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We need to celebrate the four-jaw bowl boal, because it is a spectacular tool! This bowl chuck is a must for any serious bowl turner. We will explore the integration of the four-jaw chuck in the wood bowl turning process.

Then we will discuss how the chuck works and how to go about selecting the right wood bowl chuck or rather chucks for your particular needs. Some enterprising woodturners, frustrated with limited chucking options, borrowed the wood bowl chuck idea from the metal milling world.

Initially, turners were using slightly modified metal milling chucks on bowl turning chuck zh lathes. A spigot chuck was used exclusively for awhile around the s.

Chucm the years, the four-jaw wood bowl chuck evolved and is bowl turning chuck zh designed solely to turn wood. Additional wood bowl chuck names include: four-jaw chuck, scroll chuck, lathe chuck, and spigot chuck. Chyck are several components to a four-jaw wood chuck. The most obvious element is the jaws.

Typically the jaws are attached to the chuck with a couple of recessed machine screws. This easy connection is important, because it allows bowl turning chuck zh quick access when changing jaws.

Yes, in most cases the jaws of a wood bowl chuck can be changed. The jaws are attached to the jaw slides. Jaw slides are moving parts that expand or contract when the internal mechanism of the wood chuck is bowl turning chuck zh. The internal mechanism contains a scroll ring that allows all four jaws to move in unison when adjusted.

Adjusting the jaws is done with a tool or key typically provided with the chuck. The most hcuck form of adjusting a four-jaw chuck is by rotating an inset on the side of the chuck with a hex tool or chuck key.

Usually, there are two inset screw points on opposite sides of the chuck to accomplish this process. The first thing to consider when purchasing a four-jaw chuck for turning wood bowls is the size of the bowls you will be turning. A rule of thumb ratio, depending upon to whom you talk, is about 30 to 40 percent base to diameter. In other words, it is a good idea to have a tenon or foot on a turned bowl that is at least 30 to 40 percent the size of the largest diameter of the bowl.

So, a inch diameter bowl should have approximately a three- to four-inch tenon on the base. In the 30 to 40 percent size range, the four-jaw chuck will perform well and provide ample support and stability. A three-inch tenon on a inch bowl would not offer enough support nor stability.

Most bowls are much shorter than they are wide. However, in the process of making a taller bowl or hollow form, the ratio of tenon size to diameter changes. This change is necessary, because the wood form has moved bowl turning chuck zh from the headstock.

The farther the turned piece moves away from the headstock, or the longer it is, the more bowl turning chuck zh and instability may occur.

If you are starting out and have not turned a bowl yet, you will probably want to start with a small to bowl turning chuck zh sized bowl turning chuck zh, one that will allow for the bowl turning chuck zh of perhaps six- to eight-inch bowls. For example, this is an ideal chuck check Amazon link for current price for small to medium wood bowl turning.

Keep in mind, depending upon the maker of the chuck, additional jaw options are usually available. I particularly like to use chucks that give me optional jaw sizes, but there are limits, of course. The chuck linked here also has afforadable optional larger jaws for creating larger bowls. The jaws of a four-jaw wood chuck are designed to work on both sides.

So if you turn a tenon, or a foot on the base of a bowl, the inside of the jaws grip the outside of that tenon. If you prefer to turn a mortise, or recessed area, instead of a tenon, the outside chuvk the jaws will grip the interior mortise with outward pressure.

Personally, I prefer the tenon, because it allows me to have more design control over the final bottom design. Besides, I kind of like to conceal how the piece was attached bowl turning chuck zh the lathe. A big mortise hole on the bottom of the bowl seems to give that little mystery away. I do know some turners that turn mortises and use that space turnimg hide decorative details and even epoxy coins as an added treat for people who closely examine turinng bowl.

Most of bowl turning chuck zh bowls I turn are side-grain oriented. Side-grain bowl blanks can work well with bowl turning chuck zh tenon fhuck mortise connections. Side-grain bowls with narrow or small bases may not have enough material to handle the outward pressure of the wood chuck in a mortise configuration. If you turn end-grain bowls, I would advise against using a mortise chucl. The wood chuck will simply expand and stretch the end grain fibers in most cases.

Cracked end-grain fibers make for a weak and unstable wood chuck joint. On the other hand, tenon compression with a wood chuck makes a firm hold on end grain bowl tenons and compacts wood fibers for a good grip.

Another thing to know before you select a four-jaw chuck is the headstock spindle size of your lathe. The spindle size is expressed in diameter and thread count. Many manufacturers use inserts that will accommodate your specific lathe size.

The tkrning thing about this is if you have more than one lathe and they have different sized headstock spindle inserts, you can potentially purchase an inexpensive insert for each lathe and use the same chuck on both. Another option is tirning use step-down or step-up adjustment pieces available to bowl turning chuck zh different sized headstock spindles. The jaws of a four-jaw chuck need to have a way to hold onto the wood.

After all, if the jaws were simply cylindrical quarter sections, the wood would come loose and shoot off the lathe. On both sides of the jaws are either bowl turning chuck zh or serrated teeth or grooves. I prefer dovetail jaws. While the learning to make a tenon properly may take slightly more time, chkck jaws hold much better than the serrated teeth bowl turning chuck zh. The tenon sheared off and the bowl fell to the ground.

My guess is that would have happened with the toothed jaws as well. I have had several pieces come loose while being held by toothed jaws. Typically the bowl, after taking an aggressive cut, will come loose in the toothed jaw chuck and vibrate off center. I stick to the dovetail jaws, and they hold on with great success.

The final aspect to consider when selecting a four-jaw wood bowl chuck is the optional jaws available for a particular chuck. Personally, I own three chucks. I have one that came with multiple jaws. I use that particular chuck for small turning projects. I also have two larger dovetail jawed chucks; each has several optional jaw size configurations. If I choose so down the road, there are larger jaws for my largest chuck that will allow me to turn bowls with a six- to eight-inch tenon — BIG bowls.

I will first share bowl turning chuck zh you the main boql I use the four-jaw chuck in my bowl turning process. Then I will show you how you can turn a bowl entirely using a four-jaw chuck. Most bowls I turn are medium to large, approximately inches in diameter.

Here are the steps, in which I incorporate a four-jaw wood bowl chuck while making most of my bowls. Sizing and turning a secure wood bowl tenon starts by bowl turning chuck zh the correct tenon size.

While the jaw slides on bowl turning chuck zh chuck move the jaws a great distance in and out, this IS NOT to fit just any sized tenon. The size of the jaws completely dictates the size of the tenon used on the wood bowl. The wood bowl chuck bowl turning chuck zh is turned as one piece when bowl turning chuck zh four-jaw chuck is manufactured, ironically on a metal lathe.

Because the jaws were cut apart, there needs to be a slight gap when closing them down on a tenon, to form the original true circle. Turninv never want all four jaws touching each other when tightened. That is also the limit at which they can grip. If the tenon is oversized, say a five-inch tenon for three-inch jaws, the inside rim of the jaws will only be making minimal contact with the circle of the tenon—also something we do bowl turning chuck zh want.

The ideal bowl turning chuck zh tenon is just slightly bowl turning chuck zh than the four jaws and leaves a small gap between jaws once the chuck is snug on the wooden bowl tenon.

If you are turning green wood into a rough bowl shape and then drying the bowl to later re-turn to the final shape, the first tenon needs to be bigger. I know this flies in the face of what I just said above, but think about it.

The green wood tenon will stretch and shrink as bowp dries. Once dry, the bowl turning chuck zh boowl tenon will need to be re-trued or made round again. This process will remove material. It is important to start with a bit of extra material on the green wood tenon, knowing a portion of that will be removed later, chukc the final ideal sized tenon.

Mounting the bowl tenon flush and chuco to the four-jaw chuck is simple, but critically important. With a properly turned tenon, this is not a problem bowl turning chuck zh all. Check for any debris that may be on or around the tenon and also look at the jaws and make sure they are free from any shavings or debris.

Expand the jaws wide enough to insert the tenon freely. Never force or push the tenon into the chuck, as this might damage the tenon. Once the tenon is inside the jaws, hold it loosely and slowly tighten the bowl turning chuck zh using the chuck key or hex wrench. When the jaws start to make contact, lightly apply pressure to the center of the bowl, seating it squarely on the top of each jaw section. Snug up the jaw grip and, while continuing to apply pressure to the inside of the bowl, rotate the chuck and tighten the opposite chuck adjustment point.

Slow opposite tightening will balance tension and prevent the bowl from being too tight on one side or the other. Firm up the chuck until it is tight and the bowl does not move within the chuck.