Chuck Plates & Wood from Jerry Marcantel

[Steve Schlumpf]

Received a priority mail box today! Yippee!!! Always fun to get a package in the mail!

Jerry Marcantel sent me a couple of the Chuck Plates that he designed so I can try them out. He also included some great looking Mesquite and Desert Ironwood root in the box! Beautiful wood – Thanks Jerry!

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Jerry’s chuck plate is actually a pretty cool idea and a new way to turn green wood without drilling holes or removing your chuck in order to use a faceplate. Just grab the Chuck Plate using the #2 jaws on the Talon chuck, tap the green blank onto the extended screw points and bring up the tailstock for support. I look forward to trying this out because I like the option of not using the woodworm screw. A lot of times you want to change the grain orientation on a blank once you see what the wood looks like and drilling a hole for the woodworm or using a faceplate commits you to that particular mounting.

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For more information on the Chuck Plate – please PM Jerry Marcantel – it’s his design and he’s got the answers!

Thanks again Jerry – for the wood and the chance to try out your Chuck Plate! :D

[John Keeton]

Pretty slick design!! And, some great looking wood! He picked the right guy to give it a trial run, for sure.

[charlie knighton]

thanks for sharing, Jerry knows his stuff

[dan carter]

Looks like that chuck will work. Good idea. Am sure the ironwood will be very nice. That is one of my favorites. It seems to be pretty toxic to my sniffer, it is one of the woods I always wear a respirator when turning. Will be interresting to see what you use it for.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Looks like a good option. Thanks for sharing. That is some good looking wood.

[David E Keller]

That's a good idea. I hope you'll let us know how it works out. Great looking 'filler' in that box as well.

[Steve Kubien]

Maybe a silly question but why wouldn't you start your green blanks between a spur driver and a live centre? It gives you a lot more options in terms of grain orientation.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Steve - a very valid observation but I have found that when turning larger blanks that - if - you get a little aggressive when turning you can spin the blank on the spur drive. No big deal - you just have to reset and apply pressure with the tailstock and move forward. Jerry's chuck plate is just another way to deal with turning green blanks and one that I hope works well!

Will let you know more once I have had a chance to try the Chuck Plate out!

[Jerry Marcantel]

Steve and others, there were 2 reasons why I developed this. Steve stated the biggest reason. While turning green mesquite, I had so many catches, my spur was almost buried to the threads on the spindle when I finally had the bowl roughed out. The foremost reason was trying to turn cholla that has no solid center. This basically allowed me to turn anything without the need to have a flat end or even a center. It also works great for natural edges..
The CP with the screws grabs the wood with a little pressure from the tailstock, and a couple taps on the wood with a hammer to seat it in the screws, another slight bit of pressure from the tailstock to take up any slack from the tapping, you can turn anything from green to dry without any slippage.
Steve, you need to use it, and then tell it like it is. It works for me, but it might not work for others. ........ Jerry (in Tucson)

[Ray Bell]

I like this idea, as I always seem to have problems with spur drives slipping. Is this limited to the Talon chuck only?

[Jerry Marcantel]

The CP tenon is 2 1/4". Make your own. The plate is 3/4" Baltic Birch, and the tenon is 3/4" hard maple. There are 5 - #8 1 3/4" screws at 1 1/2" od that attach the tenon to the plate. That allows the screws to protrude 5/16". The plate has 8 - 1" drywall screws set about 1/2" from the outer edge. That alsow allows for a 5/16' protrusion, depending on how deep they are counter sunk.
Of course, I'd rather sell them, but they are so easy to make, anybody can do it, even a wood turner..... Total time to make is about 15 minutes....... Jerry (in Tucson)

[Steve Kubien]

Fair enough Jerry. I guess I'm coming at it from a slightly different set of experiences in that I RARELY have any trouble with spur drives slipping. When I was using the POS that came with my King mini lathe or the one that came with my Nova, yup, all the time. Since I started using ones from PSI (http://www.pennstateind.com/store/LCENT3210.html and the 5/8" version), I haven't had much trouble.

Cheers.

[Joe Herrmann]

Reminds me of how the Japanese hold their wood on the lathe.

[Jerry Marcantel]

Reminds me of how the Japanese hold their wood on the lathe.

Joe, do you have a link for that. I'd hate to think I'm taking credit for someone else's tool. I hope I'm not hijacking Steve's thread...... .... Jerry (in Tucson)