Silvan wrote: I think I'm going to need a chuck before I need anything
else, and there's still time to get it added to Santa's list (clip)Money is
not abundant, and I'd prefer to avoid buying anything regretable this early
on
^^^^^^^^^^
You are going to get lots of good advice on what is the best chuck, but my
advice is to wait. You can turn chessmen without a chuck, with a faceplate
and a bottle of CA glue. After the lathe is bought, and the money is spent,
you will probably discover that you need additonal tools, and supplies, and
who-knows-what-else. And, if it really turns out that a chuck is important,
by then you will have more experience, and your decisions will be better
made. And even a chuck calls in additional expenses--they have various
sizes and styles of jaws, so there is no end to it.