Getting a Grip on Four-Jaw Lathe Chucks

 

Dovetail jaws contracting around a
spigot: When forming a spigot
at the bottom of a bowl, match the
angle of the outside edge of the spigot
to the angle of the jaws.

 

Dovetail jaws expanding into a
recess: When forming a recess
in the bottom of a bowl, match the
angle of the inside rim of the recess
to the angle of the jaws.

Now form the inside

With the outside of the bowl complete, remove it from the screw center, and remove the screw center from the chuck. To hollow the inside of the bowl, remount it as shown. When turning the inside, take care not to catch the tool. Chucks do not hold turning stock as securely as a standard faceplate where several screws secure the blank. A bad catch can dislodge the bowl from the chuck. Once the final inside shape and wall thickness of the bowl have been achieved, sand it and apply the finish. For a bowl gripped in a recess, simply remove it from the chuck.