Chuck Holder

[Thomas Canfield]

The Nick Cook DVD supplied with my Powermatic 3520B suggested mounting the blank with tenon with the chuck sitting in the vertical. That made sense and makes mounting larger blanks. The problem I then had was keeping the chuck from tipping. I came up with this MDF block and turned dowel to fit the chuck that slips into the lathe ways. It makes rotating the chuck easy to tighten from alternate sides and also works well with my donut chuck to get the hold-down screws tightened. It is really helpful with the larger 19" diameter 75# blanks that I have mounted, where the blank in the picture is a 14 1/2" D x 30# piece of oak.

[David DeCristoforo]

I used to know a guy named Chuck Holder. No... really... I did. Anyway, that's smart thinkin'...

[Cyril Griesbach]

I just lay the blank with the tenon up and lay the chuck on top.

Cyril

[Roland Martin]

This is way too simple and effective. I guess this will be my next project. Thanks for sharing the tip.

[Steve Kubien]

I guess I am lucky because my chucks fit between the ways nicely and the body rests on the ways. It's awfully convenient, that's for sure.

[Bernie Weishapl]

I do like Cyril does.

[Thomas Canfield]

Cyril,

Good point, but that would not work for my donut chuck. Sometimes we do forget the simple solutions.

[David DeCristoforo]

"I just lay the blank with the tenon up and lay the chuck on top..."

Yeah, yeah... there's one in every crowd. You gotta realize... for some of us that's just way too logical.

[Neil Strong]

I do like Cyril does.

Me, too.

.....

[Frank Van Atta]

At the risk of seeming a "contrarian," let me say that I don't mount my bowls this way.

I leave the chuck on the headstock, insert the bowl blank, then bring up the tailstock with a pivot point in it to center the blank. I make sure it is centered and well seated in the chuck, then tighten 'er up. Then I rotate it a few times by hand to see if it's balanced. If not, I loosen up the chuck, adjust the tailstock point, and try again.

That's my story . . .

[Kyle Iwamoto]

Another contrarian.

Although since I only have a Mini and a Shopsmith, that prevents me from dealing with a large blank. IMO I think I can get the blanks seated in better if I press it in with the tailstock.