# Where to buy Bison chuck?



## highlander44 (Jan 24, 2021)

Hi Guys, I’m in the Calgary area and looking for a 4 jaw independent chuck that will fit on my 12” atlas lathe.  Does anyone have any recommendations on where to look online, and does anyone know if there is a standard thread on the Atlas’s for the chuck to thread onto?
Thanks
Mike


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## Perry (Jan 25, 2021)

Check out this thread....

https://canadianhobbymetalworkers.com/threads/1-1-2-8tpi-3-and-4-jaw-threaded-chucks.1833/

and this one.   The Three jaw chuck may need a little taken of to engage the threads all the way

https://canadianhobbymetalworkers.c...t-be-able-to-chuck-up-a-5-backing-plate.2620/


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## highlander44 (Jan 25, 2021)

Perry said:


> Check out this thread....
> 
> https://canadianhobbymetalworkers.com/threads/1-1-2-8tpi-3-and-4-jaw-threaded-chucks.1833/
> 
> ...



that looks perfect, and much better than the $1000 I was looking at spending.  The website doesn’t state it’s a Bison, but I’ll phone tomorrow.  You you know if the 1 1/2 x 8 tpi is standard for the atlas lathe’s?
Thx
Mike


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## Perry (Jan 25, 2021)

highlander44 said:


> that looks perfect, and much better than the $1000 I was looking at spending.  The website doesn’t state it’s a Bison, but I’ll phone tomorrow.  You you know if the 1 1/2 x 8 tpi is standard for the atlas lathe’s?
> Thx
> Mike




I do believe the 1 1/2 X 8tpi is standard for the Atlas and the Myford.   There are smarter gentlemen here then me who maybe able to confirm

I should mention the 4 jaw chuck from the above link is an actual Atlas 4 Jaw NOS chuck.   

Post number 58 and 59 in the above first link shows a photo of the Atlas 4 jaw.
Post number 6 in the above link shows a photo of the Bison 3 Jaw chuck.  He sells two styles.   One with reversible top jaws and one with two sets of jaws.

I hope that helps Mike.


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## Hruul (Jan 25, 2021)

This might be of help.

http://www.lathe.com/spindles.html


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## YYCHM (Jan 25, 2021)

Perry said:


> I do believe the 1 1/2 X 8tpi is standard for the Atlas and the Myford.



I thought Myford's have Whitworth threads?


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## Crankit (Jan 25, 2021)

YYCHobbyMachinist said:


> I thought Myford's have Whitworth threads?



Kinda....they use the same 55 degree pitch diameter but it's the Admiralty thread pattern which has a different TPI than what Whitworth uses


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## YotaBota (Jan 25, 2021)

The 3 jaw is BISON and the 4 jaw is ATLAS, they are both early 80s vintage NIB. They both need a bit of honing to get super smooth but for the cost they are worth it. IIRC shipping to Calgary is about $40.


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## Crankit (Jan 25, 2021)

highlander44 said:


> Hi Guys, I’m in the Calgary area and looking for a 4 jaw independent chuck that will fit on my 12” atlas lathe.  Does anyone have any recommendations on where to look online, and does anyone know if there is a standard thread on the Atlas’s for the chuck to thread onto?
> Thanks
> Mike


The 12" Atas have a 8" chuck size? I got a 10" Atlas parts lathe and it had a 6" chuck...I presume Atlas bumped up the size


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## YotaBota (Jan 25, 2021)

Have you been here for more info?, http://www.lathes.co.uk/atlas/page4.html
The accessories catalogue doesn't cover the 12" but I would guess for a 12" lathe an 8" 4j and a 6" 3j would be about standard. You may find the 5" 3j and the 6" 4j to be a bit small but if it's all you need they are a good deal.


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## kevin.decelles (Jan 25, 2021)

I bought one of each.  Good value (IMHO).  Both needed to be fully disassembled and cleaned, and there is still some etching from the grease that had 'aged' on.  For my uses, the 3-jaw Bison fit my dividing head perfectly, not adjustments.  The 4-jaw did not have a back-plate (thread is integral to the casting) and I needed to open the back bore ever so slightly to get it to fit well.   

Shipping was fast, and I kept the vintage boxes.   These truly are NOS and just never left the warehouse.


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## YotaBota (Jan 25, 2021)

kevin.decelles said:


> These truly are NOS and just never left the warehouse.


When I talked to Ron he said the company bought a pallet load of each in the early 80s looking to "corner the market" on hobby machinists. Wasn't much of a corner as he still has a whack of them.lol
I kept the boxes from mine as well, I'll hang them on the wall just for ambiance.


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## PeterT (Jan 25, 2021)

The price is very good IMO. Maybe he is helping the home community. Nothing at all wrong with the older gen models, I don't know that they changed much over the years & probably jaws are still available. Kind of surprised he didn't go on an Ebay-a-Thon if he has a whack. Bison's have become stupidly expensive since that era.


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