Oops! Wood is too small for the chuck.

[Brian Kent]

I am about to make a whole lot of traveling communion sets. These include small chalices that can be made from 8/4 stock. The problem is, after buying the 8/4 stock, I realized I have 50mm (just under 2") jaws on my Nova G3 chuck. Too big for 1.75" wide stock.

What is the lowest cost solution? Could I glue extra wood on the base to make a tenon over 2"? What size jaws do I need if I buy new jaws? I don't want to spend between $140 and $200 on a new chuck and jaws.

Any other suggestions?

[charlie knighton]

yes, glue enough to have a normal tendon where the jaws have wood to rest on and protection buffer to keep your tools off chuck

[Thom Sturgill]

Nova comes with 50mm jaws. Packard lists the 35mm Jaws for $51. You can make a glue block, but be aware that you would be doing an endgrain glue up which is not great. Check out Capt Eddie's video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFzxOrJrMy4) he has some good tips.

[Roger Chandler]

Brian, what type chuck do you use? If you have a nova chuck this will work:

http://www.novatoolsusa.com/images/1292292328326-933603629.jpeg

a 35mm [1.35"] spigot jaw set......they also have step jaws that will hold several sizes.

looks like Thom and I were typing at the same time!

[Robert Henrickson]

As has been said, a second set of jaws is the cheap and easy answer (potentially even cheaper on Amazon). It is also the safer answer. The 35 mm SPIGOT CHUCK jaws will hold far better than the 50 mm would. I have a set of the 35 mm spigot chuck jaws and frequently use them with a G3. No need to buy another chuck (though many turners do seem to feel that every set of jaws deserves its own chuck!). Interchangeable jaws are a wonderful thing -- I have 6-8 different sets that I use on my (several, I confess) Nova chucks. Match the jaws to the task.

End-grain gluing would not be a good idea.

[Brian Kent]

I would definitely not do end grain gluing. If I did add wood with glue it would be on the sides of the last inch of the base so I could turn a tenon the right size for these jaws.I would be cutting the stock 2-1/4" wide, then building up the other two faces 1/4" each so I would have a 2-1/4" base to turn into a tenon.

[Brian Kent]

Thank you all. I ordered the 35mm Spigot Jaws through Amazon. Until they come I will start on the plates (AKA "patens").

[Randy Red Bemont]

Sounds like a wise choice. Looking forward to some finished pics someday.

Red

[charlie knighton]

you could use the oneway woodworm screw that comes with the oneway stronghold chuck.....if you have enough length on the 8x4, I believe wally showed that with a small diameter vase a while back........I have a friend that all he uses are glue blocks, I do not normally

[Leo Van Der Loo]

I would have made one of those chucks rather than get the jaws, however I have my Oneway jaws that clamp down to 6mm/1/4” so no need for me ;)

A block held in your chuck and turned into this shape with slots, and an inner ridge to hold the piece against and a clamp to squeeze it tight.

here shown how to make one to hold rings,
309910

but you can use it like in this manner with a hose clamp
309911

[John Keeton]

You have already ordered the jaws, so my comments won't help. However, with 1.75" stock, you could easily turn a 2" tenon that would not be fully round, but I would think sufficient to hold the stock for the small turning you are doing.

[robert baccus]

I think I am confused. Can't the wood be mounted inside the 2" jaws with the corners sticking out and clamped with the corners. Crude but doable?

[Reed Gray]

You can do an end grain glue up with a waste block, but you have to do a mortice on the waste block and a tenon on the piece. 1/8 inch is ample. That being said, much easier to do the extra set of jaws.

robo hippy

[Brian Kent]

Charlie, I had not thought about the worm screw for end grain.

OK, Leo, now that one is just fascinating.

Yes, Robert, I could do this with the corners sticking through. The diagonal is just under 2.5" (according to my figurin'). I did not know if that was enough for stability.

John, I had not thought about just turning a partially round tenon. That way there would be a little bit of shoulder support.

[Michael Mills]

I think you did good ordering the spigot jaws given the length of the item so that you can sink and 1" of wood into the jaws. Five, six, or more inches would be a long way out for the standard 50mm with a short tenon.
To use the 50mm jaws I would turn a ring maybe 3/8" thick with the size opening you want, turn the exterior about 2", then cut a kerf in your ring to allow for contraction. Place you spacer inside the 50mm jaws, tightening will close the kerf and grip your projects tenon.
The ones I saw made were from a plastic cutting board about 1/2" thick but a person could use a good hardwood.
I assume your material is already planned down, the 50mm close down to 1.65" per Nova (inside not outside) so you would only have 1/10 for compression if it is 1.75".
https://www.teknatool.com/products/Chuck_Accessories/Jaw_Sets/downloads/Min-Max%20Ranges%20Jaw%20Table%20(mm)Sep06.pdf

[Richard Madden]

A chuck insert ring, like Michael describes would help. I've made a couple from cutting boards and UHMW scraps. If you are interested, PM me and I'll give some details.

[robert baccus]

Brian, try the corners thing--I've done it a lot. Cost is zero to try one.

[Clint Merrill]

Here's a solution for you to consider without buying or making anything. Your 50 mm. jaws will go down to almost 1 3/4 in, so why don't you turn a shoulder a little bigger on your square stock ?? There will be small flats but they will not interfere with the jaws gripping the turned portion. I have done this many times without any failures. Give it a try, think you will be happy.

Clint Merrill

[Robert McGowen]

I always thought that 8/4 stock was 2" thick and would fit into the 50mm jaws just fine. I am sure you measured the wood to get 1.75" and are not just guessing at it though.

[Russell Neyman]

Grabbing the corners works perfectly, believe me.

Leo's shop-made custom jaw suggestion is a technique every woodturner needs to develop. Those can be made in an infinite number of sizes and shapes, and they can be reused (and re-shaped) for future projects.

[Brian Kent]

Yes, Robert, the 1-3/4" is a real measurement.

My first try at grabbing the corners failed. Probably because of the length of the piece - 8" including the gripped portion. I'll try that again, and one with rounded shoulders on a 6" piece.

…and the new jaws are somewhere in transit, due about Tuesday or Wednesday.

[Lee Reep]

I have something like 10 sets of jaws for my Nova chucks (a G3 and a Midi). You can never have enough jaw sets. My saying originally was "I never have the right jaw set".

Now I do not have enough Nova chucks ... :D

[Stan Smith]

What I have done with things as small as birdhouse ornaments is to:
1. Turn the stock into round.
2. If part of the inside is to be hollowed, drill a hole the size of a dowel. Tight fit is good.
3. Cut a dowel to fit into the stock hole
4. Put the other end in a collet chuck or spigot jaws.

That's the way I do it to avoid end grain gluing and still be able to use the entire length of the stock.
You could also use a waste piece with a tenon to fit into the stock hole.

I'm sure there are many ways to accomplish your goal. I try to figure out a way to get by with what I have. Then I go and buy a new tool. :)

[hu lowery]

Links aren't opening for me so I'm not sure if this is what others are already talking about but I make bushings to fit if I have many pieces to make like you describe. Turn one end of your blank round between centers. The dimension can be a little rough but once it is completely round turn a ring that will slide over the blank and fit in the chuck jaws. Cut a slot through the ring so it can tighten up on the blank when you tighten the lathe jaws on the ring.


When I am cutting multiple pieces like this it is very fast since the same bushing ring is used over and over.

Hu