Simple savers

[wood hacker]

Ok so maybe this idea has been floated before but here is a simple way to avoid those nasty jaw marks left by a scroll chuck when the diameter of the piece does not match the optimum diameter of the jaws. Now I know that that is what step jaws were disigned to overcome but some of us beginners have grander desires than we have budgets.

You take a strip of PVC pipe slightly wider than the jaws are deep split it and then remove enough so that what remains when wrapped around the piece does not quite meet at the ends. Stick the whole lot in the chuck and tighten to your hearts content and the jaws bite into the PVC and not the timber. I am guessing though that if you are using it on the foot of a bowl and want the jaws up against a shoulder you would make the strip slightly narrower than the jaws depth, though as I have not yet attempted a bowl (it is next on the list) I cannot really say.

Now I cannot actually claim this as an original idea. I got it from my Dad who saw it done by the president of his local woodworkers club. But to that unknown president many thanks for the quick cheap simple saver.

[Ed Reiss]

Hi WH...good tip and welcome to the forums :U

another method along the same lines is cut to length the steel band from a hose clamp aka worm gear clamp.

[brendan stemp]

Woodhacker, thanks for this tip. In fact I actually used it today. I make pepper grinders and when turning the top/knob I hold the spigot in the shark jaws of my chuck (see first pic). The jaws did mark the wood but I tolerated it because the spigot is generally not seen. But today, thanks to Woodhacker, no more marks on the the spigot and my grinders are that little much better.

[Sawdust Maker]

Nice tip
thanks

[hughie]

I use it also when I make handles by wrapping it around the ferrule to finish the other end. In this case PVC or Alumnium to prevent the damage to the ferrule.

Good tip and a very handy one to boot

[rsser]

Thanks for the tip.

I'd be very wary of using it on a bowl foot however. Risk losing the dovetail angle and the advantage of jaw bite on a tenon.

[brendan stemp]

Thanks for the tip.

I'd be very wary of using it on a bowl foot however. Risk losing the dovetail angle and the advantage of jaw bite on a tenon.

I agree, Ern. I had to crank the chuck up pretty tight and did employ the use of the tail stock to ensure the piece stayed in place.

[rsser]

For folk doing repetition work, also consider the Vicmarc soft (acetyl) jaws:
Vicmarc - Woodturning Lathes, Chucks, Jaws and Accessories - Plastic 125mm (http://www.vicmarc.com/default.asp?contentID=567)

T/tool also make them:
NOVA Soft Jaw Set (http://www.teknatool.com/products/Chuck_Accessories/Soft%20jaw/Softjaw.htm)

[jimdave]

G'day
Great suggestion, could instead of using Pvc which is still fairly stiff, could you use a strip of leather, or something of the like around the foot to stop the marks occuring.

[colhu]

Hi all

Like Brendan, I make pepper mills and I hold the knob by its finished spigot while I shape and finish the curved top. I use a spigot diameter of 38mm (1 1/2"), partly because I have a Forstner bit that size to bore the top of mill body with, but also because it is close to the perfect circle diameter of the shark jaws on my chuck, and it minimises any marking from the jaws. I also slightly undercut the spigot (maybe 1/2 mm dia) to help it grip without having to be really tight.

Unlike Brendan's design with a fairly long spigot, I make mine no more than about 5mm, so its only the very end of the jaws touching the wood.

It works for me.

cheers, Colin