Results 1 to 5 of 5

Thread: turning a 40" cylinder - chucking advice

  1. #1

    turning a 40" cylinder - chucking advice

    I am working to make some 36-40" fly rod tubes. To construct them I am taking strips of wood and gluing together to form an octagon. Now I want to turn them on my lathe to make a cylinder.

    My question is: Would I be best to have the chuck jaws on the "inside" of the octagon or clamped down on the outside of the octagon on each end of my tube. I.D is nominally 1.5" and O.D is nominally 2.00"

    Thanks for the advice

    Steve

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
    Location
    Elmodel, Ga.
    Posts
    798
    I think I would go with the inside. I would not put too much pressure though. There shouldn't be anyway for it to escape if captured with the tailstock.
    My Dad always told me "Can't Never Could".

    SWE

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Sep 2015
    Location
    San Diego, Ca
    Posts
    1,647
    Not to contradict Steve, but I would chuck it up on the outside. Reason: you will be compressing the glued joints. If you put the jaws inside, you will be applying forces that could potentially pull the glue joints apart or are at least stressing the joints. If you get a catch, it could pull it apart if you chuck on the inside.

    Another approach would be to glue on a 2" diameter disk on the ends that already has a dovetail on it. Since you are lining up with a 2" dia. hexagon, it should be pretty easy to get it into a very close alignment.

    You will need to hold the right end with a live center in the tailstock. If you use a glue block, it should be easy to get it near-perfectly centered.

    Just my opinion...

  4. #4
    My concern was with outward pressure on the glue joint - but there is a decent amount of glue contact. Also wondering if I could just use a hose clamp on the outside if I secure from the inside. I will support/use the tailstock end with an adapter and chuck.....

  5. #5
    I would not expand a chuck into the inside either. A hose clamp may help keep it together, but still, it is putting pressure on the piece in the wrong direction. I would never use expansion on any end/long grain piece. You can true up one end, and then make a recess in a piece of scrap, and insert it and glue it in place that way, kind of a jamb chuck, but I would still secure with glue. Make the tube over length so you can part it off. A piece that long and narrow will want to flex/whip a lot as you cut...

    robo hippy

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •