A lesson I won't forget

[Faust M. Ruggiero]

My little grandson loves to play with a ball. But who doesn't? I decided to make him a little sphere shaped hollow form, not that I needed an excuse to turn a hollow form. I chose a nice little maple blank that would yield a 4" ball, cut a half circle template to follow and began between centers. When I transferred it to the chuck, a Talon with #2 jaws, it turned less true than I expected. I re-chucked it several times and finally decided to true it to the chuck. Hollowing went fine when I got a catch that loosened the blank. No damage so I tightened it up and went back to work. I was all but finished and just smoothing the inside when another catch blew up the form. I haven't blown up a hollow form in a long time and was really surprised.
Not one to be easily discouraged, tonight I began another from a similar blank. When I went to transfer from centers to chuck, I realized 4 of the 8 screws holding the jaws were loose. Two were so loose I could spin them with my fingertips and the jaws themselves were loose. I rarely change jaws in my chucks but never bother to check the screws. There is no doubt in my mind that neither catch was severe enough to have caused the reaction they did and the loose screws were mostly to blame. The lesson here is to check the jaw screws often.
faust

[John Keeton]

This is doubly good advice for those of us that NEVER change jaws! I have accumulated 6 chucks, and it would be a really rare occasion when I changed jaws on one of them. I will need to do a periodic check!! Thanks, Faust!

[David E Keller]

Thanks, Faust! I can't recall ever checking the screws on my chucks, but i'll do it next time I make it out to the shop!

[Steve Busey]

I've often been accused of having a couple loose screws myself, but thanks for the reminder to check my chucks! ;)

[Bernie Weishapl]

Thanks for the reminder Faust. I had that happen a couple of years ago. Haven't been as vigilant as I should especially with 6 chucks.

[Michelle Rich]

thanx for the reminder...

[Steve Schlumpf]

Sorry to hear of the mishap ... but glad you were able to locate the cause! Thanks for sharing your safety tip!!

[Prashun Patel]

Yikes! I never check the screws. Will do today and from now on.

[Roger Chandler]

I have had the screws that hold the jaws in my SN2's loosen over time............had it happened two weeks ago.........I usually run the chuck empty when I first put it on the spindle and turn on the lathe at about 100 rpm........if they are very loose you can hear a rattle of the jaws on the chuck.

It is best to check the tightness with each use of the chuck.........I have had loose screws when I took a blank out of the chuck and felt the jaw loose............made me realize that I had not checked before hand....:eek:.........safety first!

[Tony De Masi]

Good advice Faust. Thanks.

[Russell Neyman]

Because of your note, I'll go back and check the jaw screws when I turn tonight. Truth is, we should all go over everything -- even the lathe head lock -- and be sure it's all tight, but I doubt anyone does. It probably wouldn't be a bad idea to replace jaw screws every several hundred hours. They take a lot of stress -- especially for those of us who turn "irregulars" that vibrate like heck -- and I'm sure the threads get worn.

Speaking of loose jaws, I find that the screws on my Cole softjaws loosen fairly often. I guess it's because of the dissimilar metals, aluminum being softer than steel. Anyone else find those to have more play?

[Baxter Smith]

Thanks for the reminder Faust.

[Michael Mills]

Thanks for the reminder…I did have the jaws come lose in my woodcraft chuck a year or so back (one screw was completely missing).
Something else to add to my 3-S start up list.

[James Roberts]

Thanks for the tip, I'll check mine tonight after dinner.