Little trick for no mar for expanding chuck

[Jeff Nicol]

I have a little trick I tried out a month or 2 ago and I find this works very well on pieces that you want to expand the chuck in and opening or to clamp down on something without marring the piece or finish. It also works as a jam chuck on the inside of a bowl or on the outside of a HF. I was at the local Menards and I was in the plumbing section and saw the bins full of Fernco couplings that are used to put pipe together for a flexible contection or to mate PVC to cast iron pipe and other things. They are rubber about 1/4" thick and if you get a reducer you will have 2 diff sizes like I show. They are about $5 or less and they have got me out of some tight jams by allowing a little bit extra here or there to finish something. They may even work during a vacuum process, I will have to try it out.

You just never know what you will find in a big box store!

Happy turning,

Jeff

[Fred Belknap]

Thanks Jeff I will pick up a couple of those.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Great idea! A little surprised that it didn't mark the wood - but sure can see the benefits of having a couple sizes of that coupling around! Thanks!

[Donny Lawson]

I wish I had one of those eariler today. I will pick one up.

[Michael James]

Very clever... note to self...go get some. Thanks for sharing Jeff.

[Jeff Nicol]

Thanks guys, I was needing something that would expand for turning some bangles and these worked great! The rubber is pretty stiff and if you don't spin it fast and get it to slip on the piece it leaves no mark and it holds very well. I just sliced them with a utility knife and did not make sure that the cut was stratight and true. I will try and cut the one end at a internal bevel to add to the function hopefully in a better way.

Have fun,

Jeff

[Bernie Weishapl]

Thanks for sharing Jeff. Great idea.