I'm turning a table lamp out of black palm and holly. My problem is making the mortise on the top (shaft) to mate with the bottom (bulbous base). No matter how firmly I tighten the chuck on the headstock, when working the free end, the fibrous black palm tears out of the chuck.
Unfortunately, I can't use a screw plate mounting because I've already cut the wire chase down the top (shaft). It would seem that I need to attach a hardwood mounting to the shaft, but I can't figure out how to release it. That end will become the top of the lamp where the socket is.
Thanks in advance for any advice you can give.