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| Since I want to take full advantage of the
hold on my pin jaws, I use a Forstner bit to bore the hole a tad over 3/4"
deep, then make sure I have cleared the shavings and dust. If you
leave shavings or dust inside any recess, you're asking for trouble.
Even if you don't get a loosening fit from shifting dust, you're not
getting full advantage unless you have the flat portion of the jaws fitted
against the bottom of your recess. Note, as elsewhere, that this
initial step does not care about the contour of the blank, as long as it's
got about a half inch depth to grip.
Not only is it easy to mount using a simple hole, it is also almost impossible to knock the piece loose when roughing, even with the worst possible gouge technique. You simply snug up the tailstock and begin turning between centers, not worrying about the lathe capacity over toolrest base (parallel to blank base) or any extension. This is a 10" x 3+" piece of cherry, and though it is certainly out of balance, it is within the capability of my lathe at 500 revolutions, so it's simply cut circular. |
 With this piece the chuck mounts up within an eighth of an inch of the face, because it's bored nearly perpendicular. The most important aspect is that it shouldn't have a false grip, so I rattle the piece as I snug it, to get good register against bottom and sides, then draw the tailstock up tight. For those who disparage non-keyed chucks, yes, I use one hand to tighten, using the Tommy bar and pin spanner. It's not difficult, it just takes a moment to get the two handles within my hand span. I am out of the throw zone, behind the tailstock when I start up, a place I will be until the final rounding cuts. This keeps my body and head out of harm's way as I work the outside down, though I can still get smacked on the hand by a chunk of bark or, when turning frozen wood, get my hands mighty cold as the icy shavings run down the gouge. One other thing I don't worry about is turners' elbow, because I'm not taking stress along my forearm when cutting interrupted, but passing the force down on the rest, which is iron, and can take it. |
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