1. Home
  2. Woodturning Crafts
  3. Pin-chuck question

Pin-chuck question

How much wood should a pin-chuck chuck ?

I recently acquired a pin-chuck by mail order.

I had intended to use it on pieces of green stock of fairly small sizes, but the part that goes into the wood (the shaft ?) is longer than I expected.

Does the shaft need to be inserted to the full depth for the pin to get a proper grip ?

If so, would it be possible to use a spacer drilled with a hole of same diameter in order to limit the protrusion into the piece being turned, while maintaining proper positioning of the pin ?

MTIA

only one p in my real address / un seul p dans ma véritable adresse

Reply to
Peter Wells
Loading thread data ...

Cautiously try it. It may be easier for others to answer if you include a few dimensions.

Any reason a screw chuck isn't suitable if the pieces are only small?

Alan

Reply to
Alan

You don't need full depth on the shaft, and if a bit of the roll pin itself is visible, it will still hold in sound wood. You do want the chuck to bottom in the hole you bore for it, because with very soft or spalted woods you might work the hole broader with a combination of out-of-balance condition and starting shocks. Bottoming gives "flop" resistance.

As for your spacer idea, it's not necessary when the pin bottoms in the hole. That's your clue to use a Forstner or other flat bottoming bit, and to make sure the hole is clean for best use.

As to how much it will chuck, I will be swinging the inboard capacity of my lathe (400mm), some over 200mm in depth of soaking wet (harvested two days ago) hardwood on my 1" pin chuck. After I eat my oatmeal and get the stew started in the crockpot.

Reply to
George

Peter My home made 1" pin chuck will work fine with a 16" bowl blank. I seldom use it but I had to make one just to try it out :-) If you drill a flat bottomed hole with a Forstner or similar type bit, no spacer is necessary. The flat bottom against the flat of the chuck is what gives the holding power ASSUMING, (1) the hole drilled is the same diameter as the chuck (2) the pin is well seated (3) the wood is sound.

Reply to
Darrell Feltmate

As regards screw chucks, the one I've been using has not held very well when roughing out green bowl blanks so I thought I'd try an alternative.

Thanks for all the good advice.

only one p in my real address / un seul p dans ma véritable adresse

Reply to
Peter Wells

Repeat suggestion. On heavy, wet soft woods diminish the starting shock by giving the blank a turn with your hand before hitting the switch. If you've got soft start, probably no problem. Really good idea if you have the bi-directional chuck with just a flat milled for the roll pin. If you have this type of arrangement, probably unnecessary.

formatting link
Keep the tailstock on your side until you're ready to reverse the piece, of course, and consider leaving the pillar in the piece with a quarter inch or so of wood around the initial bore as the piece dries. Makes a good place to park your live center while you're hogging wood, and is removed only after drying at the last when the blank is at its lightest and most balanced.
formatting link
That way you can drop the proper bit down the dry contracted hole and re-true the bowl in the order you roughed it. With the pillar in place, they take up more room on the shelf, but the air circulation is better for drying.
formatting link
For lighter, smaller stuff, consider pin jaws.

Reply to
George

More great suggestions ! Thanks.

only one p in my real address / un seul p dans ma véritable adresse

Reply to
Peter Wells

InspirePoint website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.