Pros/Cons, does it matter? I use chuck screws. Wondering why some people prefer screw chucks.
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Screw Chuck versus Chuck Screw
- Thread starter Holmes Anderson
- Start date
I think the dedicated screw chuck may provide better mounted support for the wood with the larger surface backing to support the wood, vs. the outer ring of the jaws holding just a chuck screw. Does it matter, I'm not sure.
I don't own a screw chuck. I don't have a homemade one based on a faceplate, either. I do have, but I guess rarely use (for no particular reason), chuck screws for both of my Oneway Talon chucks and my Vicmarc 120 chuck. Here is some input from Raffan, the whole video is explaining the chuck setups he uses.
View: https://youtu.be/qKLjtu6n2o8?si=dVyHJlQ0yQDDfsLR&t=343
I love this comment he makes starting just after the 9:00 mark about faceplates-
View: https://youtu.be/qKLjtu6n2o8?si=G9oT0Ac7ER_siVGE&t=540
Here is his video covering chuck screws.
View: https://youtu.be/3-P6qGkob34?si=Ps1m67X2xa0e6HZH
I don't own a screw chuck. I don't have a homemade one based on a faceplate, either. I do have, but I guess rarely use (for no particular reason), chuck screws for both of my Oneway Talon chucks and my Vicmarc 120 chuck. Here is some input from Raffan, the whole video is explaining the chuck setups he uses.
I love this comment he makes starting just after the 9:00 mark about faceplates-
Here is his video covering chuck screws.
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Both will work.
I have a handful of the "wormwood" screws that come with the Nova chucks and two Glaser screw chucks, one of the originals from Jerry Glaser and a second made by the company (HiTech) that took over production and eventually started selling them. (I bought mine from Alan Lacer. ) I even had one of the Jerry's originals (prototype?) - eventually sold that. (Two are enough for me - don't tell anyone I admitted that!)
On the Glaser the screw is finely machined with a very sharp, narrow threads and incredibly strong. Some of the chuck screws I've seen have crude screws that will work but are terrible in comparison (in my opinion). From the pictures, the Oneway screw looks better than most. but I've not yet seen with with sharp threads. (Some even have rough surfaces like they just came out of a sand casting...) Once I used the Glaser, I never used the chuck screws again.
The "wormwood" screw needs to be mounted in a scroll chuck first The screw must be carefully inserted into a clean chuck for precision and properly tightened.
Pros: a lot cheaper than the Glaser screw chuck.
The jaw size can provide different diameters of support.
Cons: if you don't have multiple chucks, you may have to mount and unmount the screw several times when working on one piece.
Screw quality may vary.
The Glaser screw chuck is one unit.
Pros: Grab it off the shelf and use it immediately without having to first fit the screw to a scroll chuck.
As mentioned, the screw quality is often far better, IMO.
The Glaser also has a removable/reversible collar that can give three different sizes of support. I rarely use anything but the largest diameter.
The work piece can be removed from the screwchuck and remounted without losing registration.
Cons: It's not cheap. And you have to buy it threaded for your lathe spindle or (ug - use an adapter)
I really like the convenience of the Glaser: Drill a 1/4" hole on the drill press, screw in the chuck by hand, and turn. like to turn and smooth the entire bottom/outside of a bowl or platter, even apply finish, before removing it from the screw chuck and turning the inside. It has held any weight and imbalance I gave it. (Form first, then thickness)
Can't see it in the photo, but I'm holding this small "squarish platter" with the Glaser screw chuck:
BTW, some of the chuck screws are longer than others. For a shallow platter or bowl you can add a spacer made of plywood or something.
For either type of holding, I like to make the surface flat first. I run blanks through a drum sander but other ways are fine.
As mentioned, the "wormwood" chuck screw WILL work. I did this with one. I don't remember the brand - whatever they had at JCC at the time.
If you can, try both and decide. Maybe someone in your club has both.
Or take a road trip and stop by my shop.
JKJ
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I used the wood worm screw with a chuck for several years before getting a dedicated screw chuck. They both work but the thread on the screw chuck are much sharper and I believe hold the wood better. Overall it just seems more stable and secure also so I would rather not go back.
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It’s a tool I use when it works for me. I don’t use it when I have to work harder to use it.
ONEWAY worm screw is great. I have a couple of screw centers indifferent sizes I pick the one the best size for what I’m doing.
Pro:
Screw chucks are a fast solid Mount.
I often use it in a first class or a workshop. Not quite student proof but darn close.
Great for platters where you want access to the bottom without tailstock interference.
I often use a spacer to shorten the screw length on platters from thinner wood.
Great if you have a lathe without a usable tailstock
Con:
you are stuck with the grain alignment you set with the screw placement.
Lot of trouble to set up for a Natural edge bowl and then you can’t fine tune the rim alignment
Not too useful for hollow forms
Worthless on bowl cores.
I mostly start bowls and hollow forms between centers. Because I want control of the grain alignment and rim alignment
Pro:
I find the screw center particularly useful for my seed jar split hollorms. The screw center performs two functions
1. It lets me do some finish turning on the tenon before hollowing
2 lets me put both parts on the same center.
A thread on seed jaws show the screw mount usefulness.
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When I first started this turning journey I bought a screw chuck thinking it was needed, it has sat in the same drawer ever since I bought it. My first good lathe came with a Supernova chuck and finding that I could attach a piece to the chuck with the screw and then just take it off and turn it around and put it into the chuck that was already there was great. The chuck just stays on the lathe. I have been using that same screw that came with that chuck for 25 years. I have about 15 back up Nova screws in a drawer but until something happens to this one that is where they will stay.
Every chuck I buy has had a screw thing that comes standard. I never use them. Drilling a recess with a forstner bit is far more efficient.
robo hippy
robo hippy
I tried that method but the additional friction of the forstner bit tended to make the blank spin. I can clamp the blank in a drill press but adjusting the height of the table slows me down. I assume you use a corded hand drill.
Like many things in woodturning, much depends on what one turns and the variety of things they want to try and experiment with! I'm sure many could turn a lifetime and never once need or use a screw chuck or chuck screw!
Drilling a recess will easily work for lots of round things, but might not for something like this multi-axis platter base (as taught by Frank Penta) shown earlier in this thread, and closer, here.
In case anyone is interested, this platter is just under 19" in dia, as large as would comfortably fit on a 20" lathe given the off-axis wobble. I turned it from dry Sapele. The base is turned, sanded, and finished applied, held with the screw from what will be the top of the platter. The platter is then reversed and held by expanding chuck jaws into a shallow recess in this base to turn the top side. (The recess in this case is just the three short arcs inside the three little triangular-shaped pieces, about 1/8" deep. It sometimes surprises me how little recess will work. Of course, may require a bit of finesse, no aggressive turning or caches allowed!)
As per Frank's instruction, the 9" base requires four axes, one in the center and three off-center, equally spaced around 1" radius circle.
This is SO easy with a screw chuck or chuck screws but it's hard for me to imagine how three overlapping chuck recesses or other easy ways could work (perhaps a face plate?). This is probably the reason Frank teaches the simple method of holding with a chuck screw. (The four screw holes are drilled in what will be the top/front of the platter, while it is still flat, of course.)
For those who don't know Frank Penta, as well as being a certified creative wizard and texturing demon, he's a multi-axis maniac - face work, spindles, etc!
Completely off the topic (no screw chuck involved!) but an off-axis spindle example: after he demonstrated his multi-axis "Crazy golf tee" technique and I turned a few from wood. I modified his technique a bit and turned the one at lower left in this pic from aluminum (on the wood lathe, with woodturning tools). Good clean fun!
JKJ
I teach making recesses three different ways, depending.
1 The forstner in a drill press
2 The forstner in a drill chuck in the tailstock (blank must be secure)
3 Cutting the recess on the lathe with a parting tool or something, with the blank secured by some method.
For #3, it's simpler if the blank is held securely in the headstock by some means, but it can be done by squeezing the blank by friction: the wood pressing up against some a faceplate or something or even some open chuck jaws, and pressure applied by the tailstock. This is quick and easy, but the problem is most live centers are fat enough they get in the way of the cutting tool. I use one of two ways to solve this - one is make an extension from wood that fits the live center to move it back away from the wood while applying firm pressure. This is easy for Oneway-type live centers if you have one of the taps that match the threads.
The wood piece is similar to this, but longer.
I prefer to make something to fit the Nova live center - turn a short #2MT in the end of a wood rod, similar to the rod in the center (but longer):
Either of these can provide enough clearance to cut the recess.
However, I designed a tool that makes cutting a recess even easier, even with no extension on the live center. I ground this from an old scraper from my spare "junk" tool tub.
Here an earlier version in action (later refined as above to make it easier and with some advantages.)
JKJ
(edit: correction)
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I have always referred to both "devices" as a screw chuck, but an all in one screw chuck is in some ways different than a chuck mounted screw. So keeping the screw chuck, chuck screw distinction the later has a advantage to me with the way I work. It certainly won't apply to everyone.
To minimize misalignment, my goal is that once a blank is mounted to never fully dis-mount then attempt to re-mount the workpiece. Rather the workpiece is "handed back and forth" between HS and TS mounted chucks. I usually start a project on a chuck screw (Nova) and indeed I often do a good deal of work on that mount. Then when it's time to change mounting and turn the piece around I mount the next chuck & adapter on to the TS and secure to the workpiece. Now to remove the first chuck I only have to loosen the grip on the chuck screw and pull the work piece back. A quick wrench to the screw removes it. The first chuck is removed and the new chuck and workpiece put on the spindle.
Now thinking about it for a moment, I suppose if I were using a true screw chuck I could loosen the TS and get the chuck unscrewed from the workpiece, but I like my way.
To minimize misalignment, my goal is that once a blank is mounted to never fully dis-mount then attempt to re-mount the workpiece. Rather the workpiece is "handed back and forth" between HS and TS mounted chucks. I usually start a project on a chuck screw (Nova) and indeed I often do a good deal of work on that mount. Then when it's time to change mounting and turn the piece around I mount the next chuck & adapter on to the TS and secure to the workpiece. Now to remove the first chuck I only have to loosen the grip on the chuck screw and pull the work piece back. A quick wrench to the screw removes it. The first chuck is removed and the new chuck and workpiece put on the spindle.
Now thinking about it for a moment, I suppose if I were using a true screw chuck I could loosen the TS and get the chuck unscrewed from the workpiece, but I like my way.
I'm sure there are many turners on this site with more experience than I have but I have been turning for about 8 years. I don't own a Screw Chuck but have a couple of screws that came with Nova chucks as some others have already said. As long as the blank is mounted secuely and has a flat surface for the chuck jaws to rest on, I have never had a problem with the the blank coming off. I am careful with irregularly shaped blanks and always secure them with a live center on the tailstock side at least until I have the blank smoothed to the point that there is no vibration. Screw Chucks can be expensive and, although I have thought I wanted one for several years now, I really can't see that there is any advantage to them over other ways of securing blanks. A faceplate securely screwed to the blank is the most secure way, especially until the blank is round.
I’ve extensively used a dedicated screw chuck since getting one earlier this year (vicmarc). The thread was sharper than the chuck screw. I can cut more aggressively when rounding off blanks as occasionally the chuck screw would require tightening. With processing all the wood collected this year it’s become a staple of my process. (My wife accuses me of stalking the neighborhood for wood)
At $215, that Glaser is costly, more if the larger faceplates are purchased. Supposedly it works for end grain pieces also. I’m happy with my screw in a Nova chuck and use it often. The disadvantage over turning between centers is not being able to adjust grain as you start turning.
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See my post above, Cons: not cheap.
Looks like Alan Lacer lists it at $176.
Glaser Screw Chuck BACK IN STOCK!
No other screw chuck on the market allows such versatility as this chuck. The three different configurations allow for these different base diameters: 1 1/2", 2 1/2" and 31/2". The bases are made with a narrow
stores.alanswoodturningstore.com
Never felt the need for the larger support collar, held even large work securely with what came with it.
I can’t tell someone what’s right for them, I just know when people see and use it in my shop and ask where to get one (or if I want to sell one of mine - no) I give them one of Alan’s catalogs. My stack is getting short.
And when I offered to sell an old one it a class several were interested.
Thinking about it just now, I just ordered a spare. Maybe next time someone really wants one they can go home with it.
JKJ
I use the Glaser Screw Chuck, and prefer it to the screw that came with my 4 jaw chuck.
The only true screw chucks I have handled had screws of a size like wood screws. My chuck mounted screw is about 3/8" diameter at the outside of the threads. What size screws are you all using in your true screw chucks?
Well, if I am trying to drill into a 3 inch diameter blank, I generally will use a clamp to hold the piece. Most of the time, I will have a number of blanks ready to drill at once. I start with the thinnest and work my way to the thickest, or the other way around. No problems holding a 6 inch diameter blank. If the blank is grabbing the bit and spinning, then I would think that maybe your bit is dull. I have a number of the ones I use for my chucks so I can take them to have them resharpened, and still have one or more at home. I almost never have the tailstock engaged.
robo hippy
My large forstner bits are old and probably dull. I have to drill at least a 2" diameter hole for #2 jaws and those are a bit small for some of the blanks. The blanks I'm mounting are green wood usually from 10"-15" diameter. I am mostly trying to get the wood on and off the lathe as quickly as possible while roughing out bowls.
The drill bit I use for my blanks are 2 5/8 inch diameter which fit the standard jaws on my big Vicmark chuck with a little clearance. I once turn my bowls to about 1/4 inch thick walls and let them warp. I love warped bowls. I think I used Whiteside forstner bits. I am sure there are others. Finding carbide ones might make for longer lasting edges, but they are hard to find. Taylor tool works has a good supply. I got mine at the local Woodcraft store. I turn bowls from about 4 inch diameter to 13 or 14 inch. Bigger bowls just take too long to sell.... I know there is a Woodcraft over in Portsmouth. Stopped in there while visiting daughter and son in law who live in Berwick.
robo hippy
robo hippy
I didn't know that Whiteside makes forstner bits. That could definitely make the difference. Love their router bits.
I only use carbide forstners for recesses since they last a long time and I don't care if it makes a hole with precisely smooth sides as with quality HSS. They never get "dull" since they are not in daily use. I found some on Amazon, use this one is 2-2/16" dia for Nova 50mm jaws.
I see it's cheaper now than when I bought one 8 years ago.
Perhaps they offer other sizes, I didn't check.
The one above has a hex shaft, great for drill chucks. However, I prefer those with 3/8" smooth round shafts so I can hold them in a #2MT end mill collet - makes for quick mounting in the tailstock. This one is 2-1/8". I think I got it from a set of carbide bits I bought about 20 years ago.
JKJ
The Glaser uses a specially designed, machined, and hardened screw, flat on the end - not pointed like a typical wood screw, requires drilling a 1/4" hole.
The first little bit at the end is machined like a short 1/4" cylinder which aligns it nicely with the drilled hole when mounting the first time. There are holes in the sides to allow holding it with a steel rod for tightening/removal. There is a shallow recess around the screw at the contact surface to prevent any wood fibers from interfering with a perfect fit on flat surfaces. (You might guess correctly that I REALLY love the overall design of these!)
The screw is apparently replaceable but in years of use I've never damaged one. Dropping the screw chuck on concrete might damage the screw but I wouldn't know, never did that.
I should say I like to first flatten the mounting surface with a 60-grit drum sander. I usually flatten both sides so I can decide at mounting time which I want up or down. Again, it's rare that I turn anything but dry wood.
JKJ
a simple question on a Monday during a Holiday week gets 22 responses within a few days. Love this forum and all who participate in it. Happy New Year to all!