Hi Cal,
I have used a cheap chuck before I got my Oneway Stronghold and yes, it did
work but I tightened the devil out of it. For your daughter I, like Ruth,
think that something a bit more along the lines of a quality chuck providing
a better margin of safety is necessary.
I suggest for your Jet Mini looking at the Oneway Talon. It has a key
tightening mechanism which provides a mechanical advantage in tightening
compared to the tommy bar method.
The link below is for a Canadian site that has very good prices on Oneway
stuff and with the exchange rate it may not be way more expensive than the
$100 chuck. They are on Vancouver Island just across the water from
Washington as you very likely know.

http://www.islandwoodcraft.ca/

Billh

"Cal Brodie" wrote in message
om...
I am looking for an inexpensive chuck for my daughter's Jet mini
lathe (a christmas present). Woodturners Catalog has a economy chuck
for $100 or so. Does anyone have any experience with this? Any other
chucks that I amy want to consider?

Also any ideas for good simple lathe projects for a 8yo girl or lathe
books/websites for kids?

Calvin W. Brodie
Washington State, USA