Expansion mode chucking with platter glue-ups ok?

[Justin Stephen]

Just a quick confirmation before I actually do it. If I take multiple 8/4 boards and glue them together (probably Titebond original) to then cut a large platter blank out of, most especially if a glue seam runs down the middle of the resulting blank, is it still reliable to use expansion mode chucking? I would assume that it is since Titebond joints are typically very strong but thought I would ask anyway.

[Dennis Ford]

I am sure it can be done, just use "reasonable" force when expanding the chuck.

[Bill White]

I see no reason why not.
Bill

[Reed Gray]

In theory, it should be fine. Are you gluing 4/4 by stock to get 8/4, or you gluing 8/4 to get thicker than that? The glue joint is supposed to be stronger than the wood, and as long as your glue joint is perfect, it should be fine. Most of the time platters have a bigger bottom than most bowls. For a platter of any size, especially with a glue up, I would use the biggest jaws I have, which I think are a 5 inch diameter. I would make the recess fit as perfectly as possible, meaning 5 inch jaws would get a 5 1/16 diameter recess, and dove tailed to match my chuck jaws, again perfectly. Any time when chucking, you want snug/tight, but not as tight as you can make it. This can actually cause breakage, or put enough stress on it so that any extra stress, like a small catch, can push the stress beyond the failure point.

robo hippy

[Justin Stephen]

In theory, it should be fine. Are you gluing 4/4 by stock to get 8/4, or you gluing 8/4 to get thicker than that? The glue joint is supposed to be stronger than the wood, and as long as your glue joint is perfect, it should be fine. Most of the time platters have a bigger bottom than most bowls. For a platter of any size, especially with a glue up, I would use the biggest jaws I have, which I think are a 5 inch diameter. I would make the recess fit as perfectly as possible, meaning 5 inch jaws would get a 5 1/16 diameter recess, and dove tailed to match my chuck jaws, again perfectly. Any time when chucking, you want snug/tight, but not as tight as you can make it. This can actually cause breakage, or put enough stress on it so that any extra stress, like a small catch, can push the stress beyond the failure point.


I would be doing something like taking two 8/4 boards, 8" in width, cutting them to 16" in length, and gluing them together on the long side to create a 16" square, which would then by bandsawed into a 16" platter blank 8/4 thick.

[Lloyd Butler]

With 8/4 stock your glue joint should handle the turning. I would likely go Tite Bond 3 or similar though only because once you get to platter thickness you want to give the piece as much help staying together during washing as possible.

[Pat Scott]

I've turned a couple of platters using glue ups (I had more than just two boards glued together), and used a recess. No problems, but like others have said already, I made sure my joints were perfect, and my recess fit my jaws.

[Paul Gilbert]

The most spectacular blow up I ever had on my lathe was a platter (green wood) chucked up in expansion mode. It took out the overhead 2 bulb fluorescent light which added fireworks to the show. I now never use expansion mode on anything. Platters always get a glue block on a face plate around here.