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OneWay Stronghold & Talon VS Nova Super Nova2 or Infinity or...???

Bart Leetch

Bart Leetch

Joined
Mar 20, 2009
Messages
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How do these 4 chucks compare or is there another Nova chuck that compares more favorably? The main reason I am considering these chucks is first interchangeability of the jaws & looking at the Infinity interchangeability & the quick change system.

I only have the One Way Talon with the #2 profile jaws. I've not been unhappy with this chuck but then I've not done a massive amount of turning either.

The reason for this consideration is that in the future I'll be getting a new bigger lathe & want a good quality chuck that can handle bigger turnings & has a large variety of jaws available & the quick change would be nice too. An top of that I could use some of the jaws on a smaller chuck with Jet mini lathe that I already have.

Also are the Nova jaws dovetail style or what style are they?
 
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Bart Leetch said:
How do these 4 chucks compare or is there another Nova chuck that compares more favorably? The main reason I am considering these chucks is first interchangeability of the jaws & looking at the Infinity interchangeability & the quick change system.

I only have the One Way Talon with the #2 profile jaws. I've not been unhappy with this chuck but then I've not done a massive amount of turning either.

The reason for this consideration is that in the future I'll be getting a new bigger lathe & want a good quality chuck that can handle bigger turnings & has a large variety of jaws available & the quick change would be nice too. An top of that I could use some of the jaws on a smaller chuck with Jet mini lathe that I already have.

Also are the Nova jaws dovetail style or what style are they?
Click to expand...

A bigger lathe doesn't mean that you can't use your current Talon chucks. I use my Talon chucks for the majority of stuff that I turn on my Robust AB. Before I got the Robust, my two lathes both had 1 X 8 spindle threads. I have four Talons and left one unchanged and replaced the insert on the other three. I have one Stronghold that I use occasionally for larger turnings that are really heavy or over 15 inches diameter and a Vicmarc 120 that I use for really large and heavy turnings (I have 7" jaws on it).

The Talon chucks have as large an assortment of jaws as any other chuck except for possibly the Vicmarc. I have not used the Nova chucks except a few occasions when taking a class so I can't really give much feedback other than my impression is that they would not be an upgrade from the Talon chucks. I have looked at the various quick change jaws and think that they are grossly overpriced for the presumed benefit. Once in a blue moon I have a need to change jaws and it only takes a minute to do so.

As far as style of jaws is concerned, you can get smooth or profiled jaws for the Talon and Stronghold. I think that Nova has smooth as standard and serrated (not profiled) as an option. I really like the profiled jaws. My perspective is that the serrated jaws are not nearly as good as the profiled ones. I also have a few sets of the smooth dovetail jaws for my Stronghold chuck as well as the Vicmarc. They are good, but there is only one diameter where they have a grip on the full perimeter of a tenon or mortise. For all other diameters they make contact in the corners or in the middle of each jaw. However, I think that most of the differences boils down to marketing and warm fuzzy feelings much more than anything real. Whatever chuck you get, think about product support. Oneway sent me replacement screws without charge after I broke one while changing inserts. I have had them do other things for a very reasonable cost such as counterboring an insert. Would any other chuck manufacturer do that? Just asking because I don't know the answer. However, I feel that you can forget about product support from any Asian import after the warranty expires.
 
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We have the medium size Vicmarc, 3 strongholds, 1 talon.

All are excellent chucks, My one criticism of the strongholds is that the keys only fit the chucks they came with.
Not a problem if you have just one chuck.

The ONEWAY jaws have no peer for griping square stock. They also do a superb job on tenons.

I prefer dovetail jaws for short tenons. So we have the dovetail jaw sets for the stronghold and they perform well.

I like the Vicmarc and the stronghold the most.

Edge to the Vicmarc on - The hex key is a little easier to use and I like the dovetail profile a bit more than the dovetail on the ONEWAY jaws
The back has index setting if you need to do a quick layout or have a lathe without an index wheel.

Edge to stronghold - ONEWAY jaws. A little smaller in diameter is a plus when working from the headstock side or mounting some jigs.
ONEWAY screw center is way better than the Vic Marc. I use the ONEWAY screw in the Vic.

That said the Both the Vicmarc and the Stonghold would be fine for holding anything I can put on the lathe.

Don't have much experience with the novas except for those owned by students.
They seem to hold less well than the vicmarcs and the Oneways both if which I have seen hold sad, sad tenons quite well.

I like bigger chucks and bigger jaws for bigger work.

Al


Al
 
I agree with Al and Bill, I have all OneWay chucks Stronghold and talon and am very satisfied. If I had to do it over again, I would probably go with the Vicmarc as I really am not that pleased with the keys for the chuck, one key works with all my talons and the larger key works with the stronghold, but they are not interchangeable. I don't like having different brands as you need to keep track of all the different tools to make them work. So I try to get the best I can and stick with it...well mostly. Good luck with your decision.
 
I just sold my Super Nova 2 chuck and extra jaws,
the Nova 2 isn't made to handle anything over 10" safely (states such in the manual)
the chuck itself seemed too "loose" re: the jaws mounting, etc. ,
for me, if it's sloppy when new, how well is it going to perform once it gets used a lot ? 😕

have gone strictly to Vicmarc's and have no issues or complaints at all with these (VM120's & VM150's)
little more expensive, but can also handle larger turning with no safety issues
and jaws mount very securely with little to no play .....

have no experience with Talon's or OneWay, so cannot comment on those
 
I've used both , but now own three Talons and three Strongholds as well as a set of the old Oneway Versa-Slides for using Vicmark jaws on the Strongholds. Just kept on finding good deals on chucks, I guess. Also have a set of Vicmark jaws that were made for Craft Supplies to fit Oneway Strongholds.
I've heard people say they've had problems with the Oneway chuck keys fitting different chucks, but haven't experienced it on the ones I own. The keys are not interchangeable between the Talon and Stronghold, but I don't consider that a problem, both keys live on a magnetic bar near the headstock.

I do prefer the Vicmark dovetail jaws, but use the Oneway dovetails as well. The Oneway profile jaws are also great when you need a good grip and don't mind a few marks on the tenon. At one point I thought the closed back of the Vicmarks was an advantage, but an occasional blowout (very occasional as it turns out) keeps everything sliding smoothly.

I really don't think you can go wrong with either the Vics or the Oneways - they're both at the top of the heap in my mind.
 
I started with the Vicmark, and will stay with them. The dove tail joint is a mechanical locking wedge joint, and is preferred in flat work because it is mechanically stronger. Excellent for bowls, either tenon or recess. I only turn between centers when starting spindles, turn a tenon, and then put it in the chuck.

robo hippy
 
another vote for VicMarc - the use of a standard allen key for the wrench and the pretty well sealed body is a big plus. I have the larger chuck, it serves me well. The Nova really is more of a toy and I wore one of them out in under a year (the hole for the key enlongated and the chuck wouldn't tighten)
 
Bart,
I have 15 Nova Chucks, Titans, A Super Nova, Super Nova IIs, G3s and Midi chucks. I have never had a problem with any of these chucks and would put them up against any made. All the jaws with the exception of the original 5" Titan Powergrip jaws will fit on every chuck up and down the line. The original Titan Chuck had 3 screws on each slide (for the 5" Titan Powergrip Jaws) where the current Titan only has 2 per slide and takes just the regular 4" Powergrip jaws. The screw (for screw chucking) is the best of any I have used and 90% of the time I have to remove the piece and get the screw out with water pumps because it holds so tight. I also own 8 other chucks which includes Vicmarcs and I have used Oneways. I have always stated that you could not go wrong with any of the three mentioned but the fact that all the jaws fit all the chucks in the Nova line vs having to buy more jaws with the different sized chucks of the Vics and Oneways is what sold me on the Nova chucks from the very beginning.
Bill
Most of the jaws have dovetails, the two inch jaws that come with the chucks are said not to be dovetailed but if you look at them closely the top 1/8" has a dovetail and I always put a dovetail on the piece and have never ever had a problem holding a piece in those jaws. As far as the Infinity or like chucks - not for me - gimmicks that are over priced and not proven over time in use (Infinity already recalled).
 
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I have a Nova G3 and Vicmarc 120. I use the G3 (purchased first) for small stuff on one lathe and the Vicmarc on "Big Blue" for everything else. Hands down I prefer the feel and holding power of the 120, but it's also much bigger so that's not far to say. One thing that really pushed me to the 120 is that a 1 1/2x8 insert is available for the Vicmarc chucks. Bottom line is that if I were to start my chuck purchasing over I would have gone with Vicmarc out of the gate.

Good luck making your decision. BTW, you didn't say what lathe you're moving up to. What do you have in mind?
 
I have three Vicmarc 120 and one 150. They are excellent. I had a Stronghold and sold it but still have a small oneway with tommy bars I use mainly on the tailstock.
The Vicmarc are heavy but very strong. I also recommend the Vicmarc without the insert but with the direct thread, i.e. machined in one piece which means perfect centricity.
 
One thing I do on rare occasions is to remove two jaws to grip something like a 1x4 with the wide face to turn.
I trust the ONEWAY jaws to hold these and they have 100%

These are things I don't do often but cutting a rosette in a molding or making a multi axis ornament where you want to turn some holes in one axis an the turn a profile in the other.
I would not trust dovetails to hold and they will make some nasty marks.

The strong hold is good at this.
 
Too bad there isn't one chuck that incorporates all the best features of both Oneway chucks and Vicmarc chucks. If I could have my druthers, here are some not really serious design thoughts:

  • I'm probably the only one, but I actually prefer the Stronghold geared key over the hex key of the Vicmarc. The main reason for this preference is that the key can also be used as a lever to remove the chuck. With the Vicmarc it is necessary to use the separate tommy bar (assuming, of course, that one does things properly according to directions).
  • The gears and slides in the Vicmarc are slightly more snug. May not be a big deal, but it give a warm fuzzy for the extra $$ that I had to spend.
  • Right now, I'm neutral on the "open back" vs the "closed back", but that might change if it ever becomes necessary to open up the Vicmarc to clean out the dust.
  • I prefer the tapered spindle adapter to the threaded one. The set screw on the threaded insert almost seems like an afterthought. OTOH, changing the tapered spindle adapter can be risky if a screw breaks.
  • I like both the profiled and the dovetail jaws for the same reasons that Al gave. For my Stronghold chuck I have both kinds. Too bad that the Vicmarc doesn't offer profiled jaws.
  • I wish that Oneway would quit putting L/R threads on their standard adapters. They think it is clever and I think that it causes me to cross-thread the chuck far too often.
  • Lifting the Vicmarc chuck may be good weightlifting exercise, but I have arthritis and don't need to aggravate it.
 
Bill Boehme said:
Too bad there isn't one chuck that incorporates all the best features of both Oneway chucks and Vicmarc chucks. If I could have my druthers, here are some not really serious design thoughts:

  • I'm probably the only one, but I actually prefer the Stronghold geared key over the hex key of the Vicmarc. The main reason for this preference is that the key can also be used as a lever to remove the chuck. With the Vicmarc it is necessary to use the separate tommy bar (assuming, of course, that one does things properly according to directions).

    The Vicmarc 120 and 150 that come without the threaded insert and that I much prefer as said in a previous post do not have the hole for the tommy bar nor a flat. So, the only way to remove them is to use the Allen wrench as stated in the Vicmarc manual.
    The tommy bar, that comes only in the chuck with the threaded insert, is used to tighten the insert before securing it with the set screw or to remove it. There is only one set screw and that is another reason why I much prefer the version without the insert: machined from one piece. Marvelous.
Click to expand...
 
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Bill
I think the l/ r threads are only on the 1x8 thread. Even in the 80s used to be common on faceplates by many manufactured because the standard lathe was a 12" swing and large bowls platters were turned outboard with a floor stand. The outboard spindle was threaded the opposite of the inboard because the lathes did not reverse.
 
hockenbery said:
Bill
I think the l/ r threads are only on the 1x8 thread. Even in the 80s used to be common on faceplates by many manufactured because the standard lathe was a 12" swing and large bowls platters were turned outboard with a floor stand. The outboard spindle was threaded the opposite of the inboard because the lathes did not reverse.
Click to expand...

Several years ago when I talked to Kevin at Oneway about the dual threads, it was the only option for 1X8 spindle adapters. I tried unsuccessfully to talk him into making me a special RH only threaded adapter, but he insisted that the dual threaded adapter was just as good. Maybe on a Oneway lathe, but my Delta had worn spindle threads that made it difficult to get the chuck started straight without cross threading especially if I had something heavy already mounted in the chuck.

Now that my main lathe has 1¼X8 threads, I can get either RH or L/R threaded adapters from Oneway, but even then, I still wound up with an adapter that had L/R threads on my Stronghold chuck. The box that the adapter came in says 1¼X8 RH threaded, but the adapter turned out to be 1¼X8 L/R dual threads. I didn't discover that until I had already installed the adapter and had no intention of removing it and getting it replaced with RH only threads. So, I am not certain if all of the 1¼X8 adapters from Oneway are really L/R dual threads or if somebody just put the wrong adapter in the box.

The worst problem that I have had with adapters from Oneway is one of my 1X8 Talon adapters wasn't counterbored. The result was a very wicked and sharp edged jagged holes where the setscrew (AKA "grub" screw) threaded holes met with the 1X8 threads at right angles. The result was like taking a file to my spindle threads. Since I installed the adapter before noticing the problem, I fixed it myself by grinding away the problem area. The moral of the story is that if I buy another chuck from Oneway, I will closely examine the adapters before installing them.
 
I started with Stronghold because that is what the training center uses. Then I bought a Vicmarc lathe and a Vic120 chuck. Both work excellent for handling the heavy turning. Then I found I needed a smaller chuck for doing ornaments. Oneway Talon to the rescue. It has the been very good and reliable and is solid like the V120 and the SH, quality tools. The jaw size for the Talon got me down to the size I needed. It proves that you can turn small on a big lathe.
 
My first chuck was a Nova, purchased in the 1980's. Shortly thereafter, I bought 3.5 inch and a 5.5 inch Vicmarc chucks. I thought all three of these chucks did a good job of holding wood on the lathe. All three of them used "tommy bars" and not a chuck key. Tommy bars aren't as good as a chuck key, but work. In the early 1990's I bought my first Oneway Stronghold chuck, mainly because I wanted to get away from the tommy bars. This is when I first used a chuck key, and ribbed jaws.......both, a huge improvement for my kind of turning.

I thought the machining on the Nova was good, and superb on the Vicmarc.

Since I was completely satisfied with my Stronghold chuck, I've since then purchased two more of them!.....have three now!

There probably isn't any bad chucks, of those in familiarity with the woodturning community......it all boils down to jaw selection. Since I'm a faceplate turner, I only use my chucks for roughing purposes. Finish turning is done using a waste block and faceplate......which is my preference. Since my chucks are mainly used for roughing bowls for seasoning, my preference of ribbed jaws is based on pure gripping power. At this point of progress, I'm not concerned about leaving jaw marks on bowls.

I use the Stronghold chucks, but I couldn't say they are better than any of the other chucks in current production. I have them, because they work, and because I have one that did what I asked of it, I bought two more!

My first Stronghold chuck has a different chuck key than the two subsequent Stronghold chucks......so, I use two chuck keys for three chucks. I understand that Oneway changed the number of teeth in the chuck, but all of the Strongholds use the same key now.

ooc
 
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Odie, I started woodturning ten years ago, so the changes that you mentioned apparently all happened sometime before 2004. I hear some of the old timers in my club talking about the beginning of using chucks and the earliest ones which were essentially metal turning chucks with independent jaws. Things have really progressed from those early beginnings.
 
Bill Boehme said:
Odie, I started woodturning ten years ago, so the changes that you mentioned apparently all happened sometime before 2004. I hear some of the old timers in my club talking about the beginning of using chucks and the earliest ones which were essentially metal turning chucks with independent jaws. Things have really progressed from those early beginnings.
Click to expand...

Hiya Bill.......

Yeah, you are right!

I've never used a metal lathe chuck for woodturning, but they were still pretty common when I first started turning. I can't imagine how problematic they would have been.....and, to use jaws intended for metal lathes couldn't have been very good, either! 😱

The real explosion in woodturning tool design was probably in the 80's and 90's......and, it's still exploding! 😀 I expect we'll see some really neat things become available to us in the time we have left on this earth!

edit: One recent improvement in chuck design is the new quick-change chuck jaws. The whole reason for having multiple chucks is to avoid changing jaws, and now it looks like that is a practice that's been replaced by a better idea. I have no intention to replace my stronghold chucks, but if I were shopping for my first chuck, I'd think seriously about one of these newer chucks with quick change jaws.........

Question: has anyone with a quick change chuck noticed any discrepancy with this concept?.....alignment of the jaws ok?

ooc
 
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For me having various chucks means reducing the necessity of changing the jaws but also having the possibility of leaving the piece on the chuck away from the lathe. This for various reasons. I'm not interested in the quick changing jaws chuck at all. Better buying another chuck with another set of jaws on it.
Odie, a question. You said you use a face plate for finishing, this is almost the opposite of what I do since I use the faceplate for roughing the outside face and then chuck it.
Do you use the face plate on the tenon used for the chuck? Use screws? Thanks.
 
odie said:
.... Question: has anyone with a quick change chuck noticed any discrepancy with this concept?.....alignment of the jaws ok?
Click to expand...

I can think of a couple things that give the advantage to multiple chucks. First, I like to keep a chuck attached until I am completely finished needing it on a piece. The reason is that no matter how careful you are about reinstalling a chuck, the alignment will not be the same after removing and reinstalling the chuck. Second, while prices have dropped a bit, I could have purchased three Talon chucks with money still left over for the cost of one EWT chuck. Besides that, I very rarely have a need to change jaws anyway -- and when I do, the time difference is less than a minute.
 
Sergio Villa said:
For me having various chucks means reducing the necessity of changing the jaws but also having the possibility of leaving the piece on the chuck away from the lathe. This for various reasons. I'm not interested in the quick changing jaws chuck at all. Better buying another chuck with another set of jaws on it.
Odie, a question. You said you use a face plate for finishing, this is almost the opposite of what I do since I use the faceplate for roughing the outside face and then chuck it.
Do you use the face plate on the tenon used for the chuck? Use screws? Thanks.
Click to expand...

I didn't see your reply to Odie before I replied, but it looks like we have the same ideas about chucks. I think that I know why Odie uses a faceplate with a waste block. He has said that he buys expensive turning blanks and therefore he doesn't want to waste any more wood than necessary.

I would suggest that Odie could look at getting a set of smooth jaws for his Talon or Stronghold chucks. Their one big advantage is at the optimum diameter there is maximum gripping, no marring of the tenon and a very short tenon can be used. I think that would come in handy often enough to make having a set worthwhile.
 
Thanks for contributing, Sergio and Bill.......

Leaving the turning on the chuck is definitely an advantage if the intent is to do more turning with the same chuck and mount. It's really the only way to insure the same mounting between one turning session and the next. I basically do the same thing with multiple faceplates, in that I usually keep a turning on the faceplate until it's time to do the foot. I part the bowl from the waste block and use the Oneway jumbo jaws to hold the rim of the bowl while turning the foot.

Sergio......I mostly use screw center faceplates mounted to the waste block, which is glued to the base of the bowl. I do use multiple screws and traditional faceplates for some turnings where I feel there could be holding problems with the single screw. In all cases, the screws don't penetrate further than the waste block, or into the bowl itself.

ooc
 
Odie, thank for your answer but still have a question. When I use a faceplate with glue for a large piece I have difficulty to remove the piece. If I pry the piece it usually get damaged, if I use a parting tool often this is too short or the overhang to long to be safe. What technique do you use?
 
Sergio Villa said:
Odie, thank for your answer but still have a question. When I use a faceplate with glue for a large piece I have difficulty to remove the piece. If I pry the piece it usually get damaged, if I use a parting tool often this is too short or the overhang to long to be safe. What technique do you use?
Click to expand...

Sergio......I'm not sure I completely understand your question, but I'll try to explain so it makes sense.

At the point where I part the bowl from the wasteblock, the bowl is finished, and sanded.....ready for Danish oil, WOP, or whatever. I part away the bowl using a thin parting tool, not the standard diamond parting tool. The parting cut is done leaving a small strip of wasteblock still attached to the bowl......about 1/16", or so. This small strip is easily turned away in the turning of the foot using the Jumbo Jaws. Because I do leave this small strip of wasteblock still attached to the foot of the bowl, I'm not totally concerned with the quality of the cut, but do make effort to get the best cut I can manage. I have a sharp burr on both sides of the parting tool. It's ground very similarly to a good scraper tool. I'm currently using the Nick Cook parting tool with the one hollow ground edge, and the resulting "half moon" frontal edge gives an excellent cut, very much like the Richard Raffan grind on a parting tool. I do the part with more than one pass, so the part itself is 2-3 times as wide as the parting tool itself. The part depth is done incrementally, doing passes from left, center and right of the sides of the part to a certain depth, then done left, right and center to a further depth......until the bowl is being held by the final amount left of the wasteblock, just enough to maintain stability, or not become weak enough to become "wobbly". Knowing where to stop is a matter of experience doing it many times, which gives a little "intuition". The smaller and lighter the bowl, the smaller the last bit of wasteblock can be......anywhere from about 3/4" to 1 1/2" in diameter, depending of how much stability is required. At this point, the lathe is stopped. Instead of grasping the bowl with your hands and breaking it away from the small section still connecting the bowl to the wasteblock, I use a special wedge tool to reach down into the interior of the parting cut, and levering the bowl so that it breaks what's left of the center. Sometimes, it rips some of the grain from either of the sides, but since I've left a small strip of wasteblock, it rips that away, and not the good wood intended to be part of the final bowl. The special wedge tool I'm using to break away the last bit of wasteblock is made from an old drum brake adjusting tool.......most of you will know what that is, if you are old enough! Anyway, it's the perfect tool for reaching down into the interior of a parting cut and levering that last bit of wood to break away........🙂

edit: One thing I forgot to mention, is when you reach down into the interior of the parting cut with the brake adjusting tool (or whatever you use), it's important to do it exactly perpendicular, or 90° to the grain direction of the waste block. That way the wasteblock breaks away easier and cleaner than any other orientation.

ooc
 
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Thank you Odie and sorry for not being clear. My doubt was on the space between the base of the bowl (the part glued) and the headstock: the bowl, being large, may prevents to position the tool rest close to the waste block. Unless one has a small tool rest that fits in between the base of the bowl and the head of the lathe. But I understand your technique.
I'm also a little afraid of gluing a piece, like the base of the rough out after drying that may not be perfectly flat although in many situations I used hot glue wit good results. But my glued pieced were much smaller than your bowls!
 
I use glue blocks for some natural edge bowls where I don't want to give up 1/2" for the chuck tenon.
By using CA glue, a chisel breaks the glue and rarely pulls any fibers from the chuck or the bowl.

Both the bowl and the glue block are turned with a slight concave.
I use a straight rod or stiff wire to line up the two. The rod goes through a small hole in the glue block to a center dimple in the work piece.
I run two beads of thick CA around the bowl just inside there the glue block will be.
Spray accelerator on the glue block.
Line up with the rod. As the glue block is pushed to the blank give it a twist.
The twist is essential to flatten and spread the glue otherwise it won't hold.
The beads will flatten out into the the recessed area giving a good joint and the edges of the recess meet in a tight fit every time.

This is a great way to join wet wood to a dry glue block. Working time is short. 2 hours or less, I rarely have pieces on the glue block more than 45 minutes.
As the wet wood dries and moves it will fracture the glue joint.

Then clean of glue from the glue block with a gouge and it it is ready for the next bowl. The glue block is used to reverse turn the bowl and finish it bottom.

Once the turning is done, I use a flat chisel with a couple of light taps on one side and couple light taps on the other side and the CA (maybe the only glue nit stronger than the wood itself) will fracture. This has always impressed upon me nit to use CA for anything I wanted to keep together forever.

Al
 
Sergio Villa said:
Thank you Odie and sorry for not being clear. My doubt was on the space between the base of the bowl (the part glued) and the headstock: the bowl, being large, may prevents to position the tool rest close to the waste block. Unless one has a small tool rest that fits in between the base of the bowl and the head of the lathe. But I understand your technique.
I'm also a little afraid of gluing a piece, like the base of the rough out after drying that may not be perfectly flat although in many situations I used hot glue wit good results. But my glued pieced were much smaller than your bowls!
Click to expand...

Sergio.......I missed the intent of your question completely.....sorry!

I have a cheapie curved tool rest that is cut down to only 2-3 inches in length for this specific purpose.

ooc
 
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odie said:
Sergio......I'm not sure I completely understand your question, but I'll try to explain so it makes sense.

At the point where I part the bowl from the wasteblock, the bowl is finished, and sanded.....ready for Danish oil, WOP, or whatever. I part away the bowl using a thin parting tool, not the standard diamond parting tool. The parting cut is done leaving a small strip of wasteblock still attached to the bowl......about 1/16", or so. This small strip is easily turned away in the turning of the foot using the Jumbo Jaws. Because I do leave this small strip of wasteblock still attached to the foot of the bowl, I'm not totally concerned with the quality of the cut, but do make effort to get the best cut I can manage. I have a sharp burr on both sides of the parting tool. It's ground very similarly to a good scraper tool. I'm currently using the Nick Cook parting tool with the one hollow ground edge, and the resulting "half moon" frontal edge gives an excellent cut, very much like the Richard Raffan grind on a parting tool. I do the part with more than one pass, so the part itself is 2-3 times as wide as the parting tool itself. The part depth is done incrementally, doing passes from left, center and right of the sides of the part to a certain depth, then done left, right and center to a further depth......until the bowl is being held by the final amount left of the wasteblock, just enough to maintain stability, or not become weak enough to become "wobbly". Knowing where to stop is a matter of experience doing it many times, which gives a little "intuition". The smaller and lighter the bowl, the smaller the last bit of wasteblock can be......anywhere from about 3/4" to 1 1/2" in diameter, depending of how much stability is required. At this point, the lathe is stopped. Instead of grasping the bowl with your hands and breaking it away from the small section still connecting the bowl to the wasteblock, I use a special wedge tool to reach down into the interior of the parting cut, and levering the bowl so that it breaks what's left of the center. Sometimes, it rips some of the grain from either of the sides, but since I've left a small strip of wasteblock, it rips that away, and not the good wood intended to be part of the final bowl. The special wedge tool I'm using to break away the last bit of wasteblock is made from an old drum brake adjusting tool.......most of you will know what that is, if you are old enough! Anyway, it's the perfect tool for reaching down into the interior of a parting cut and levering that last bit of wood to break away........🙂

edit: One thing I forgot to mention, is when you reach down into the interior of the parting cut with the brake adjusting tool (or whatever you use), it's important to do it exactly perpendicular, or 90° to the grain direction of the waste block. That way the wasteblock breaks away easier and cleaner than any other orientation.

ooc
Click to expand...
why not use a small pull saw to cut through the last bit?
 
Shawn Pachlhofer said:
why not use a small pull saw to cut through the last bit?
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Howdy Shawn......

You know, I have done that, but not for a long time now. Breaking it off is faster and easier for me, but really not any better than using a saw. I'm just explaining how I do it, and not trying to say my way is better than other ways of doing it.......🙂

ooc
 
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Bill Boehme said:
I can think of a couple things that give the advantage to multiple chucks. First, I like to keep a chuck attached until I am completely finished needing it on a piece. The reason is that no matter how careful you are about reinstalling a chuck, the alignment will not be the same after removing and reinstalling the chuck. Second, while prices have dropped a bit, I could have purchased three Talon chucks with money still left over for the cost of one EWT chuck. Besides that, I very rarely have a need to change jaws anyway -- and when I do, the time difference is less than a minute.
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Jeeeez, that kind of speed will help you along to "repetitive motion injuries." 😱 Remove 8 screws-remove jaws-new jaws on-8 screws in. Tick-tock!

Yep, dredged up an old one here, bookmarking it for future reference, good info here!
 
One thing to consider, is that manufacturers of chucks have tolerances by which will pass their own quality control standards. The allowable tolerance that will pass QC will vary between manufacturers. In order to make any variance in machining more consistent with your own shop operations, it's best to number the jaws in order to mate them to one specific chuck slide every time you change jaws. When installing a different set of jaws, finger tighten the screws, then close the jaws until there is a slight amount of pressure against all the jaws. Now tighten all the screws in an alternating pattern. These things will assure that any inconsistencies in machining tolerances will be in the same place every time.

When removing a turning from the chuck with the intent to remount at a later time, it's best to mark (on the turning) a reference point of alignment to one specific jaw. On a subsequent remount, the turning can be mounted as close as possible to the original orientation.

Doing these things will insure the consistency and alignment of the turning is as close as possible between mounts and subsequent remounts. Sometimes, warping occurs and voids much of the purpose of doing these things, but at other times it's very applicable to consistency. This is usually when working with pre-seasoned, or kiln-dried woods.

When remounting warped/seasoned bowls, it's best to find a place about half way between the extremes of the warp.....lightly hold it in the chuck at that point, and then adjust the grip by a trial-and-error method. Check by rotating by hand, or at a very slow speed. Seasoned bowls don't normally warp with any consistent predictability or symmetrical consistency, so it's best not to assume there is a standard principle that can be relied upon......learn to adjust as necessary. 🙂
 
odie said:
. Seasoned bowls don't normally warp with any consistent predictability or symmetrical consistency, so it's best not to assume there is a standard principle that can be relied upon......learn to adjust as necessary. 🙂
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On smaller bowls you can grip a warped tenon through trial and error and get it close enough.

I prefer to take a few seconds to true the tenon.
First find the center of the tenon. I usually use the center point from roughing.

I Chuck the bowl over the slightly open jaws of the Chuck with the rim as centered as I can get it.
Two high points equi-distant from the headlock, two low points equidistant from the headlock.

I true the rim first as this is the most out of balance part. Then true the tenon. Then turn the outside.
I also finish sand it if the walls will be 1/4 or more thick.
Mount it in the Chuck, finish turn the rim finish turn the inside.
If the walls will be under a 1/4 " I will finish turn the outside after it is in the chuck.

When I have the grain centered in a bowl the tenon will warp consistently to an oval.
The dried bowl will be consistently oval.

A Chuck can grip the oval with two jaws on the long axis or with 4 of the jaw corners if the long axis of the oval is between the jaws and get the bowl pretty well centered. However it is so easy to true the tenon and use all four jaws I do that all the time.

Centering the grain by cutting the blank and roughing between centers not only yields an appealing grain pattern in the bowl,
it also makes the dried bowl much easier to turn up and return.

Using number 2 jaws I turn all my tenons at 2.5" diameter green.
These have always made a trued tenon 2" dieter in the dried bowl.
Al
 
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