# chuck for craftsman lathe



## robert421960 (Dec 9, 2010)

i bought my lathe used and have bought a few things for it but here is my question
i have never used a chuck for turning bowls i have just used the faceplate so tell me
would this chuck do what i want?
http://www.pennstateind.com/store/CUG3418CCX.html
i think for what i want the chuck with rubber knobs would work great for turning the bottom of the bowl right?
ive watched some videos about turning and havent found exactly how you guys turn the bottom then inside of exactly how you do it
anyone have some good suggestions for me?
thanks guys
Robert


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## john lucas (Sep 18, 2007)

Here's how I do it with and without a chuck. The only difference is the way I make the tenon for the faceplate or chuck. 
I mount the bowl between centers with the bottom toward the tailstock. I turn the outside and then turn a tenon for the chuck. I don't turn the foot of the bowl yet I just turn down toward it visualizing the shape. If the foot is going to be larger than the tenon I might go ahead and turn the outside of the foot. 
If you turn a tenon for the chuck it should have square shoulders and not be longer than the chuck jaws are deep. The wood should sit on top of the jaws firmly. This helps hold the wood. 
If I'm using faceplate I do one of two things. If the wood is dry I use a wasteblock. I turn a shallow recess in the wasteblock. Then I turn the tenon so it fits in this recess. Again I turn a shoulder so the wood bottoms out on the top of the recess. This recess aligns the bowl and the shoulder help true it up. 
If the bowl is wet wood I try to leave a long enough tenon for the screws and just screw the wood to the faceplate. To align it I turn the tenon the same diameter as my faceplate and make the bottom just a little concave. 
I forgot to mention. I try my best to leave a very small tenon with the original marks from the tailstock. This helps align the bowl when reverse turning the bottom later. This means turning the little tenon down enough that it will fit in the chuck. 
When you start hollowing after putting in the chuck or faceplate you will notice that it might not line up perfectly. You have to make a choice. go back and return the outside to true it up or it's just a hair off let it go and start hollowing the inside. 
Once the inside is turned you have 2 choices. part off the bowl with the parting tool (which tears the grain) and sanding the heck out of the bottom, or turn the bowl around and actually turn the bottom. 
This is where leaving the little tenon on the bowl really helps. I put a rubber sink stopper over my chuck or faceplate. Reverse the bowl so it sits on the sink stopper. Bring the tailstock up and put the center in the original hole (if you were able to keep it) Now you can turn the bottom all but the little tenon. Carve that away later. 
This method has several advantages. When the bowl is mounted between centers you can readjust it if you don't like how the grain, figure, or some defect appears. You simply make the bowl a little smaller after the adjustment. The second reason is that you can now make the foot any size you want. If you turn a recess and expand the chuck into it you are commited to that foot size. You also have to leave more "meat" outside the foot so the chuck doesn't break it. If you just turn a tenon as the foot and grip it with the chuck you can leave marks from the chuck and again your limited in the size and shape of the foot.


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## Jeff4woodturning (Feb 1, 2009)

Robert a friend of mine uses that chuck and he likes it. using the screw chuck that's include with the chuck, you drill a hole in the top of you bowl, then your chuck hold the screw insert . you screw the blank on while using the tail stock for support. shape your bowl and once balanced you may do it two ways, turn a tendon so chuck may hold it from the outside, hollow out your bowl then using the cole jaws (flat jaws with the rubber) hold you bowl and remove tendon and finsih bottom or while on the screw chuck make your foot of the bowl with a recess tendon, insert jaws and expand jaws to hold bowl while hollowing. hope this help you


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## john lucas (Sep 18, 2007)

I forgot to mention. You would be better off with one of the chucks that uses a chuck key rather than the 2 tommy bars that this chuck uses. The keyed chucks simply grip tighter. If you are on an extreme budget that chuck works. I used one similar for about 5 years before buying a good chuck. In fact I still have it and use it occasionally. The keyed chucks are more expensive but are simply better in my opinion.


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## robert421960 (Dec 9, 2010)

so by tenon you are talking about turning a small secting on the base or bottom to chuck up to?
:thumbsup:


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## bsm1550 (Jul 22, 2010)

Robert, you may want to Google "donut chuck" for an example on how you can build something to finish the bottom of the bowl. It is just another method, and low cost at that.


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## Jeff4woodturning (Feb 1, 2009)

robert421960 said:


> so by tenon you are talking about turning a small secting on the base or bottom to chuck up to?
> :thumbsup:


 Yes a tenon which your chuck jaws go around and clamp down (just don't bottom out into the jaws, you want the front of the jaws to rest against solid straight wood. Recess tenon, you insert the jaws and expand open.


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## robert421960 (Dec 9, 2010)

thanks guys i think ill try this chuck 
thanks for all your help and suggestions


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## AZ Termite (Dec 20, 2008)

I have that same chuck. I also have a Craftsman lathe I started with. I am very happy with the chuck. The way I turn bowls is drill a shallow hole in the bottom of the blank, about 3/8" deep. Then I mount it to the chuck and turn it. I have never had a blank come off this way. I turn the outside first and then the inside. After I have finished the inside and the sides, I mount the faceplate and finish the bottom. I just recently bought the Barracuda 4, and faceplate. I love it even more than the one you are looking at, but I still use the utility chuck a lot as well. The utility chuck is a good place to start in my opinion.


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## woody woodturner (Jul 9, 2010)

yep do all my bowl/platers by chuck:thumbsup::thumbsup:


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## robert421960 (Dec 9, 2010)

So I ordered this set today and cant wait to get it
sucks that the big chuck with the rubber grips is back ordered,I was excited about trying it out first on the bowl I turned last week
well Ill just have to turn a new one 
thanks for all your guys imput :thumbsup::thumbsup:
Robert


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## H. A. S. (Sep 23, 2010)

john lucas said:


> I forgot to mention. You would be better off with one of the chucks that uses a chuck key rather than the 2 tommy bars that this chuck uses. The keyed chucks simply grip tighter. If you are on an extreme budget that chuck works. I used one similar for about 5 years before buying a good chuck. In fact I still have it and use it occasionally. The keyed chucks are more expensive but are simply better in my opinion.



Yes, the scroll chucks are made better. 

With the scroll and chuck key, it is easier to tighten/position the workpiece with one hand; using the other hand for the chuck key. Piece of cake!


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## robert421960 (Dec 9, 2010)

ok so how does this one work in comparison?
the jaws dont work independantly do they?


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## AZ Termite (Dec 20, 2008)

No they do not work independently. You have to twist the back part of the chuck to get the jaws to move. It is not as hard as it sounds. You will see when you get the chuck.


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## robert421960 (Dec 9, 2010)

yea i think i have the idea now thanks and i cant wait to get it and turn something this weekend


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## mike s (Dec 26, 2010)

their are two bars you put in two holes. the chuck has two parts where the bars go in, the back one moves and the front stays where it is. when you squeeze the bars the back portion rotates and tightens the chuck


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## robert421960 (Dec 9, 2010)

im a little ticked off
i ordered this chuck monday eve and didnt get an email till wed saying i had a pkg coming
well i got it today and all it is was a invoice and a dvd about this company:furious:
so i called and they said it would be shipped today but i bet it wasnt
(no email confirmation):no:
so ill probaly have to wait till almost next weekend
was so excited about working with it this weekend:thumbdown::thumbdown::thumbdown:


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## mike s (Dec 26, 2010)

ah what a bummer.
dont order from them again.
if it takes more than 2 weeks complain


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## ronjboucher (Jun 28, 2010)

*my 2 cents*



robert421960 said:


> i bought my lathe used and have bought a few things for it but here is my question
> i have never used a chuck for turning bowls i have just used the faceplate so tell me
> would this chuck do what i want?
> http://www.pennstateind.com/store/CUG3418CCX.html
> ...


 Robert the face plate works great but using straight pin I,m telling you a small catch that part is going to be bouncing all over the shop.Solution hardware store, take a look at the section for rubber tips, for chairs and canes they are tapared. Off to the metric bolts section. At home you make a wooden insert, good and tight for the rubber tip. Using tapered pins the bowl is safely secured. Ron Marietta Ga


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## duncsuss (Aug 21, 2009)

ronjboucher said:


> Using tapered pins the bowl is safely secured.


I'd've thought a tapered pin, like a rubber cone for the end of a chair leg, would have less grip than a straight one.

Or do you mean the pin should flare away from the plate (reverse tapered) ?


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## mike s (Dec 26, 2010)

they have to be tapered so the work piece is pushing into the face when tightened.
google cole jaws and you will see


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## duncsuss (Aug 21, 2009)

robert421960 said:


> all it is was a invoice and a dvd about this company:furious:


Aw, that sucks ... I placed an order for the same part(s) middle of the week, got the confirmation email yesterday.

According to the UPS tracking site, what they shipped weighs 7.2 lbs, so it's got to be a *really* heavy DVD.


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## duncsuss (Aug 21, 2009)

mike s said:


> they have to be tapered so the work piece is pushing into the face when tightened.
> google cole jaws and you will see


Got it -- the taper direction is "thin at the plate, fat at the tip of the pin" ... to me, that is "flared".

(As opposed to what I call "tapered" which is it gets thinner as you progress towards the end of the pin.)

Just a terminology thing. I also call them "petrol stations" and pronounce it "toe-mah-toe" :laughing:

_edit ... LOL -- I just saw in your one of your other posts that you're in the UK -- guess my pronunciation wouldn't make you blink at all ;D

_


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## robert421960 (Dec 9, 2010)

[QUOTE

Just a terminology thing. I also call them "petrol stations" and pronounce it "toe-mah-toe" :laughing:

[/QUOTE]
I call them "tuh may toe" or "maters" here in kantucky lol
if the bowl edges were straight wouldnt the straght rubber things be beter?


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## robert421960 (Dec 9, 2010)

well i called and griped over the weekend so they gave me the shipping cost back and shipped it today 2nd day air and i even got my email conformation
im excited now


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## robert421960 (Dec 9, 2010)

so here is an update
i have been tracking my package expecting to get it today and low and behold it showed up butttttt
i also recieved a 2nd one
some how both came today
no tracking # or email or nothing on the first one and it too 12 days to get here
so now i have 2 
what to do what to do


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## duncsuss (Aug 21, 2009)

robert421960 said:


> so here is an update
> i have been tracking my package expecting to get it today and low and behold it showed up butttttt
> i also recieved a 2nd one
> some how both came today
> ...


You get two, I get none. My package arrived yesterday but it contained somebody else's order - a pen disassembly pliers, nothing chuck-shaped at all. Customer support sent me a label to return it and promised to get my order shipped today by 2-day delivery.

Maybe you got my chuck? (Does it have a green invoice in the box?)


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## robert421960 (Dec 9, 2010)

they sure seem to mess up alot
but i got mine
and im sure sorry you didnt get yours
it took me a total of 10 days before i got mine


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