RFC on wooden soft jaws

Nix on the wood.

Get a couple of chunks of high grade Polyethylene and have3 some fun

I've made Baltic Birch plywood jaws.

I bought a set of what I think Oneway calls Flat jaws, for my Stronghold. Idea was to mount wood to them and then turn to make custom jaws for projects such as a 2-axis coffee scoop - wood jaws would be turned for a decent fit on the "bowl" for hollowing and since they are in a chuck they can be tightened as desired.

Overall, it worked but I have not found them to be as handy as I thought they would be so they haven't been used a lot. Problem, may be that I have a pretty good assortment of the other jaws for my Talon and Strongholds.

You don't say what you plan on really doing with these jaws but I caution that you want to ensure that you aren't stressing them with the workpiece size and RPM!  Jaws, not chuck bodies, are the part that does the real holding.

Title says it all?  Not for me.  What is RFC?

I had some aluminum bar left from a job so I turned these jaws.

Ric Taylor wrote:

Title says it all?  Not for me.  What is RFC?

I read it as "Request For Comment".

Thanks for the comments. I was thinking of using some 2"x2" LVL scraps I've been sitting on. I also have some 1.5" maple. Use would be for general work holding. Any ideas on sourcing polyethylene?

karl jr wrote:

Thanks for the comments. I was thinking of using some 2"x2" LVL (???) scraps I've been sitting on. I also have some 1.5" maple. Use would be for general work holding (???). Any ideas on sourcing polyethylene?

Karl, it would be helpful if you were a little more specific ... size, for turnings, for other items, etc.   I think Flat Jaws may suit your purpose but they can be limiting, size-wise.  I like to use white PVC foam board instead of polyethylene.  You can use regular PVC pipe glue if needed.  This link is a little difficult to navigate but they have a lot of different plastics - probably polyethylene.  Haven't ordered from them since 2015.
https://freckleface.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/product848.html

If you have (or willing to purchase) Cole/Jumbo Jaws for your Talon chuck you can make a larger version of Flat Jaws.  Just remove the grippers ... I hate those things!  I'll try to add some pictures - hope this helps.

LVL = Laminated Veneer Lumber. Think headers, beams, etc.

Yo, MARK,  I would love to know where you purchase "big chunks of Poly. ???  P

Philip F Duffy wrote:

Yo, MARK,  I would love to know where you purchase "big chunks of Poly. ???  P

https://www.usplastic.com/catalog/item.aspx?itemid=37928&catid=711
Link is for 2" thick  HDPE sold in 10" squares
Lots of plastics options on McMaster Carr under "Raw Materials/Plastics"