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Easy Way To Hold Square Wood In A 3 Jaw Chuck

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I wanted to turn some basswood and balsa wood lure bodies but I couldn't find any round dowels that I could hold in the 3 jaw chuck of my mini lathe. I woke up in the middle of the night last night thinking, " I wonder if those 1/2" square sticks I have will fit in a 1/2" square drive socket." This morning I put the 1/2" square sticks I bought at the art supply store into the back of a 1/2" drive socket and they fit pjerfectly. Now all I have to do is chuck up the socket and insert the stick when I want to turn a square piece of wood in my lathe. I'm sure 3/4" and 1" drive sockets would work as well.

Bill

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I wanted to turn some basswood and balsa wood lure bodies but I couldn't find any round dowels that I could hold in the 3 jaw chuck of my mini lathe. I woke up in the middle of the night last night thinking, " I wonder if those 1/2" square sticks I have will fit in a 1/2" square drive socket." This morning I put the 1/2" square sticks I bought at the art supply store into the back of a 1/2" drive socket and they fit pjerfectly. Now all I have to do is chuck up the socket and insert the stick when I want to turn a square piece of wood in my lathe. I'm sure 3/4" and 1" drive sockets would work as well.

Bill

Clever solution!

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If you can find some impact sockets they sometimes have a hole drilled through the side so that a retaining ring can be used to keep the socket from falling off the impact wrench. They use this type in construction where falling objects could be a health hazard. You could stick your square stock in the socket and then run a drill bit through the hole. You could then use a small bolt or wood dowel to secure your square stock to the socket.

Ben

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Get yourself a four jaw chuck, thats what I use and I have no problems, besides put the square wood between the centers and round them off thats how I make mine.

Sounds like your a novice go to a book store and get a good wood turning book.

Edited by repair
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Get yourself a four jaw chuck, thats what I use and I have no problems, besides put the square wood between the centers and round them off thats how I make mine. Sounds like your a novice go to a book store and get a good wood turning book.

Hi Repair,

My lathe is set up to turn metal masters I use to make water putty injection molds. The chuck has less than a thousanths runout and the tailstock is aligned with the bore of the chuck with no indicated misalignment. I don't turn much wood so I was looking for a way to avoid removing my three jaw chuck. The 1/2" drive socket holds the wood with a force fit and no play at all. I was able to cut a 0.025 basswood disk with my parting tool easily so I tried a 0.010 disk but the wood fell apart. I then cut a 0.015 disk with my parting tool no problem. I posted the pictures in the hardbait gallery. If your four jaw chuck can do better post a picture.

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Nice idea but I would be careful when you part the lure off. I doubt that the socket keeps a firm grip on the wood.

Gene

Hi Gene,

The back of the socket holds the wood with a forced fit and no play. Check out the pictures of some very thin parting cuts I was able to do easily in the hard bait gallery. The wood cut so well it was actually shiny.

Bill

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Hi Gene,

The back of the socket holds the wood with a forced fit and no play. Check out the pictures of some very thin parting cuts I was able to do easily in the hard bait gallery. The wood cut so well it was actually shiny.

Bill

Bill,

Point taken. I stand corrected. Very nice.

Gene

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I have just recently turned a few baits with my lathe. Used basswood with no problem. The operation was fairly simple as I just found the center of my stock material, Secured it in my live centers and away I went. Consider purchasing a Barracuda chuck as it will hold square stock as well without the aid of a tailstock. :twocents:

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