Cole Jaw Set CM021

This is the link to Teknatool's cole jaws page. It give all of the dimensions for the sizes of wood they will hold for every one of their chuck sizes in both standard and metric measurements.

I have a set of the larger jaws on an original Super Nova chuck. The actual jaw dimensions are 10 inches min and 11 inches max. I think you will have problems using these jaws on a 10 inch lathe. You will probably need to get their mini coles jaws.

Ted

Agreed, I'd get the mini's

Thanks for the quick response. Probably headed off a major mistake!

Thanks again......... Great group! Old Chief Lynn

Why not consider alternatives such as the Longworth chuck which you can make yourself for a few [pennies / cents]? Have a look at, for example,

or Google for alternatives. Ian

cole jaw set sold for

example,

Google for alternatives. > > Ian

Hello Chief Lynn,

As Ian says, the Longworth Chuck is an excellent alternative and you don't have to change chuck jaws to use it. For the full list of information on the Longworth chuck at my website to to . One advantage of using the Longworth chuck is that you can make it to a size to fit your lathe. However, I believe the Small Cole Jaws for the Nova Chuck will work on your 10 inch swing lathe.

Fred Holder

Another possibility is that you use neither Cole jaws nor a Longworth chuck.

Since both drive the work from the rim, they are useful only for bowls. Neither is of much help with hollow forms, natural edged bowls, and bowls with semi-closed shapes.On the other hand, a home made jam chuck works with all of the above. It does mean that you need to hold the work with the tailstock so that there is a little hand finishing in the middle of the bottom. Later on you can set up a vacuum system, use your jam chuck as a vacuum chuck, and can finish pieces completely on the machine. I have a couple of bucks in my jam/vacuum chuck.

Even then, you are sometimes going to have to hand finish -- I've recently turned a hollow form but couldn't vacuum chuck it because of bark inclusions.

Bill

Fred Holder wrote:

cole jaw set sold for

example,

Google for alternatives. >> >> Ian

In article , "Ian Malcolm" wrote: ..

Ian suggestion is a good one, although I prefer the 6 pin design to the

4 pin shown in Fred's fine publication

when I have small inclusions that preculde using vacuum, I just fire up the pump with the piece in place and put scraps of plastic bag over the holes - the vac holds the pieces in place - this won't work with large holes, but up to 1/4 inch or so it's not a problem - and it doesn't hurt hte finish, when you are done, turn off the vac and the pieces fall away.

** Posted from **

. Gosh, there is certainly no shortage of good ideas in this group! Fred's publication planted seeds of thought of a 6 or 8 pin Longworth that might be a good alternative to the Cole chuck. I kind of like the idea of not having to take the Cole chuck jaws on and off with related hunt for fumbled screws in the chips. (I've got an old magnetron magnet that has saved lots of time in the lost parts searches)

Old Chief Lynn

Yep.. a lot of factors, including the hassle that you mention...

Also, there's the cost.. I have Oneway chucks, so I bought the "jumbo" jaws... About $100 with shipping at the time... Probably more now..

They were really cool, at first, then I started finding excuses NOT to use them, including having a stack of bowls waiting for a "jumbo jaw" day..

I haven't used them since I started vacuum chucking a couple of years ago, and the cost of the jaws was 1/2 of what it cost me to set up the vacuum system..

Price of experience, I guess.. :-]

mac

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When I was done, like you said, the bowl slipped right out of what was left of the bag when I turned the vac pump off..

I wouldn't recommend this method, or suggest that it's safe, but it worked for me.. (once)

mac

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I use a similar procedure as Mac had used although extended a bit. I have finished turning several (8 or 9) bowls. I then set up the cole jaws and do the bottoms. Then I set up the buffing system and do all at once. For me it seems a bit more efficient. There is also that small pleasure that comes with having several bowls finished all at once and then carting them upstairs for the wife's persusal.

I've seen the light and changed my ways, Kevin.. lol

Since I started vacuum chucking a few years ago, I pretty much do one project at a time, inside and out, unless it's something that needs gluing/clamping or I just haven't decided what the next step will be..

I just got tired of the stacks of stuff waiting to have the bottoms done... It's so much easier to unscrew the lathe chuck and screw the vac chuck on than it was to mount those damn jumbo jaws..

I do, however, have a shelf next to the buffer.. It just seems natural to buff several things on a wheel, then change wheels..

mac

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