Faceplate Question

[James Baldwin]

Hi, I was watching American Workshop the other day and he was turning a log. Was about 20 inches long and maybe 10 inches in diameter. Really out of balance to start with. He used two faceplates and 3 1/2 inch screws to anchor the faceplates to it. One at the headstock and one at the tailstock. I'm curious as to how you attach it to the tail stock. Do you just run a live center up to it or what? I may never do that big of turning but it would be nice to know how just in case. Jim

[Kevin Jenness]

I'm not sure what you would gain by using a faceplate on the tailstock end over a live center in a recess. You would have to face off that end to start with and get the faceplate accurately mounted on center.

[Jim Morgan]

Reverse chucking is particularly useful for bowl turning, allowing a piece to be centered in a jam or vacuum or Longworth, etc. chuck on the headstock for finishing the bottom. It can also be useful for stabilizing large or out of balance between-center turnings as you saw. Oneway makes adaptors for the live centers to match different spindle threads: https://www.packardwoodworks.com/lathes-acc-cent-revtail-owadap.html

[James Baldwin]

I went back and watched the program on the PBS channel and it was much clearer as to what he did. He attached one faceplate to the headstock end and and the other faceplate to the tailstock end then used a regular live center in the tailstock. Jim

[Richard Coers]

Please do not look to Scott Phillips for turning advice. He's nice guy, but his turning methods leave a lot to be desired. When his show is sponsored by Easy Wood Tools, he has to do some turning. But I consider him as just a bit better than a beginner.

[Kevin Jenness]

I went back and watched the program on the PBS channel and it was much clearer as to what he did. He attached one faceplate to the headstock end and and the other faceplate to the tailstock end then used a regular live center in the tailstock. Jim

So what is the point of doing it that way?

[James Baldwin]

I haven't a clue. Sometimes I learn something new but not always. I don't know if I would turn a log that size anyway. Jim

[Neil Strong]

Please do not look to Scott Phillips for turning advice. He's nice guy, but his turning methods leave a lot to be desired. When his show is sponsored by Easy Wood Tools, he has to do some turning. But I consider him as just a bit better than a beginner.

Many of us have one TC tipped scraper in out tool rack to deal with the occasional and particularly dirty or rock filled piece of wood, but that is the extent of their usefulness, IME.

It is understandable why untutored novices love them... they are cheap to make, cheap initially to use (no grinder or special jigs) and Easy to use... just plunge cut away with little skill required and no sharpening skills to learn.

I have noticed that metal engineers who haven't successfully made the full transition over into woodturning are particularly fond of them and can get quite evangelical about them...:rolleyes:

It is my observation that some of the thugliest things I have seen turned in wood were made from a tool rack filled with TC tipped scrapers... just my IMO there on the 'thugly' bit. Not that TC tipped scrapers cause bad design. It's just a tool and the design comes from the maker, not the tool, but somehow they seem to be associated with bad design far too often.

Anyway, design aside, there is a reason why us woodturners have tool racks filled with woodturning tools and not metal turning tips attached to sticks... woodturning tools work better for woodturning, but we do have to master their use and how to sharpen them, and not just rotate the tip for a fresh sharp edge!

[Prashun Patel]

Bringing the tailstock live center up to a faceplate is a fine technique for centering the the turning as you reverse it.

However, the taper of the live center only mates to the rim of the faceplate spindle thread. That's not a very secure old. A giant catch can still knock it off balance - even if it doesn't come completely off.

i have done what you are suggesting, but only after reversing the trued up blank, when I can be sure I'm balanced.

If I was relying on it to hold while I turn down an out of balance blank (which is really an issue I prefer to solve off the lathe as much as possible) I would instead use a tailstock spindle adapter that properly screws into the faceplate threads.