Gunsmithing 6 jaw chuck question. Are my jaws lined up correct

[LC 6.5 Shooter]

I have a gator 6 jaw chuck. I opened it too far and the jaws started coming out. I got the back in but when I chucked a piece in it, the piece pushed in with tool pressure on it. It had never done that. Look at the pic, one jaw looks slighty off when fully closed. What do you think?

 

[Waorani]

Something's not right but doesn't look like you missed a scroll. Chip maybe or jaws in wrong positions?

 

[gigamortis]

Jaws out of sequence as engaged in the scroll plate will be very obvious. If one jaw is not in the right spot, that means at least a 2nd jaw won't be in the right spot. I take all the jaws out of my 6 jaw chuck periodically to clean out any chips that made it between the scroll threads and jaw backsides. Clean internals in a scroll chuck help keep thread wear down to a minimum as well as keeping concentricity more consistent.

 

[LC 6.5 Shooter]

Jaws out of sequence as engaged in the scroll plate will be very obvious. If one jaw is not in the right spot, that means at least a 2nd jaw won't be in the right spot. I take all the jaws out of my 6 jaw chuck periodically to clean out any chips that made it between the scroll threads and jaw backsides. Clean internals in a scroll chuck help keep thread wear down to a minimum as well as keeping concentricity more consistent.

So this one is practically new. Only cut one barrel with it.

 

[LC 6.5 Shooter]

Something's not right but doesn't look like you missed a scroll. Chip maybe or jaws in wrong positions?

So do you think I need to remove all the jaws and reinstall them?

 

[Makinchips208]

We’re the top jaws unbolted from the master jaws?

There should be numbers 1-6 on the face or od of the chuck body, they need to correspond to the numbers on the master jaws.

And if you only used it one time previously then do we know for sure it grips tight? For example defective master jaws will exhibit your problem.

 

[Waorani]

So do you think I need to remove all the jaws and reinstall them?

At least check. As above, if one off at least 2 wrong. Assume you didn't reverse any jaws and put tops back wrong (or w/ a chip). From what I can tell w/ quick search, Gator is a quality brand.

 

[tomme boy]

You definitely have a couple of the jaws swapped. As was stated they should be stamped in some way to be able to get them back together in the right spot.

 

[LC 6.5 Shooter]

Ok so I checked and all the numbers match up. Im guessing i should take them all off, check for any chips/obstructions and reinstall.

 

[gigamortis]

Once you eliminate any foreign debris in the scroll threads, you can true up your jaw set with a light skim cut with a boring bar.

See if your master jaws have a recess just behind the last gripping pad. If not, take them to the mill and mill about .020" or so off the innermost pad. This will be a surface that you can clamp down on a big round washer or equivalent, while leaving the rest of the master and top jaw pads exposed. Take a light cut with your boring bar until you have contact with all jaw pads. Then your jaws will be dead on concentric at that clamping diameter.