The Frugal Woodturner

[Mike Peace]

I picked up a copy of Ernie Conover's book The Frugal Woodturner. It has some great tips for turners on a budget. I found the advice on making pressure chucks, jam chucks, collet chucks etc. very informative. I have several different chuck jaws but it was interesting to see how to manage without an expensive scroll chuck or a special jaw set. Some of the techniques have probably been around for many years but almost a lost art as many have been replaced by modern scroll chucks which may make some projects easier but do not make them possible.

 

[john lucas]

Go here
http://www.cumberlandwoodturners.com/htm/tips.htm
Then click on methods and jigs for reverse turning bowls. You will find some more interesting ways to hold work.

 

[MichaelMouse]

Just look up that marvel of the fussy holds the Longworth Chuck and you'll see a great project for those whose interests run more to making tools rather than bowls. I just sell the projects to pay for ready-made, personally. I still have a couple of my "originals" with felt covering plugged screw holes, but even my "Masterchuck" made so much more turning time in return for the investment that I could justify it in my mind. When I got my first Nova about 25 years ago, I was in hog heaven.

Bit of a Neanderthal in my use of hand planes and carving tools, so I suppose that makes up for some of it.

 

[Dean Center]

Go here
http://www.cumberlandwoodturners.com/htm/tips.htm
Then click on methods and jigs for reverse turning bowls. You will find some more interesting ways to hold work.

That's a really nice article, John, one I've reread several times. I wonder if you have a thought on reverse holding dried blanks that have a fairly flat bottom and have turned fairly oval in the drying in order to restore the tenon. Something like a deep platter.

Thanks.

Dean Center

 

[Mike McDonald]

Dean-

What about mounting the deep platter between centers (drive spur in tennon, obviously) with a block between the live center and the bottom of the platter so it doesn't get marred ?

Touch up the tennon and then you can re-chuck it in the scroll.