Screw Chuck

[Bob Haverstock]

I ordered a 3" screw chuck for my JWL1220 and it arrived last week. Yesterday I decided to try it. I installed the woodscrew and set the set screw against its flat. I used a 1/4 dril for the hole making sure that the drill was as large as the minor dia. of the wood screw. I drilled the hole deep enough to accept the length of the wood screw. The hole was square to the face of the blank.

The blank mounted with ease and the chuck held well. When I tried to unscrew the blank ,the screw broke.

Those of you who use a screw chuck, can you tell me where I might have gone a stray? Do you wax the screw threads?

BTW, the vendor is sending me a neww chuck and screw.
Thanks,

Bob Haverstock

[Gordon Seto]

Aren't you glad the screw broke while you tried to unscrew the blank instead of while you were turning?

Part of the reason for using a screw chuck is gaining full access without using the tail stock. Sorry, I don't have confidence of using that screw chuck.

Use the woodworm screw from high quality scroll chuck instead. The steel should be properly hardened.

[Wally Dickerman]

You didn't do anything wrong. Sounds like you did everything right but you have a defective screw chuck. I'm not familiar with a screw chuck that involves installing the screw yourself. I don't think that I've ever heard of breaking the screw on one. I suggest that you ask for a refund instead of accepting the same kind again.

There are some good ones on the market. Woodcraft and others sell one that is well made and will last for years. I have a couple of them and they've seen a lot of use over the years.

If you have a 4-jaw scroll chuck it probably has one available. It will be a bit larger than the reqular screw chuck but it works, especially for roughing out work.

Wally