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I have a series of ornaments ordered that require finials so I thought it was time to invest in a collet chuck. I got the Beall with a 3/8 collet and am struggling with it. It seems to either want to spit the finial out or it breaks off the tenon. I have been very careful in sizing the tenon and leaving a nice square shoulder, but it just doesn't seem to work. Am I missing something? Any helpful advice would be greatly appreciated.
I had the same issue with my set from WC........I got it and tried a few bottlestoppers last year........I wanted to make the kind with cork stoppers and tried a tenon and tried using a dowel........all snapped off. No doubt it will work for some things,.........just have to play with it some,I guess.
What I do with finial [I have made quite a number] is just chuck into pin jaws on my chuck......works well and you just need to leave enough wood next to the ends of the jaws to turn a tenon the size you need for whatever project........good luck!
I've made a lot of finials and I can't remember ever breaking or splitting one. I usually use ebony, blackwood or holly. I turn them a bit different than most. Completely turned between centers to give support. A great aid is the tiny center made and sold by Cindy Drozda to fit the Oneway type tailstock live center. My method is to turn the tenon first at the tailstock end. Usually 1/4 inch, sometimes smaller. Always a drill size I then work my way toward the headstock, sanding as I go. The finial is supported lightly (important) by the tailstock. When I'm turning the thin part I support it with my fingers underneath.
I often use pen blanks as finial blanks. I grip the blank with pin jaws in a chuck.
When very thin spindle turnings are broken it's often because too much pressure is applied with the tailstock. Use just enough to support the piece.
The pressure with the tailstock like Wally said will diffidently cause the problem. I think the other thing is you have to have an extremely sharp tool so there's no pressure on the cut.
The Beall collet chuck is, IMHO, one of the better designs. I tried a chuck with an MT2 and had nothing but problems, but that design has been stable. How long is the tenon you are gripping? Collet chucks want a fair amount inside. As has been stated *sharp* tools and little lateral pressure are called for as is fine grained stable wood. Think 'gliding along the bevel' not 'riding the bevel'.
On the other hand, I do not use the collet chuck for finials, I bought the set for turning crochet hooks for my wife. I generally mount a square in my pin jaws and use the tail stock only until I have the piece round. I don't make the tenon until I am ready to part off and often leave 3/4" in the chuck.
Hi Bob,
The Beall Collet Chuck is the greatest! When you look at the collet inside the screw on outer ring make sure the collet is all the way out at the inside edge of the outer ring. Sometimes the collet will want to sit about 1/8" back and in that position it will not be compressed properly by the outer ring.
Just guessing at what could be going on, I have never had a failure to hold with a collet.
P.S. The standard x5 set of inch collets are good, but if you buy a set of 18 Metric collets you will have a complete range to suit all applications.
Good luck.
Peter F.