What's a jam chuck??

[Rob Littleton]

I got these new Woodturning Design magazines (really neat) but most of the artices they use a jam chuck. It doesnt say if it is strawberry or peach or any flavor jam (I'm sure amongst you guys, i was gonna get that answer so I thought Id get in first :-).......

Appreciate an explanation of this thing they keep using.

Cheers lads

[Shawn Oberdorf]

Check this site out... http://www.woodturns.com/articles/tools/mounting_wood.htm
Its easier to link that to explain it (for me)
Shawn

[Bill Grumbine]

Hi Rob

There are a couple of things that pass for a jam chuck. Traditionally, a jam chuck was a flat plate of wood with a groove cut in it so that the piece being turned fit into the groove. For example, the rim of a bowl would fit into the groove and thus hold the bowl for the final turning of the bottom. Some people call a friction chuck a jam chuck although it really isn't. However, it is not worth starting a fight. I am not familiar with what is in the magazine as I do not have a subsrciption, but there are a bunch of ways to hold a piece to finish it off. One of the most versatile is the friction chuck, which is nothing more than a piece of wood turned to approximate the inside curve of whatever you are holding. It is then padded with a piece of foam padding or something similar (I use foam backed sanding pads), and then supported with the tailstock.

You can see an example of this if you go to my personal web page (click on the WWW below) and look for the link on turning a natural edged bowl. I hope this helps you out some.

Okay, I just looked and the button is gone! So much for paying attention to the new software. Go up and click on my name, and then the link to my homepage.

Bill