Using faceplates on endgrain..

Re: Using faceplates on endgrain..

Mike Schwing from Md.

>There can be no doubt that screws grip poorly in end grain. Several people here on WC have described successful methods for using faceplates and screws in end grain.

One of them that comes to mind is they drilled holes and inserted glued dowels perpendicular to the face grain. The screws then bite into the dowels through the end grain.

The other is I have seen chucks depicted that have holes in the gripping surfaces into which screws can be inserted into the face grain side of the workpiece. One could easily accomplish this with existing chuck jaws, but I wonder if it damage them, making them more susceptible to breakage under stress.

I have done maybe 100 hollow forms by now. Don't recall ever using a faceplate in an end grain situation, but rather use my 4 jaw chuck. Many of my hollows are face grain, but the spindle orientation hollows have all been accomplished with a large 4 jaw chuck. Some of them have been quite large, and I don't recall having a dismount.

Hope this helps some.

Re: Using faceplates on endgrain..

Tom in Red Deer

>I very seldom use screws. I usually use a glue block that is mounted in the chuck with a tenon. I have had no trouble with "flying saucers", even on segmented bowls which produce a lot of vibration in the first stages of turning.

I have mounted wood, stone, and metal this way with no problems.

Tom in Red Deer

Re: Using faceplates on endgrain..

john Lucas

>I used nothing but faceplates or years because a chuck was simply out of my price range. I got out of the screw problem by doing one of 3 things. I glued a wasteblock to the bottom of the blank. This should preferably be a piece of hardwood although I used a lot of yellow poplar scrap blocks.

Use bigger screws and more of them. I have all of my faceplates drilled for 6 or 8 holes. I drilled the holes 1/4" and use screws that are about that big. I also counter sink the hole on the wood side of the faceplate very slighlty. This gives the fibers that are pushed up by the screw a place to go making the wood sit flatter on on the faceplate.

Last but not least put a little thin CA glue on the screw as you put it in. I usually only did his on punky wood.

I've never lost a piece off of a faceplate unless my glue block breaks. (OK I'll admit I do use a 2x4 scrap occasionally, but only on smaller work)

Re: Using faceplates on endgrain..

ArtLiestman

>I've turned a lot (hundreds) of small hollow vessels in endgrain using faceplates. (The largest was probably 15" tall and 8" diameter - most were under 10" tall.) Most of these have been in big leaf maple (either wet or dry), but I sometimes use other woods. I generally use the 3" (stainless steel) Oneway faceplate with six large diameter screws (#14). For larger pieces, I will use a larger faceplate and more screws. I haven't had any problems with this.

Re: Using faceplates on endgrain..

Arch

>Hi Jeremy, Please forgive me for burdening your thread with a personal observation. It's not meant as criticism of you or to imply any disagreement with the sound advice offered here. Web advice, even here on WC, isn't always sound.

That Richard and Lyle, both successful turners, suggest opposite methods indicates to me that we can't ask for advice in order to entirely avoid finding things out for ourselves. We can speed up the process by asking, reading etc., but every time we turn the lathe on we are experimenting. When there are multiple answers, some correct, some not, we must decide a way and go with it. Hopefully we picked one that works, if not we try another. That's experimentation and IMO we can't avoid it.

OK, stop sighing, I'll get back to your subject. I turn lots of hollow or open forms on end grain NIP using a batch of shopmade faceplates without reversing. This wastes good timber, but is secure and works for me. Other's experience, especially with different timbers, will differ.

Turn to Safety, Arch

Re: Using faceplates on endgrain..

Mark Mandell - Gone Round In Jersey

>Yup, Do it all the time.

Rough the piece, spindle-wise, between centers, then do a flattening cut on one end so it's at a good 90 to the form (don't worry about the center where it's fixed). Then do a parting tool cut to establish a round lip that matches the diameter of your faceplate. Remove from lathe and plane or chisel off the bump in the center. Fix your plate with 1" or 1-1/4" # 14 sheet metal screws (at least 6), remount and retrue the form, if needed, and finish trun the shape with the tailstock engaged. For hollowing longer forms you can consider a steady rest, but for 12" or less from the plate I don't think you need one.

For spalted and infirm wood where the end grain is weak, I soak the wood with thin CA, then use a glue block.

Did a piece in spalted elm and had a tooljam-catch while hollowing that pulled the piece off the screws. Remounted it using the parted lip for registration and a 1/8th turn for new screw locations. Finished the piece with no problem (but a bit more caution, hehe).

Your Mileage May Vary |;-}

M

Re: Using faceplates on endgrain..

Wally Dickerman at Green Valley, Az.

>Using a 4-jaw chuck, a faceplate with long large screws or a glue block with a tenon are all good ways to fasten an end-grain piece to the the lathe. If you have a soft, punky, spalted piece those ways may not work. Using a V-block and a drill press, dowels can be inserted and glued into the soft wood, giving a very secure hold using a faceplate and short screws. I've used this method sucessfully many times. One pass with a gouge on the dowels in the pic brings them level to the wood.

Wally

Re: Using faceplates on endgrain.. *LINK*

Paul Porter in Phoenix, AZ

>Hey Wally, there is a design opportunity for a fancy base if you so desire. Just a thought.


my web site