Chucks made in Poland - Bison and TMX?

[Crowne]

I'm tooling up a new 16x40 lathe with a D1-6 spindle nose, 2-1/2" bore.
For my needs, I am looking to purchase an adjustable ("set-tru") 3-jaw chuck and a 5C collet chuck, also set-tru.
I've been getting by with an 8" chuck on my old 14x40, but I figure a 10" 3-jaw will serve me better on this larger lathe.

I'm looking for new and good quality, but without breaking the bank on something like a Rohm.

My leading contenders right now are chucks from Bison and TMX. Both made in Poland from what I understand.

Specifically, these are the ones I am considering (links):

Bison 10" 3-jaw, TMX 10" 3-jaw
Bison 5C chuck, TMX 5C chuck

Does anyone have experience with these chucks and want to chime in?
Should I just get whichever I can find for cheaper, if both are similar in quality?

 

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Bison are decent quality, I don’t know about TMX.

Regards Tyrone

 

[tnmgcarbide]

don't know.

i have a tmx, china made forged steel body 8" 3-jaw. it must be the most accurate 3-jaw i've ever seen . i took it apart , expecting to see grit and rough chamfers and
ugly . nothing but fit and polish . my cushman , whiton, and buck chucks cannot
pretend to be that . tmx is TIR to .001.

 

[daryl bane]

I have a couple of Bisons, set-tru , collet chucks, very good quality, at least they were a few years ago. Used to be great price wise but have gotten a lot more expensive, but no complaints from me.

 

[alphonso]

We have Bisons on 5 lathes. No issues with any of them.

 

[L Vanice]

I bought a new Bison 6" 3-jaw adjustable chuck years ago. It seemed to be well made, but poorly designed. I have been using Buck and Pratt Burnerd Setrite 6" adjustable chucks since about 1970. I shifted to the PB because they have steel bodies and use American Standard top jaws. It was also a valuable feature that the PB chucks fit Buck adapter plates and vice versa. I like the adjustable feature (invented by Buck?) on both, which has four screws at 90 degree intervals. They adjust quickly just like a 4-jaw independent chuck. When I got the Bison, I soon realized the four screws are at unequal spacing. So you have to back off two screws and then guess how much to advance the other two screws and then repeat several times. It took a lot more time to zero in that my PB chucks. I sold that Bison chuck and got another PB Setrite. I was thinking of buying a new Chinese chuck a few years ago, a copy of the Buck at an attractive price. They were no longer available after I placed the order, but the sales rep said he could sell me a more expensive copy of a Bison for the lower price. I asked if the adjusting screws were at unequal intervals and he said yes, just like Bison. I asked for a refund.

So, I suggest you research the adjustment screw spacing before buying a chuck.

I got a used TOS Svtavy 6" chuck a while back and found it to be nicely made and the adjusting screws are at 90 degree intervals. The catch is that it does not fit on an adapter plate for the Buck or PB adjustable chucks. I have not made an adapter, so I cannot say how well the TOS chuck performs.

Another thing to consider is the design of the two-piece jaws. Buck and the BTC brand China copies of Buck use an odd Buck design top jaw that is hard to find and more expensive than the American Standard tongue and groove top jaws that most chucks use.

Larry

 

[Crowne]

I bought a new Bison 6" 3-jaw adjustable chuck years ago. It seemed to be well made, but poorly designed. I have been using Buck and Pratt Burnerd Setrite 6" adjustable chucks since about 1970. I shifted to the PB because they have steel bodies and use American Standard top jaws. It was also a valuable feature that the PB chucks fit Buck adapter plates and vice versa. I like the adjustable feature (invented by Buck?) on both, which has four screws at 90 degree intervals. They adjust quickly just like a 4-jaw independent chuck. When I got the Bison, I soon realized the four screws are at unequal spacing. So you have to back off two screws and then guess how much to advance the other two screws and then repeat several times. It took a lot more time to zero in that my PB chucks. I sold that Bison chuck and got another PB Setrite. I was thinking of buying a new Chinese chuck a few years ago, a copy of the Buck at an attractive price. They were no longer available after I placed the order, but the sales rep said he could sell me a more expensive copy of a Bison for the lower price. I asked if the adjusting screws were at unequal intervals and he said yes, just like Bison. I asked for a refund.

So, I suggest you research the adjustment screw spacing before buying a chuck.

I got a used TOS Svtavy 6" chuck a while back and found it to be nicely made and the adjusting screws are at 90 degree intervals. The catch is that it does not fit on an adapter plate for the Buck or PB adjustable chucks. I have not made an adapter, so I cannot say how well the TOS chuck performs.

Another thing to consider is the design of the two-piece jaws. Buck and the BTC brand China copies of Buck use an odd Buck design top jaw that is hard to find and more expensive than the American Standard tongue and groove top jaws that most chucks use.

Larry

That's really useful info -- thanks!

 

[L Vanice]

By the way, Toolmex (TMX Workholding) used to be the USA importer of Bison chucks. I have to wonder if they are getting Bison to put the TMX brand on Bison chucks or if they found a different Polish maker that makes copies of the Bison. Watch out for that screw spacing issue. And check the availability and price of adapters before buying a chuck. When I bought that adjustable Bison from MSC, it turned out that MSC got the steel L00 adapter from some USA job shop and it took weeks after the chuck arrived to get the adapter.

Larry

 

[SeymourDumore]

By the way, Toolmex (TMX Workholding) used to be the USA importer of Bison chucks. I have to wonder if they are getting Bison to put the TMX brand on Bison chucks or if they found a different Polish maker that makes copies of the Bison. Watch out for that screw spacing issue. And check the availability and price of adapters before buying a chuck. When I bought that adjustable Bison from MSC, it turned out that MSC got the steel L00 adapter from some USA job shop and it took weeks after the chuck arrived to get the adapter.

Larry

That in bold!
Even the best chuck is hampered by a garbage adapter!
I have 2 Bisons, no complaints, BUT!
The one I use on the Hardinge came with a who-knows-who-made-it adapter from MSC that was an absolute trash.
Returned the adapter for a replacement, which was even worse, ended up making my own.

 

[Crowne]

That in bold!
Even the best chuck is hampered by a garbage adapter!
I have 2 Bisons, no complaints, BUT!
The one I use on the Hardinge came with a who-knows-who-made-it adapter from MSC that was an absolute trash.
Returned the adapter for a replacement, which was even worse, ended up making my own.

Interesting, thank you for sharing.

Do your Bison chucks have evenly spaced screws? I have been reading online about several people who got chucks from Bison with unevenly-spaced set-tru screws, but I'm not able to confirm from the Bison website what the current models use.

 

[snowshooze]

I bought the Bison 8" 6 jaw for my Clausing Colchester 9 x 49
The one that weighs a ton....
If I am doing anything out of pre-machined or TG&P....
I don't have to dial it in, shim it or adjust the chuck at all.
Dead-on.
But, six jaw does not grasp as well as 3 jaw due to friction on the scroll...
And I love the thing.

 

[snowshooze]

Interesting, thank you for sharing.

Do your Bison chucks have evenly spaced screws? I have been reading online about several people who got chucks from Bison with unevenly-spaced set-tru screws, but I'm not able to confirm from the Bison website what the current models use.

I never paid attention.
I just threw a chunk of TG&P in it and dialed 'er in.
don't care if they are even or not.
They adjust anyway.

 

[SeymourDumore]

Do your Bison chucks have evenly spaced screws?

The 6 jaw set-tru does have 4, evenly spaced screws.
The other is a D8 camlock, no adjustment.

 

[richard newman]

But, six jaw does not grasp as well as 3 jaw due to friction on the scroll...
And I love the thing.

Interesting to learn that. I have a 6 jaw Pratt Burnerd Setrite, always wondered why it didn't hold as well a 3 jaw. Otherwise it's a great chuck.

 

[Bruce A Thom]

Have used a lot of Bison chucks in the last 30 years.
They all have been good.
Couple recent ones were purchased from Ajax tool out of Ohio, they carry a lot of brands besides bison, have found there prices decent and service excellent.

 

[Bruce A Thom]

Interesting, thank you for sharing.

Do your Bison chucks have evenly spaced screws? I have been reading online about several people who got chucks from Bison with unevenly-spaced set-tru screws, but I'm not able to confirm from the Bison website what the current models use.

I know my smallest one does not have evenly spaced screws - 6 in, but pretty certain my 10 in is evenly spaced

 

[ncjeeper]

The TMX 3 jaw I bought years ago has been good quality.

 

[James H Clark]

I can't speak to the Bison stuff, but the tools I have purchased that were Polish made in general, have been good quality, this includes two precision levels.

JC

 

[neanderthal mach]

I've no experience with there chucks yet, but fwiw. I have an ER 40 collet chuck, collets and a full set of end mill holders all made by Bison. And have zero complaints about the quality or accuracy.