The Talon Scroll Chuck is a great value for new and veteran woodturners. Click image to enlarge

Oneway Talon Safety Scroll Chuck

Big holding power, friendly design

Text & Photos by Tom Hintz

Woodturners have long known that a good chuck can extend the capabilities of the lathe. The Talon 4-jaw scroll chuck, made by Oneway Manufacturing (Stratford, Ontario, Canada) is one of the most popular chucks on the market because of it's quality, remarkable holding power and ease of use in a safe, versatile package.

Initial Impressions

   The Talon is impressive right out of the box. Top-notch machining, high-quality materials and flawless assembly produce a smooth operating unit. Closer inspection of the operating mechanisms show careful attention to function and durability. Subtle things like the multiple V-groove keyways that insure smooth, accurate movement of the jaws benefit the user while complicating manufacturing. This is evidence that Oneway is more interested in building a high quality product than simply reducing production costs.

Instructions and Assembly

The thread adaptor is pressed into a taper using the three mounting screws. The other two holes are for using two of the screws as jacks to remove the adaptor should that be necessary. Click image to enlarge

   The instruction booklet packed with the Talon is well written and augmented with high-quality illustrations. In addition to clear instructions for preparing the Talon for installation, the manual also provides extensive information on using the Talon effectively and safely.

Thread Adaptor

   The Talon comes fully assembled except for installing the spindle thread adaptor to fit your lathe. While most chucks use thread-in adaptors, the Talon's Taperlock adaptor fits into a taper in the chuck housing, secured with three Allen screws that are also used to seat the adaptor in the taper evenly. Two additional, tapped holes in the adaptor accept two of the mounting screws to be used as jacks should removing the adaptor become necessary.

Jaw Design

   Oneway developed what they call a "wave pattern" for the Talon jaws that increases the contact points around a spigot while being less dependent on it's diameter. The Talon chuck comes with a set of #2 jaws installed that have a grip range of 1 5/8" to 2 7/8" externally (spigot) and 2" to 3 ½" internally (recess). Oneway has a full range of accessory jaw sets available to fit virtually any job.

The unique wave pattern jaws increase the contact points, the ridges increase the bite. This is a very strong system! Click image to enlarge

   The Talon jaws have rows of ridges on the inside that when combined with the wave design, develop an extraordinary grip on tenons.
   The outsides of the jaws are designed to grip at the bottom of a recess where the maximum amount of wood is available. Unlike other jaw designs that require the recess walls to have a 7-degree (or steeper) taper, the Talon jaws need only 2 to 3-degrees of taper for maximum grip strength. That means recesses are easier to cut with standard tools.
   Unlike some lathe chucks, the jaws on the Talon can be installed at random with the exception of the one with the extension-limiting pin. More on that feature below.
   The jaws have a curved, tapered key that locks them into the sliders securely. The fit of this key is very precise and eliminates unwanted movement between the jaw and slider.
   The instruction manual includes illustrated descriptions of common chucking situations and how to apply the talon to them.

Scrolling Jaws

   All four jaws are operated by turning a single key, inserted through either of two access holes in the body. The fit of the keys one-piece gear and shaft to the internal ring gear is positive and easy to engage. Because gear is machined into the shaft rather than added to it on a swivel, potential failures of a swivel pin are eliminated.

The safety slots and a single corresponding pin allow limiting the outward travel of the jaws, making this am exceptionally safe chuck for woodturners of all experience levels. Click image to enlarge

   The combination of an easy-to-use scroll key and good gear ratio between the key and ring gear means securing even large work pieces in the Talon's jaws is not a test of strength.

Safety Pin

   An interesting feature of the Talon chuck is a safety pin that can be set to limit outward travel of the jaws. Two different length-limiting slots are machined under the #2 and #4 jaw positions with the single pin pressed into one jaw. Installing that jaw over the desired limiting slot is all it takes to change the Talon from full to reduced jaw extension.
   Limiting jaw extension is a safety feature for school environments that can also be used by beginning turners to reduce the chance of tangling knuckles or tools with extended jaws.
   With the pin in the long slot, full extension of the jaws is permitted but prevents them from scrolling off the body entirely. This setting is for veteran turners who are more familiar with working close to the chuck.

Woodworm Screw

The Talon's woodscrew design keeps it locked in the chuck. It also develops remarkable holding power. Click image to enlarge

   Included in the Talon kit, the woodworm screw makes mounting bowl and other blanks a simple task. Used primarily for initial rounding and shaping, the woodworm screw allows more extensive turning of the outside surface on many projects than could be accomplished with the piece between centers.
   The design of the woodworm screw (developed by Oneway and copied by many others) provides surprising amount of holding power. The base of the woodworm screw is machined to match the internal surfaces of the Talon jaws to prevent it from spinning inside the chuck. The woodworm screw also has a groove that engages a lip on the jaws that locks it in place horizontally, further preventing unwanted and potentially dangerous movement during use.

In The Shop

The operating key features a gear machined into the shaft, making it very strong and easy to use. Click image to enlarge

   After installing the Talon chuck on my lathe, the woodworm screw was clamped in the jaws and an 11"-diameter bowl blank threaded onto it. As is my practice, the tailstock and live center were used to stabilize the large blank until it was turned round and the major balance issues resolved.
   The woodworm screw held tight throughout the process of rounding and shaping the outside of the bowl. Even after removing the tailstock to turn the bottom portion of the blank and create a 2 ¾"-diameter tenon, the woodworm screw kept the blank tight with no wobble.
   After removing the blank and woodworm screw, the blank was turned around and the tenon clamped in the jaws. The blank remained true, needing very little clean up to make it perfectly round in the reversed position.  

Even an 11"-diameter bowl blank that was badly out of balance and a significant "catch" could not overcome the Talon's holding power. Click image to enlarge

Throughout the hollowing process, the blank remained tight in the jaws with no adjustments to clamping position or pressure needed along the way. This included an inadvertent "stress test" resulting from a substantial catch near the outboard edge caused by an ill-advised moment of over confidence with a new chisel. Despite the tremendous shock load of the catch, the Talon jaws held fast and the piece continued to turn true without adjustment.
   In addition to the first bowl, a second was turned using a recess in place of the tenon. The Talon once again held fast throughout the turning process.
   Work pieces of various sizes and lengths were clamped in the Talon chuck for other turning procedures with similar results. Give the Talon enough wood to get a bite and it stays put with no loosening noted.

Conclusions

Oneway Talon Chuck System

   The Oneway Talon scroll chuck is a top-notch tool with unique features that make it effective and safe for woodturners of all experience levels. Ease of use and durability are designed into the Talon, insured by high-quality materials and precision machining.
   Whether you are a veteran or beginning turner, a street price of $189.99 (12-22-2004) makes the Oneway Talon scroll chuck a cost-effective investment that will make your turning safer and more productive.

   See more of the extensive Oneway line of products on-line at www.oneway.ca.

Do you have a comment about this page? - Email Me!

Back to the Tool Reviews List