What's new
What's new

Union 3-Jaw chucks???

Rob in Houston

Plastic
Joined
Mar 25, 2007
Location
Houston
I just bought a 4" for $20(friend price) with both sets of jaws and the key. It looks to be good quality. I have not had a chance to make a new plate to mount it, so no info on runout on my lathe. I am thinking about buying a 6" to fit my 12x36 Atlas. Have not been able to find much online about these chucks. Just wanting to know if these are decent chucks. I can get the 6" with both sets of Jaws and key already set up to mount on my lathe for $150. It appears to be in excellent condition. Any info on Union Chucks would be appeciated.
 
The Union chuck was a good item in its day. If it suits your work mount it up and go to town. 4" is small for general use in a 12" lathe. You might be happier with a 6" or even and 8".
 
The Union chuck was a good item in its day. If it suits your work mount it up and go to town. 4" is small for general use in a 12" lathe. You might be happier with a 6" or even and 8".

F, maybe you missed the mention of Atlas. The original chucks for the Atlas 12" were a 6" 3-jaw and an 8" 4-jaw of rather light weight. Modern heavyweight 8" chucks would be a bit much for an Atlas. A 6" 3-jaw of most makes would work well.

Union chucks were sold for Hardinge lathes in approximately the 1920-1940 era. Then Skinner chucks seem to be found more often with 1940-1950 Hardinge lathes. I don't know when Union went out of business, but they are gone. The Union chucks I see are usually well worn and missing a set of jaws, so finding a good one was a stroke of luck.

Larry
 








 
Back
Top