• Beware of Counterfeit Woodturning Tools (click here for details)
  • Johnathan Silwones is starting a new AAW chapter, Southern Alleghenies Woodturners, in Johnstown, PA. (click here for details)
  • Congratulations to Paul May for "Checkerboard (ver 3.0)" being selected as Turning of the Week for March 25, 2024 (click here for details)
  • Welcome new registering member. Your username must be your real First and Last name (for example: John Doe). "Screen names" and "handles" are not allowed and your registration will be deleted if you don't use your real name. Also, do not use all caps nor all lower case.

Wooden jaws for holding square box on lathe

Joined
Aug 29, 2011
Messages
18
Likes
172
Location
Ingersoll, ON
Website
hfbowern.com
I had watched a demo by Pat Carroll on making his square boxes on the lathe. In the demo he held the box form in wooden jaws mounted on a chuck jaw plate. I have seen various wooden jaw configurations for holding turnings that are adapted to fit chuck jaw plates or jaws themselves.

Could anyone give information on where I may find information to make wood jaws to hold square boxes

Thanks in advance
Cheers
Harold
 

Tom Gall

TOTW Team
Joined
Feb 20, 2013
Messages
956
Likes
1,763
Location
Hillsborough, NJ
I had watched a demo by Pat Carroll on making his square boxes on the lathe. In the demo he held the box form in wooden jaws mounted on a chuck jaw plate. I have seen various wooden jaw configurations for holding turnings that are adapted to fit chuck jaw plates or jaws themselves.

Could anyone give information on where I may find information to make wood jaws to hold square boxes

Thanks in advance
Cheers
Harold
I don't know what his boxes look like. More information (size, etc.) would be helpful in offering any solutions.
A few options: 1) Flat jaws on which you can mount 4 pieces of wood to your specs. I know Oneway sells them for their chucks ... not sure about other brands. 2) Do you have Cole jaws (or whatever they are called)? Screw on four pieces of wood to form a square opening ... just make sure they are centered. 3) Just mount your square box between the jaws of your scroll chuck. This will leave some marks but if you plan on texturing or carving they won't matter.
 
Joined
Aug 29, 2011
Messages
18
Likes
172
Location
Ingersoll, ON
Website
hfbowern.com
I don't know what his boxes look like. More information (size, etc.) would be helpful in offering any solutions.
A few options: 1) Flat jaws on which you can mount 4 pieces of wood to your specs. I know Oneway sells them for their chucks ... not sure about other brands. 2) Do you have Cole jaws (or whatever they are called)? Screw on four pieces of wood to form a square opening ... just make sure they are centered. 3) Just mount your square box between the jaws of your scroll chuck. This will leave some marks but if you plan on texturing or carving they won't matter.

Thanks Tom. The boxes are cubes about 3" x 3" x 3" . I will see what I can mount on my cole jaw to secure the box.
 

hockenbery

Forum MVP
Beta Tester
TOTW Team
Joined
Apr 27, 2004
Messages
8,590
Likes
4,885
Location
Lakeland, Florida
Website
www.hockenberywoodturning.com
There is a simple holding device used by architectural turners for rosettes which are square blocks.

Mount a disc on a faceplate. Hold a rosette ( or box blank) centered on the disc with the tailstock
Screw blocks of wood on 3 sides of the rosette. The blocks do not meet at the corners.

On the 4 side a wider block is ripped into 2 pieces at an angle with the blade at 45 degrees. The outside part is screwed to the Disc. The free piece is a locking wedge.
A tap with a mallet on the sliding wedge locks it a tap on the other end loosens it.

This diagram may give you an idea of how it works.

9015E427-AD21-416F-8183-D18135B03D4A.jpeg
 

Tom Gall

TOTW Team
Joined
Feb 20, 2013
Messages
956
Likes
1,763
Location
Hillsborough, NJ
Thanks Tom. The boxes are cubes about 3" x 3" x 3" . I will see what I can mount on my cole jaw to secure the box.
Forgot to mention that the Cole jaws (or Flat jaws) method is adaptable to various sized squares/cubes (within reason) dependent on your chuck jaws opening capacity. Also important to have a reasonable amount of contact nearing the maximum amount of opening. And, thicker wood jaws may be needed if the distance from the chuck is longer, say 6" rather than 3". Of course, it's a simple task to add new, larger wood pieces if necessary.
 
Joined
Aug 29, 2011
Messages
18
Likes
172
Location
Ingersoll, ON
Website
hfbowern.com
Forgot to mention that the Cole jaws (or Flat jaws) method is adaptable to various sized squares/cubes (within reason) dependent on your chuck jaws opening capacity. Also important to have a reasonable amount of contact nearing the maximum amount of opening. And, thicker wood jaws may be needed if the distance from the chuck is longer, say 6" rather than 3". Of course, it's a simple task to add new, larger wood pieces if necessary.
Thanks Tom I appreciate the info
Regards
Harold
 
Joined
Jul 19, 2018
Messages
1,686
Likes
2,077
Location
Ponsford, MN
The One Way profile jaws do a good job of holding a square piece, but they will mark the work piece if directly applied. The marking can be eliminated with short strips of hard wood between 1/16" and 1/8" thick X 5/8" wide X a little under the width of the box side and attached with double faced tape. The dove tail jaws can be adapted by turning a dove tail tenon on a square block, then take a slice off of the end with a small amount of the original square and make cuts diagonally to get 4 45 - 90 - 45 triangles, then cut just enough of the dove tail side to fill in the jaw using the outside flat as a guide. The round to square inserts can be held in place with double faced tape.
 
Joined
Apr 5, 2011
Messages
346
Likes
184
Location
Delray Beach, FL
On the base of the the square box attach a glue block.
On the base of the of the square box turn an internal opening for expansion jaws.
Centering would be a problem but with careful planning it should be obtainable. Start with the glue block or internal opening and work from there.
Have fun.

Stu
 
Back
Top