just learning to turn bowl

[Darren Mullin]

I would like to start turning small bowls and or plates. I was just wondering what I need to buy in the way of chucks in order to get started. I have read previous threads that suggest learning to turn on a faceplate before spending the money on a chuck. Any suggestions would be appreciated. I am taking a begginer bowl turning course at Lee Valley in Ottawa next week.

Darren

[curtis rosche]

faceplate is a good way to start, its cheap and it is stronger for holding wood,

[Rob Cunningham]

Since I don't have a chuck yet, I've roughed out my bowls and HFs using a faceplate. I just make the tenon long enough so I can turn away the screw holes at the end. A faceplate holds pretty tight. So far I haven't launched any bowls across the shop and I've had some pretty good catches :eek:

[Dennis Ford]

Rob pretty well covered it. If you don't have enough wood in a piece to waste some with the screw holes, add a glueblock and attach the faceplate to that. For bowls, I often first attach the faceplate to the side that will eventually become the top. Use that mounting to make a flat spot for a glue block.

[Kenneth Whiting]

Not meaning to hi-jack your thread, but I figure this question is coming. I'm also trying to learn and it scars the bajesus out of me to see people glue wood to their lathe, sooo....

How strong is a glue block? Do we need to be very very careful or can it handle newbie blunt force a few times before shooting straight up at us?

[ernie riley]

You bring up a good point about fear. I don't do anything in my shop that scares me.....I have found that my concern is a good measuring device for my lack of confidence or need for caution.

I want to keep my 9.8 fingers just the way they are and I am allergic to pain.

Having said that, I actually routinely slap on a glue block using a "paper joint" by inserting a piece of paper between the two pieces. It has held great (and I am certainly not immune to catches at times)....when I am done I just take a chisel and knock the joint apart.

Also, I am usually even lazier than that and use a screw chuck to turn the bottoms of a lot of bowls.....then just flip it around and mount the bottom to the face plate with a paper joint on your glue block.

Best wishes, and happy turning...

[Wally Dickerman]

Not meaning to hi-jack your thread, but I figure this question is coming. I'm also trying to learn and it scars the bajesus out of me to see people glue wood to their lathe, sooo....

How strong is a glue block? Do we need to be very very careful or can it handle newbie blunt force a few times before shooting straight up at us?

Done properly, a glue block is as safe to use as a chuck is. However, the glue block must be attached to the blank with care. First, you're making a glue joint, so both surfaces must be true and flat. If time isn't a factor you can use Titebond glue and wait an hour or so before mounting it on the lathe. I use med. CA glue and can mount the piece in a minute or so. If the bowl blank is endgrain don't use a glue block. Doesn't make a good glue joint,

You can use a faceplate or a screwchuck, or cut a tenon and use a chuck with a glue block.

A glue block is a good way to go if the turning blank is shallow so that there's no wood to waste. After the piece is finished, I part the bowl off using a parting tool along the glue line. When the remaining glue joint is the size of dime (if it's a small bowl), I just pop the bowl off with the heel of my hand.

In case you think that my method is chancy, I'll mention that I've been using glue blocks for well over 25 years on hundreds of pieces. Over 450 students in my classes have used glue blocks successfully. I have students, especially newbies, use glue blocks to point out that a chuck is not needed to turn bowls. (The four jaw chuck that's so poplular today didn't exist before about 1990...we turned lots of bowls before that time)

I suggest that the wood for a glue block be a fairly soft wood so that it parts off easily. My wood of choice is alder.

Wally

[Steve Mawson]

Agree with Wally on the glue blocks. Learned that from my uncle more years ago than I like to think about. They work well. Have used a paper glue joint to do spindles that I needed a half of the spindle for decoration piece. That works well also although I know it has nothing to do with a bowl. The blank does not have to be perfectly flat to use the face plate to start the bowl. Give the face plate a try and then decide on the chuck.

Just my rambling opinion.

[Reed Gray]

The only time I use glue and waste blocks is when I am turning bowls. I prefer the yellow glues, and you can turn after an hour, but I usually wait over night, even if using CA glue. Not necessary, probably, but safer. I consider a chuck to be more efficient for production turning, and probably essential for it, but not necessary for bowl turning. I don't think a face plate is any stronger than a chuck mount, when the chuck mounts are done correctly, as in right sized recess or tenon, and matching the angles of your chuck jaws.

robo hippy

[Kaptan J.W. Meek]

Ernie has it right.. No chuck? no problem.. Glue on a waste block with a piece of newspaper between the two. You can use a screw chuck to shape the outside, and center your waste block, Then turn it around, screw your centered waste block to the faceplate, finish turning the outside, then hollow it out. Finish sanding the inside, and most of the outside, then take it off the lathe, put a sharp chisle on the glue joint and seperate the piece from the waste block.. then sand the bottom of the piece to suit. Your done. It's not the most efficient way, but it does work.

[Darren Mullin]

Thanks to everyone for there advice. I think I will hold off on the chuck until I give the faceplate turning a try. I will put my catchers mitt next to lathe just in case I have to catch a flyer.:D