safest way to hold this glued block

[Stan Calow]

I want to turn this block made of two 8/4 pieces of maple glued together with paper in the middle so I can split the turned piece in half. Roughly 3.5" square and 18" long. I am trying to figure out the best way to hold this in my lathe so that I can safely turn the end to make a tenon I can hold in my 4-way chuck. I dont think a face plate screwed into end grain would be safe, and dont want to have a pointed live center putting pressure on the glued joint. What's the right way to do this? Thanks for input. 396270

[Dennis Ford]

use a cup center in the tailstock and your chuck in the headstock. (most live centers can be used as cup centers by removing the point).

[Stan Calow]

Thanks Dennis, that had not occurred to me. I went down to shop and have done the rough turning with a cup center.

[Prashun Patel]

If it were me I'd use a spur center at the headstock, and a cone at the tail stock. Then turn the tenon at the tail stock end.

[Robert Henrickson]

Steb centers, particularly on the headstock. Perhaps a cup center on the tailstock.

[Leo Van Der Loo]

Chuck at the headstock and another chuck on the live center in the tailstock.

396286

[Stan Calow]

Thanks guys. I used a cup center on the tailstock and a screw chuck on the headstock. It was stable enough I turned it all the way with that setup, instead of making tenons for jaw chucks. I'd not done a glued workpiece before and was worried that a pointed center would break the joint.

[Thomas Canfield]

With the paper in the middle to allow for splitting later, anything that would put pressure on the center to start the split should be avoided. Safest thing if possible would be to have enough waste material at ends to allow for a screw each end recess enough for the tenon. I have only used a paper bag with wood glue joint for one project gluing 2 pieces of 3' long 2x4 to be split after turning. The glue joint was long enough that I was not too worried, but did watch any point pressure. I was surprised how easily the 2 boards were separated with wood chisel and moderate tap. Paper is not all that strong.

[Robert Hayward]

Chuck at the headstock and another chuck on the live center in the tailstock.

396286

That is a nice set up. How do you mount the chuck to a tailstock live center ?

[Leo Van Der Loo]

That is a nice set up. How do you mount the chuck to a tailstock live center ?

Use an adaptor that will fit your chuck (has the same threads on them as your spindle threads) and screw that onto the live centre’s treaded end, then you can mount the chuck onto that.

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[Robert Hayward]

Thank you Leo. Not what I would call cheap at ~$45.00 but I ordered one. Seemed odd to me that the part number in your picture also brought up the same adapter with 1 1/4-6 TPI. Almost got me, I need 8 TPI.