Faceplate Screws - What Size?

I don't see how either of you decided that what I was doing was stupid or dangerous except that you have a tendency to jump to conclusions without anywhere near enough evidence to support them.

Why would MY feelings be hurt? That makes no sense at all. You two are the ones who made the mistake.

Now, can we get back to discussing woodturning?

Bill

Ah, conventional thinking. Orientation of the grain determines the direction wood wishes to be cut, not direction of rotation, and a cross-grain bowl blank can (should?) be approached precisely as a spindle, the only difference being that the arc of rotation is at ninety degrees relative to a conventional spindle. This is not a problem, because you initially orient your rest perpendicular to the axis of rotation to compensate. All the spindle truths are valid, you still want to cut downhill, your gouge angle for shaving drop is the same. The only difference is that a bowl blank, depending on how it's prepared, may have interruptions in the material. These are not a problem if you've anchored firmly to the tool rest, as the thrust of the wood is still down the edge into the rest, just as it was with a spindle. As the blank acquires shape, the toolrest is moved in closer and re-angled. You don't need to compromise the cut with a narrow-nosed bowl gouge, or attempt to get clearance for the long handle so you can shear from the wing, and most important, you never have much extension over the rest, which is the reason behind the hefty section on a bowl gouge.

PLEASE tell me you don't orient your toolrest parallel to the axis of rotation on a bowl and hack away.

Well Bill, I guess it's true what they say happens when you assume.

I stand firmly by my assertion that it's mighty difficult to snap a 1/2" of steel gouge without abusing it, and I won't bother chiding M.J. for his choice of options in an attempt to defend you again.

"Moreover, I didn't say that it was a bowl gouge. It wasn't. It was a spindle gouge being applied to the outside diameter. (It has since been reshaped into a bowl gouge.)"

A 1/2 inch "spindle" gouge that broke off 2" is now doing service as a reshaped "bowl" gouge and -I'M- the one that doesn't have enough evidence that you might be doing something dangerous? Bill I stand corrected and apologize profusely......carry on.........once again...........Good luck...........:-(

James, Consider using SPAX screws available from Highland Hardware. They have serrated threads and can be driven with square drive or phillips drive bits. Screws are a bit "pricy" but well worth it. Also consider drilling-out your Jet faceplate to accomdate #10 screws. With faceplates the number of screws is more critical than the depth of the screws. Happy Turning. Larry

Well said. The outside edge of a bowl is just a short spindle no matter how the grain is oriented.

When I have interesting growth rings, I cut the bowl on end. When the nicer figure is somewhere else, I turn the log differently and try to capture the figure in the slab at a point where it will show in the finished product. No matter which direction I make the slabbing cuts, I will still end up with a bowl after the slab is cut and the blank is turned.