needed a drum chuck to go with the vac pump

[Jim Ketron]

Well if you havent figured me out by now:) I make a lot of my tools:D
Here is a Homemade Drum Chuck I used Sch 10 (thinwall steel pipe) and 1 1/4x8tpi nut,flat plate 3/16" thick, walnut,thin foam (for the seal)
I turned a piece of wood to fit in the pipe and turned a tennon on one end for the hole in the plate and the nut to fit in, that way I could keep everything in align during the tack stages. I got it tacked up took it to the lathe for a test spin, it was running prety true not perfect but not that big of a problem, so I finished welding it up. mounted a piece of walnut on a face plate turned a 1/4" deep grove so the pipe would fit in, mixed up some epoxy and glued the walnut to the pipe I let it set overnight, Mounted it back on the lathe the next day turned out the center and rounded over the edges to have a good serface area that could be used on diff shapes of bowls and platters.also this fixed some of the runout that I had after welding.
I mixed up some Epoxy and applied it all over the walnut, let it get tacky then placed the sheet of foam over the walnut. I used masking tape on the outside of the foam to keep it from bunching up also put a few wraps around the base where the pipe and the walnut contacts each other, then turned on the pump to about 5-6 HG to pull in the foam to make a good seal with the epoxy and to keep it from bunching up left it on for 15 min till the epoxy dried cut out the center of the foam and it was finished!:D
Jim

[Dave Brandt]

Jim,

Where's the turquoise and exotic wood inlays? Not to be rude, but I've seen prettier bowls. :D

OK, I'll bite, what the heck is it used for?? :confused: Can you tell I'm not a turner? Dave

[Jim Ketron]

Its for use with a vacuum pump. place the bowl or whatever you need to finish off the bottom of and pull avacuum to hold the piece on with vacuum power. you cant use it in all situations EX: if the wood is pourous or has holes in it.
It just makes things go a little faster and easier.;)
Jim

[Dave Brandt]

Thanks Jim! Sorry for the stupid questions, but there's plenty more where they came from! Like, OK, where does the vacuum come from?? Do you use a small motor to create the vacuum? Is there some kind of valve somewhere on it? Again, sorry for all of the questions. I find it fascinating that you can shape something spinning around that's just being held by vacuum. Oh, and will the vacuum last indefinitely? Sheesh, I've got a million of 'em!

[Jeff Sudmeier]

Dave,

Click on the link below for Jim's Vacuum Pump post:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=18864

Jeff

[Jim Ketron]

Thanks Jim! Sorry for the stupid questions, but there's plenty more where they came from! Like, OK, where does the vacuum come from?? Do you use a small motor to create the vacuum? Is there some kind of valve somewhere on it? Again, sorry for all of the questions. I find it fascinating that you can shape something spinning around that's just being held by vacuum. Oh, and will the vacuum last indefinitely? Sheesh, I've got a million of 'em!
Ok Dave no problem:)
If you will look I have a Thread on the vacuum pump you can get a good look at it there. I posted it right before this post should be on the same page;)

Ok when you have the bowl mounted on the scroll chuck after you finish coring out the bowl you use the drum chuck along with the vacuum pump to finish off the bottom and sand. I have an adapter that has the same threads that fits on my tailstock so I can leave the scroll chuck mounted on the bowl, and just turn it around and use the tail stock/adapter to center it on the Drum chuck turn on the vacuum pump and its centered then take off the scroll chuck (Leave the pump on the whole time). I use the tailstock for safty untill I need to do the final cuts in the middle. then its time to sand the bottom and its finished
hope this helps
Jim