up for a small test try. First number the pins, put the chuck on and tighten them up in order 1 to 6, spin the chuck and mark the low spot. Then loosen the pins and the chuck but don't remove it next tighten the pins in the order 456123 and spin the chuck if the low spot has moved the taper is very slightly too big and the first pin that you tighten is pulling the chuck onto the face of the spindle and forcing it to run out. If that makes any sense :). I have this on a lathe I own. I haven't done anything about it yet but might have to :(

[@douglasthompson2740]

Hello Adam, Nice topic. Good midweek hit for us addicts! If you had been out of round by three or four thou could you have ground the inner taper on the chuck very lightly to improve it? I am assuming all the line up is in the taper surface not in the studs? I can't think of any way a guy could tune the scroll if repeatability were an issue?? Take care. Doug

[@b0ngkong349]

im giving myself a nice light stoning while watching ;-)

[@nferraro222]

Glad that indexing the chuck solved the problem, but I wonder if tightening the camlocks in a cross-hatch pattern might have helped.

[@nferraro222]

Forget it - I just read the earlier comments on cross-tightening :)

[@shopdave7489]

Tightening cam locks is like tightening lug nuts in a vehicle. You want to skip every other one and tighten in increments so that you don't pull the wheel (or 3 jaw chuck) to one side.

[@quocbao5140]

my country they usually use jaw chuck second hand from japan and quality not bad, important that it's cheaper than new

[@GnosisMan50]

I noticed that the second time Adam chucked the .810 plug, he was tightening on the pinion marked with a zero next to it. As I understand it, the "zero" pinion is the one the operator tightened last at the factory when the jaws were finish ground in the chuck thus providing less run out than the other pinions. Even so, Adam chuck should not run out that much. I hope it's an easy fix.

[@sonicsonar]

Just what I need. More Allen wrenches. Who doesn't have a full drawer of Allen wrenches?

[@billrees4638]

Adam, just curious if there is a torching pattern, for mounting your chuck, like with car tires?

[@rickybradby1312]

Have you tried a bigger bar to test indicate? I wonder if less jaw sticking in the bore would allow better run out???

[@PhilsProjects]

Hey Adam, I bought a Gatror true adjust for the Graziano, love it.

[@pauljones3866]

I bought the 6-jaw Gator true adjust and it can be adjusted to repeat with a 0.0002" to 0.0003" TIR. Very nicely made and dimensionally similar to Bison chucks but not a direct mount. I also have the Gator direct mount 4-Jaw chuck and pleased with the performance of both chucks.

[@Abom79]

Nice! I seen they have the adjust true models but this is the one they sent.

[@PhilsProjects]

I understand, the costs are not the same, you did get a very good chuck. 1.2 thoul TIR is very good for a " standard" chuck Happy for you Adam mine has been outstanding and I'm very pleased with it. Cheers Man, love your vid's and I cant wait to meet you at the Bash

[@Riyame]

Sirens?! They heard you were going to use a 3 jaw I guess :P

[@CompEdgeX2013]

I've always tightened ANYTHING with more than one bolt in some sort of pattern and build up to final torque....ingrained in me from 20yrs of mechanics. I find with my 3-jaw once tightened on and then checked I can still even out the lows by tightening the closest cam just a hair more. Need we use a torque wrench on the cams?? LOL

[@woowzers]

I'd suggest mounting the chuck the same way you'd tighten a 4 jaw chuck, using an indicator and tighten 180 degrees at a time truing it up

[@melgross]

I’m just a bit concerned about stoning the center of the mount, as I noticed that, Adam leans it against that while stoning the back. Since the centering of these chucks depends on that short center positive taper, the centering could be “loose” if that center taper loses a tiny bit of diameter. Sometimes, the near jaw, or two, can be honed down a few tenths. I’ve done that a couple of times.

[@demonknight7965]

lol never fails!! you start filming fd takes off 😂😂

[@robert5]

Everything is nice when new. What matters is what it looks like a few years down the road after regular use, will it hold up?. that is where the actual quality will be shown. Also I'd like to see a larger diameter stock like 3" chucked up, a skim cut taken, then the stock turned exactly 180 degrees, tightened back down then indicated. That would show what ever error this chuck was producing. Makes me feel better about my little 6" used chuck bought off ebay as I can get that thing to about .0015 and cant seem to get better then that but its old and used and still produces that result.

[@jesperdahl1486]

Did you check if the T handle was one of them newfangled (Abom) torque limiting handles ? :)

[@Abom79]

LOL! I don't plan to try bending this one

[@TheWidgetWorks]

Another trick is tap the face of the chuck with a dead blow while you're torquing up the studs. Don't beat on it just tap it, that helps it seat on the taper a little more square. Also I find that if I put a part and in take some cuts and then re torque the studs it will have 'settled in' on the tapper a bit more. Also I've use and even have one of those gator chucks, they are actually really good chucks for a very cheap asian import unit, much better than the bision chucks out of poland. Just be careful of your max speed, some of the cheap case body ones will fail if you have to many rippem's.

[@melgross]

I commented before, but I decided to see this again. I’m not seeing a problem here. A good 8” three jaw can be out two to three thou. A good 10” three jaw can be out another thou. I believe this is a semi steel chuck, as I don’t think that Gator makes a forged steel body larger than eight inch. Forged bodies can be accurate to two thou, for eight” and three for 10”. So this is very well centered. Every diameter will have a different amount of decentering. Get it right on one, and another will be out. I’m not getting the concern here. If you want better, then you need to get a chuck that allows you to center the chuck.

[@carryitaround]

Check a longer rod in 2 places to see if the jaws are parallel.

[@meteor2001aa]

Adam. Please try this : take the locking pins with the screw>> remove the screws. move the pins so they are free to move>>put the chuck back / just snug up all pins. Then use a torque wrench make all pins same # . Then check out runout now this should best it gets...Remove chuck put back bolts just put 2/3# on bolts to lock pins. If same run out or less retiten to #15 >>>>>your done. Old tool maker,Ray >>>>

[@VincentParisien]

Adam, I swear you're playing a psychological war game with Keith and letting him believe you've already thrown the towel on the 4-jaw competition. Wanting to lead on that you're reverting back to only using 3-jaws from now on... I guess every little bit helps in such a high stakes competition. You may have fooled Keith, but your viewers are not buying it... lol Good luck on the competition Adam!

[@Abom79]

+Vincent Parisien Your catching on to me secrets

[@82crawler]

Abom79, What do you think about the edge technology indicator ?

[@bobandres5559]

Would be interesting if you could put a Bison 3 jaw on there if it would be any different. Thanks Abom Your always rooting for the underdog.

[@Abom79]

Yes it would, but I'd guess about same results possibly depending on the model.

[@DonDegidio]

Adam, Don't know if you will see anymore improvement, but did you try indexing one more time? Guess the only way to get the TIR any better would be to grind the jaws, but that will create a mess. :-)

[@forrestaddy9644]

It would be interesting to know if the body and back face run-out was linked to the 0.810 grip Maybe slip a 0.001 shim on the spindle taper to minimise body run out and see how that affected the TIR of the grip. Or the face. Interesting, but hardly necessary. Most of my lathe time on a three-jaw, I'd be thrilled with 0.003 TIR. Oftden the jaws were splayed like a funnel and spinning 8work looked like the throw on a crank if not like a broom in a washing machine.

[@Abom79]

Forest, I'm happy with the results I have. The chuck should last a long while since I'm the only one using it and will take care of it too. I'm so used to having bad 3 jaws, this is a real nice treat.

[@MultiMachinist]

get some soft jaws from Dillon MFG. super useful

[@bobcraig1911]

Match mounting, high on spindle/low on chuck

[@erikdevaney4781]

r those older chucks i c below the grinder there?

[@aususer415]

"Nice light stone'n"..... Made me think of monty Python 😀

[@KnolltopFarms]

I always enjoy a nice light stone'n myself, but I'm a Chuck(at least my name is Chuck), so it's factory recommended, LOL!

[@joshua43214]

The downside of integral mounts is that you cant fit the chuck to the taper. Not an issue with quality chuck on a quality machine, but a recurring problem with import chucks/machines. Unless you are getting a top shelf chuck, you should probably buy a plain back so it can be properly fitted. There should be about 0.0015" airgap between the chuck and the spindle before you tighten the cams. The interference fit should be so it requires a light tap from a hammer to remove the chuck. once the adapter is fitted, machine the boss for the chuck slightly loose and tap it around until it is on center. Mark the spindle and chuck so you can put it back on in the same place. A moderate quality chuck will be under 0.001" tir every time you mount it assuming the scroll is decent.

[@lqgadam8392]

How does a 3 jaw chuck work and centralize?

[@bytheseaaspirinshop801]

Was that a total birthday present (free of charge) or do they want it back? Time will tell if free is a good price.

[@yuttokuSKo]

Is that a magnet from a microwave on the cabinet at 13:00, looks like the one i have

[@dfreezesr]

i just want to say something i was a machinist for 23 yrs i like the video`s the 1st. i wanted to make a comment isee someone made a comment by Richard Freeze very rare last name i was shocked to see someone with the same last name by name is david freeze live in calif. bay area. in calif you never i never seen a person with the same last name.

[@carryitaround]

I bought an 8" gator that had lots of problems with the mounting system d1-5 and terrible runout and the jaws weren't parallel . I contacted them and they argued until I sent them a video. Then they became my friend. I sent it back and they sent it or another one back and it was dead nuts they had repaired it or sent me another that had been repaired. But not new. Which is ok. My buddy bought a cheap grizzly and it was with in a thou. I'd buy another because they did make it right. my spindle was within a tenth.

[@Abom79]

Hate to hear that, but glad they sorted it out. Do you remember by NEW Starrett rule holder that was not ground square? I had to send it to Stan to grind because after getting it back from repair it was still off! WTF? I guess things happen even with good name brands.

[@gh778jk]

Nice !! Me wants ! Paddy

[@garyc5483]

Good review Adam. BTW what is the "Semi Steel" as stated on the label ? Is that a mix of cheese and steel :-)) regards from the UK

[@wildtimbrown]

Another name for "Chineseium" perhaps?

[@gmjquin]

Hey I've got a Gator chuck. I must be coming up in the world. LOL

[@gdxd7956]

What happens if one of the jaws wears down a little? You have to change one, all? I believe in a self centering that's a big problem, because you can't move one individually. Those jaws need to be really hard and tough, to have the least deformation possible after a lot of work. I guess that's why you like the 4 jaw, more control on the work piece.

[@Abom79]

You can regrind the jaws but can be a tricky op if not done correctly. At least with these models you can easily buy new jaws if you want. Yes 4 jaw is my everyday go to method, but having a 3 jaw is nice for some things we do.

[@spyderMN]

I've wondered for a while...why don't machinists make a new chuck, or make new parts for worn out parts?