Bass Wood for jam chuck

Excellent advise Bob. Yes, I have had the same cracking problem. I am going to use basswood and I will give some poplar a try too. Thanks Edward

Edward

When I read the initial post, I thought - hey maybe Poplar would work for this as well as it has the tendency to compress but is still a hardwood. So when you said you would try Poplar too - you stole a bit of my thunder!

Ray

Poplar - as in aspen, or its cousin cottonwood, versus what's sold as "tulip poplar" would be an excellent choice, as it has nicely interlocked -splinter-free grain. Traditional use here was as the floor of carts or stoneboats, where something that would dent rather than break was preferred.

Been using it as vise jaws for a long time now. Also for the wooden jaws on my original "Masterchuck."

My 2 cents worth...

Softer woods, with open grain work best with jam chucks. I use maple and walnut a lot because I have a lot of it. Rather than try for a real snug fit, you can turn the tenon so that the whatever you're jaming on will just fit...but you don't have to force it on. Then wet the tenon (saliva works well). This will expnd the wood just slightly and you should have a nice snug fit.

rr

George wrote:

I'll get some Poplar and try that, too. Especially since it is half the price of Bass Wood. I watched Chris Stott do his jam chuck thing on all of the boxes he turns but could never get it just right. You can here the air pop out as he gets the final snugness. I can do that with the bass wood where I couldn't with other soft woods. But I will try Poplar. Thanks for all of the wise comments.

Bob

It may be...but the name on the wall at the lumber yard says Bass Wood, 16/4 and 12/4.

Cotton wood may work, and I know of someone who has a whole yard full. ;>)) FOT (free on the taking)

You're funnin' me, Richard!

Not me, I wouldn't do that! Now what size did you what?

depending on the shape of the box, you might try jamming it INTO a recess, rather than over a tenon...I used to do this a lot before I switched to chucks. Also, in either case, try making a less than tight fit, and using a soft paper towel to pad it to just the right snugness. (I also use a very small rubber tip, like a crutch tip, over an insert in my live center in the tailstock to put some pressure on the box when I don't feel totally safe.....the small area under it is easily sanded away....

Mahogany is my favorite. And an endgrain piece makes a more consistant jam chuck than side grain. I glue pieces together if I have to. Soft Maple is also good. The worst is to jam fit a Banksia pod onto another piece of Banksia pod!

CD boulder CO

The worst is to jam fit a Banksia pod onto another piece of

=================== Cindy,

Do you sell tickets to that?? {:-)

Ken