? on making a Longsworth Chuck

[Joe Meirhaeghe]

I'm about to try to make my 1st Longsworth Chuck. I'd like to know the best way to go about it. I was thinking I'd rough out bandsaw the plates 1st then route the groves. Then mount to a face plate & ture up.
Will this process work? or should I turn the plates true before I route the groves?
any advice is very welcome. as I do not have any fancy cnc machines to work with.
Thanks Joe

[Mike Golka]

Shouldn't matter as long as you maintain the same centers

[Wally Wenzel]

Joe, I would for sure mount on the face plate first and true it them route the slots, it can be sloted mounted on the face plate. once mounted and removed you tun the risk of not running true again. you can shim and block it up to do the routing. Wally

[Jim Underwood]

Follow those tutorials on various websites. Just do a Google search for the Longworth chuck, and you'll find several articles/tutorials. Once you get it mounted and trued you've established a center, and you can cut the correct size diameters to establish the arc centers while turning.

I cheated and made mine on the CNC router.:D

You do still have to follow the sequence in the design stages though.

[Bill Bolen]

I've made and sold 16 of these in the last month or so. Follow the directions at the wood centeral site. And what Walley said! Mount your block to your face plate and true that up first thing. Drill a centered hole in the block and mount your back disc. One the disc's are mounted then you do the layout and routing. You can use the face plate to clamp into your vice while routing. This is the the only way to guarantee you stay true and centered!DAMHIKT!..Bill..