How would you remount this to reverse turn?

[Roger Chandler]

I am doing another lidded box from the Stonewall Jackson Prayer tree [it is currently still on the lathe between coats of WOP] and I will have to un-chuck it, and remount to turn away the tenon and finish it off. Gotta get this one done this evening.......have to have it ready for tomorrow at our club meeting for putting in the gallery for the Wounded Warriors project.

My thoughts were to use my vacuum chuck with the 3" head, but other ideas would be appreciated, and perhaps better.............at least I can get benefit from your ideas and expand my knowledge base here.

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[Marty Eargle]

I always finish the bottoms of boxes using a jam chuck. Just turn down a piece of scrap and shove the box onto it. I always put a blue shop towel between the two, but some prefer a wood to wood fit. If it's not 100% secure, just use the tailstock and take of the nub you pushed against by hand.

I know next to nothing about vacuum chucking so I'm not sure which would be more practical.

[Jon Prouty]

Nice box! If the vacuum chuck won't hold, I'd probably use a jam chuck and bring it down to a little nib. Carve off the nib and sand it clean.

JP

[Jason Clark2]

Jam chuck with vacuum. I make my jam chucks out of scrap and tap them so the thread directly on the spindle so I can pull a vacuum as some additional security.

Jason

[Allan Ferguson]

Roger, I often cut a grove on the inside that I can expand the chuck jaws into. You might need a different jaw set to do so. Grove can be quite small. The box looks very nice.

[Roger Chandler]

You guys have pretty much stated what I thought about doing if I do not use the vacuum chuck..........as a matter of fact, after considering this for an hour or so, I think I am going to use a long jam chuck with a small piece of mouse pad to protect the inside, and use a 60 degree cone live center to put pressure from the tailstock.

Turn away the nib till almost gone then take a sharp chisel and cut it off.........sand and put my name on it, then a coat of WOP on the bottom. I think using a jam chuck will allow me to get good pressure from the tail stock and be a secure method of finishing off the bottom............

Thanks everyone!

[Scott Hackler]

Roger, I would gentally expand the jaws into the cavity AFTER placing a ruber band around the jaws (to protect the inside) and finish it off. The jam chuck will also work, but if the walls are 1/8" or more, it should be plenty stable for expansion.

[Roger Chandler]

Roger, I would gentally expand the jaws into the cavity AFTER placing a ruber band around the jaws (to protect the inside) and finish it off. The jam chuck will also work, but if the walls are 1/8" or more, it should be plenty stable for expansion.

That would have been my first choice Scott, however, the inside of the box is larger than my largest jaws will expand to.......I think the jam chuck is the way to go........even more than the vacuum chuck on this........thanks!

[robert baccus]

All the above is good advice. if you do use a jam chuck consider drilling a finger hole in the back side to assist in removal.-----old forester

[Joe Cunningham]

That's a nice piece. No answer for you (I'm way too much a turning noobie to give advice), but I was kind of surprised my own thought process matched others. I did a jam chuck with the 60 deg live center on a thin plate I turned for a Christmas gift, then turned the nubbin down as far as I could and finished it off by hand.

[Bill Wyko]

thats where a vacuum chuck would come in handy.

[Roger Chandler]

thats where a vacuum chuck would come in handy.

Bill........I have a vacuum chuck, but decided on the jam chuck for this one........it is finished now........waiting for the WOP to dry then I will post a couple of pics of it finished.

I appreciate all who gave input........your answers pretty much confirmed my approach...........Thanks again!