Small bowl blank mounting

[Prashun Patel]

I'm new to the lathe, and am starting with some 3x3 and 4x4 scrap that I'd like to turn into small bowls.

I realize this is a basic question:

What's the best way to mount the blank to the headstock for inside turning? The center wood screw is a little too long and seems like it'll poke thru the inside. However, the faceplate is too wide to mount to the bottom of the bowl once the outside's tapered.

I don't think I can make a big enough recess into which the chuck jaws can grab.

I have a Delta 46-460 with a Nova 3d chuck.

How do you guys do it?

[Roger Chandler]

I'm new to the lathe, and am starting with some 3x3 and 4x4 scrap that I'd like to turn into small bowls.

I realize this is a basic question:

What's the best way to mount the blank to the headstock for inside turning? The center wood screw is a little too long and seems like it'll poke thru the inside. However, the faceplate is too wide to mount to the bottom of the bowl once the outside's tapered.

I don't think I can make a big enough recess into which the chuck jaws can grab.

I have a Delta 46-460 with a Nova 3d chuck.

How do you guys do it?

You can glue on a waste block to go in your chuck, then true it up, and you will be able to utilize the entire blank you want to turn. Just turn off the waste material when you finish up the bottom.

[Sean Hughto]

I think the "best way" - certainly most convenient - is a scroll chuck. I much prefer having the chuck grab a tenon than expand into a recess, but both work. It's a lot easier (at least in my experience) to break the piece in the expanding mode. For small bowls, the Oneway Talon is a great choice. Others may be great too, but my direct expereince is with teh Talon and Stronghold.

[John Keeton]

Sean, Prashun already has a G3 chuck, and I think he is asking about technique with the use of that chuck.

Prashun, I have the 46-460 and the G3 chuck. With stock as small as you are using, I have had good luck pressing the blank between the open chuck jaws and the tailstock, and then turning a tenon on the block, or on another wasteblock applied with glue.

I use some foam shelf liner - the kind that is kind of 'tacky' - placed on the open jaws of the chuck for friction.

On the waste block, I would cut it round on the bandsaw as accurately as possible, mark the center, and place the tailstock there. You should be able to turn at 3-400rpm and using light cuts, get the tenon cut.

[Prashun Patel]

Alrighty. Thanks. The blanks are a little thick anyway, so I'll just turn a tenon right on the bottom of the bowl.

OT question:
What do you guys use to sharpen your gouges? I've been freehanding it on my Worksharp and am getting reasonable results, but am ready to add a tool rest to my bench grinder.

[Sean Hughto]

I assumed he was suggesting that the G3 only had jaws that fit large recesses (i.e., he didn't have room to make such a recess in the small bowls.

Anyway, why not use a faceplate to turn the outside curve and the tenon, and then remount the blank in the chuck to hollow the inside?

[Sean Hughto]

As for grinding, I have no complaints with my Wolverine.

[Kyle Iwamoto]

I turn a tenon between centers, shape the outside of the bowl. Then flip the blank and mount on your chuck. The best "tool" I've discovered, is to make a go/no-go gauge for the tenon. Measure the largest and smallest your chuck can grab, and make a template. Use the gauge when making your tenon. It will always fit.

Let me be the first to mention Bill Grumbines DVD's. They are very good DVD's.

[Mike Willeson]

I'm new to the lathe, ...

Welcome to the spinney side Prashun!

I see your work in the projects area and also read your responses in the finishing forum. Very nice projects and good responses to the finishing questions.

I am guessing you will be a very good spinner in no time.

Mike

[Allen Neighbors]

Welcome to the Spinny Side!!!
Prashun, here's how I turn a tenon: I put my Morse2 tapered spear point in my G3 chuck (the inside of the jaw bottoms hold it perfectly). Then I mount the blank -bottom towards the headstock- using the tailstock to hold it in place. I turn the tenon on the headstock side of the blank; the jaws don't close all the way on the spear point, and you have them right there beside where you're cutting, so you can get the tenon the right size, every time.
You can see a pic of it here: Scroll down to post #15
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=141926
(http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=141926)

[Salem Ganzhorn]

I know much less than most here but I have seen and used the following technique:
1) Drill a hole in what will become the top of the bowl. Drill it to fit your woodworm screw.
2) Put the screw in your chuck and mount the bowl to it.
3) Shape the outside of the bowl. You could also sand the outside it at this point.
4) Bring the tail stock up for support and turn a tenon on the tail stock end.
5) Reverse the bowl using the tenon in the chuck.
6) Hollow it out and finish.

At this point you may want to reverse it once again to work on the outside. For this you could use cole jaws or a jamb chuck.

Good luck!
Salem

[Prashun Patel]

Thanks for all the help, guys. I was able to turn the tenon, the outside and the inside with the info below.:)

To more basic questions:

What's the best way to remove the tenon now? I don't have a chuck that'll expand wide enough to fit inside the mouth of the bowl. Is there another way?

[Allen Neighbors]

To more basic questions:
What's the best way to remove the tenon now? I don't have a chuck that'll expand wide enough to fit inside the mouth of the bowl. Is there another way?
Prashun, if you haven't made other provisions, I would suggest the following:
1. After finishing the inside and outside of the bowl, remove it from the chuck. At this point, it should have an indentation in the center of the tenon that was made when you first turned it between centers.
2. Put another piece of soft wood on the lathe, and turn it down to a 'dome' shape, to fit inside the bowl, all the way to the bottom, with just a slight amount of slack.
3. Put a piece of rubber shelf liner, or a "foamie" from Walmart Craft Section, over the 'dome'.
4. Put the bowl opening over the padded 'dome', and bring up your tailstock to the center point. Tighten the tailstock against that point, so that the padded dome will friction-turn the bowl.
5. Turn the tenon off, and finish the bottom of the bowl, leaving a 3/16" to 1/4" 'nub' in the center, where the tailstock is making contact.
6. After you've finished the bottom, remove the bowl, and whittle the remaining nub off with a chisel or pocket knife, and hand finish that.
You're done.