Thread: The 'modern' Longworth chuck - some comments

I find my two Longworth chucks to be very handy. Easier to set up and use than my Donut chuck and true light cuts are the requirement with these. With mine the grippers are a mix of DIY,Teknatool and Vicmarc. The variance has occurred with the need of different jobs. My DIY have been made to date from rubber stoppers used on the end of walking sticks.

I note several comments on USA sites about losing the work piece and the results are that they shy away from using the Longworth. So it would seem its not as popular over there as else where.

IMHO the Longworth is a valuable addition to wood turning and advent of commercially made chucks is a welcome advance. I say this because not every one can produce one with accuracy. The commercially available ones would be cut on a cnc or laser set up for cost effectiveness and greater accuracy. As most laser cutters can work to 0.100mm tolerance, something that would be very hard to duplicate with hand held routers etc.

I do not have one. Are they really worth having. I understand you have to be very light on the touch with them?

I brought one a few weeks ago and have used it once. Tailstock support is necessary until the very last moment. Easy to use with the provided buttons, I might experiment with some teknatool buttons sometime.

Hey you been shopping at Jim's pat??
I do rembember you saying at the wood show you wanted one

Hey I'm happy to give it a home

I built two when they first appeared. Wouldn't be without mine now. It is true they will not stand up to aggressive cuts and can eject a project.
Jim

Couldn't go without mine either I have lost a couple of pieces but it was my own fault - trying to cut way too heavily - easily avoided!

Yeah, they're just for finishing a foot.

With the same grippers I can't see that it'd be significantly poorer in grip than my VM cole jaws.

Even if you're not intending to make a funnel (), you can be slightly more aggressive, and insure against orbiting, by placing four strips of tape across the sides near the bottom, with both ends wrapped around to the back of the back disk. Filament tape (aka strapping tape) works best, but masking tape can also be suitable. The entire bottom is thus available for treatment.

Cheers,
Joe

Originally Posted by TTIT

Couldn't go without mine either I have lost a couple of pieces but it was my own fault - trying to cut way too heavily - easily avoided!

I had the same problems, so to minimise the risk I made an auxilary support arm with a brand new rollerblade wheel that presses against the bowl or platter to keep it hard against the chuck. Mine can be positioned anywhere and the soft wheel does not mark the finish. Since I did this I can finish my work to a very high standard. If I was any good with a camera I would post a photo. If anyone really wants one let me know,
regards,
Crocy

It shouldn't be this way if the grippers are adequate.

Apart from the shape diff. I mentioned above, the VM grippers also have a metal sleeve so the rubber can only compress so far, and release so far.

I've never had a piece go west on cole jaws with these.

Vermec won't say whether their Nova replacement grippers are the same as VM's. Only that they have a 6mm bore.

http://vermec.tripod.com/PDFs/teknatoolchuck.pdf

Betcha they're the same.

Ern,

A few years ago I got a set of red VM stoppers from Enzo for my Nova jaws and they fit perfectly. The little Nova black ones used to leave black marks on my bowls etc.

Thanks WbT.

Old Croc.
Your idea sounds good. Can you post a pic please.

Hi Ern
I find that the stoppers tended to roll as the chuck is adjusted,not a problem with round ones,but I had a set of the square red ones from ?(not sure where I purchased them-it was a while ago) for the old cole jaws.When you adjust the chuck and they roll it became a PITA to adjust them so they were all facing the same way.
cheers
gidgee 1