Before you start turning items on a lathe, you need to be able to securely hold the piece of wood in place. You can do this in one of several ways but the most common technique is by using a specialist woodturning chuck. This is also the safest method of holding your work while you concentrate on turning. A good quality chuck is made from high grade steel and will last you a lifetime.
Choosing a woodturning lathe chuck can be a problem because there are so many to choose from. These items are not cheap so if you were to buy several of them the costs would quickly add up. The best course of action is to decide what items you will be turning on the lathe. You can then choose the chuck that will best meet your needs. If necessary, you can purchase additional chucks at a later date when the need arises.
Instead of blowing your budget on several different chucks, you could do a lot worse than purchase a good all-rounder. The four jaw self centering scroll chuck featuring the dovetail jaw is a popular example. This chuck is extremely versatile, makes life easier and allows you to embark on a wide range of projects. The chuck is made of four steel jaws which open and close at the turn of a key. These come with interchangeable inserts which means they are compatible with all lathe spindles.
The screw chuck is ideal for turning bowls or rough turning stock. This chuck comes in numerous sizes and caters for specific project requirements. The bigger the piece of wood, the bigger the screw required to hold it securely. If you are turning a high volume of bowls, you may wish to consider investing in some specialist bowl chuck jaws. This is a good way of holding your work and eliminates the risk of damage or unsightly holes caused by a screw chuck.
The pin jaw chuck is designed for mounting bowls. This is done by expanding into a recess inside the bottom of the work piece. A dovetailed lip grips the wood securely allowing for safe and confident turning. On this chuck, the jaws work both ways by holding your work with inward or outward force. This means the pin jaw chuck comes in handy for turning small, intricate objects.
You can also make your own chuck from scrap wood mounted onto a faceplate. This is known as a jam chuck but does have some disadvantages. It is used mainly for finish turning as opposed to roughing out. Compared to the aforementioned examples it is inexpensive and quick to construct. Hopefully, after reading this article choosing a woodturning lathe chuck should be a relatively straightforward process.
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