Woodworm Screw

[Mark Stutz]

Does anyone have any experience using the woodworm screw that comes with the Stronghold chuck? (Birthday gloat :D ) I've never read any comments or seen it mentioned in any posts. Any thoughts/suggestions/limitations/or other comments? Thanks

Mark

[Anthony Yakonick]

Great tool for bowls, you can turn a 20" bowl with a single screw.

[Tom Hintz]

I use the version that comes with the SuperNova chuck, whcih I believe is very close to the one you have. The thing is amazing in how well it holds wood. I use it all the time for bowls, platters, all sorts of things.

[Wolf Kiessling]

Does anyone have any experience using the woodworm screw that comes with the Stronghold chuck? (Birthday gloat :D ) I've never read any comments or seen it mentioned in any posts. Any thoughts/suggestions/limitations/or other comments? Thanks

Mark

I have the one that came with my Vicmark chuck and use it mainly when turning natural edge bowls and have two bark sides on the blank. I insert it into the top of the blank, which is going to be the bowl opening, then turn the foot on the opposite side. Once I have a tenon turned on the foot, I take the blank off the screw, reverse it, clamp the tenon into the chuck and continue turning.

[Terry Quiram]

Mark

You can't or shouldn't use it with super wet wood. The screws don't bite very well. Any slight catch will strip the threads. But if the wood is drier the wood screw works very well. Tail stock should be used for roughing.

Terry

[Jim Becker]

The Woodworm or similar really can speed up the process of getting the exterior of your bowl formed as well as the tenon for your chuck to grab on. I only recently started using mine, (Just never thought of it...) but believe it will be a regular part of my routine when working with rounds, etc, that are already oriented the way I want them.

[Mark Stutz]

Thanks for the information. I will definitely give it a try since there were no negative comments.

Terry--I assume you mean that the blank will spin on the screw, but not actually damage the screw.

I have been starting my first try at a natural edge bowl and while forming the outside, the drive center keeps slipping and I have to reset it. Sound like I could have the same issue with the screw, but I'll give it a try.

Thaks to all for the info.

Mark

[Wolf Kiessling]

Terry--I assume you mean that the blank will spin on the screw, but not actually damage the screw.

TRUE

I have been starting my first try at a natural edge bowl and while forming the outside, the drive center keeps slipping and I have to reset it. Sound like I could have the same issue with the screw, but I'll give it a try.

Mark[/QUOTE]

If you drive the screw in good and tight (do this with the screw already set in the chuck) and, if possible, have the raised parts of the chuck jaws actually dug into the bark a little plus draw the tail stock live center up good and tight you will minimize the problem. I turn wet wood all the time and very seldom have the blank start spinning on the screw. I also discovered that when I drill my pilot hole into the blank, if I make the hole small enough to have to work at fastening the screw into the hole (by that I mean I have to grab the chuck with both hands and grunt a little to twist the screw into the hole), that also minimizes the screw stripping out the hole. If you make the pilot hole fairly close in size to the screw, so that it is pretty easy to insert the screw, it will strip easily whether the wood is wet or dry. I hope I worded this in such a way that it makes sense.

[Rick Prevett]

Here's a trick that I first saw Trent Bosch (sp?) use at the Rocky Mountain Woodturning Symposium.

Mount the wormscrew in your chuck and the chuck on the lathe. Turn your lathe on, speed down low. Present the predrilled hole in your blank to the slowly spinning screw. Hold on to blank as long as you dare! The blank will self mount, tightly.

Caution: be careful doing this. I've had no problems, but get your hands away and turn off your lathe as soon as you can if it looks unbalanced or poorly mounted.

rick

[Mark Stutz]

Wolf,
Thanks for the reply. Perfectly clear. I would not have thought to put the screw into the chuck first! Another reason why I love this place!!! Will try it tonignt, as my first attempt on the natural edge exploded on me last night. Any tips on doing the inside without catching the rim? Just practice? I was using freshly sharpened bowl gouge with an Ellsworth grind. Thanks.

Rick,
I'm not sure I'm ready for that yet!!

Mark

[Wolf Kiessling]

Wolf,
Thanks for the reply. Perfectly clear. I would not have thought to put the screw into the chuck first! Another reason why I love this place!!! Will try it tonignt, as my first attempt on the natural edge exploded on me last night. Any tips on doing the inside without catching the rim? Just practice? I was using freshly sharpened bowl gouge with an Ellsworth grind. Thanks.

Rick,
I'm not sure I'm ready for that yet!!

Mark

Being the terrible tool handler that I am, I do most of my inside work with a 1" Glaser scraper. This is a really heavy tool and I really don't get any catches with it. Also, I use the Jamieson deep hollowing system even on scooping out the inside of open bowls (not just hollow forms) and that prevents me from getting catches. Most of the time, when I get the inclination to use my bowl gauge (with the Irish grind) to do the inside, I invariably get a catch. I guess this is why I don't get the inclination much any more to use the bowl gauge for inside work. I found that using scrapers is so satisfactory that I have never spent an adequate amount of time practicing with the bowl gauge. I gotta admit, however, it does create for more sanding. I also suppose that if I ever decide to take a lesson, that would also be helpful.

[Mark Stutz]

Wolf,
Thanks. I assume "Glaser" is a brand name? If so, then any good heavy scraper, such as Crown would work? I just got a Crown scraper, but haven't used it yet. Will give it a try. Reagardless, I'm learning that it takes practice, practice, and more.....practice. Thank goodness the wood is free!!!

Mark

[Jim Becker]

Mark, any heavy scraper can be used for bowls, but it's not the best tool for hollowing natural edge pieces. A sharp gouge is the best tool for that, IMHO, as you will get a lot less tearout when you go from cutting "air" to cutting "wood" in each revolution of your piece. I only use scrapers for final cleanup and then sparingly. It's the way I learned to turn.

[Wolf Kiessling]

Wolf,
Thanks. I assume "Glaser" is a brand name? If so, then any good heavy scraper, such as Crown would work? I just got a Crown scraper, but haven't used it yet. Will give it a try. Reagardless, I'm learning that it takes practice, practice, and more.....practice. Thank goodness the wood is free!!!

Mark

Mark, yes, Glaser is a brand name (Jerry Glaser). I could be wrong but I believe the Glaser tools are the heaviest available because of their weighted handles. The steel used is also not exceeded by any other tool on the market. They are also the most expensive tools I have ever run across.

As Jim pointed out, a scraper is not the best way to hollow out a natural edge bowl. (or any other bowl for that matter). I will certainly not argue that statement, in fact, will fully agree. As I mentioned, however, having learned turning on my own, I just feel comfortable with the tool. I use the scraper a lot also on the outside of the bowl but if I'm getting a lot of tearout, I will switch to the bowl gauge. I'm just not that comfortable using it. I have learned to handle my scraper in such a way (holding the handle way down and the bevel way above the centerline) that I can get shavings with it just about as easy as with my bowl gauge but do not get the catches. Like I said, anybody that knows turning and watches me would laugh themselves silly. (But, I don't care) My philosophy is, if it works, do it.......

[Brad Schmid]

I'm with Jim. If you spend some time working with the gouge, you'll find it will give you a much cleaner finish and a significantly less amount of final sanding. Don't give up on it, your probably within a few degrees rotation and presentation angle of being where you need to be. Rub the bevel and stay off the unsupported wing.

Others mentioned hole size for the Woodworm screw. It is important to get the hole size right to maximize the holding power. The correct size for the Stronghold is 9mm or 11/32". And on a final note, when you screw the blank on, make sure it's in solid contact with the face of the jaws.

Happy turning!
Brad