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Chuck Enhancement For Safety

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Hi all I know this is going to cause some controversy so here is goes. I help out teaching woodturning and this year we had a student get nicked up because of hitting the edge of the chuck jaws twice. We all know to stay behind the tool rest and away from the chuck but it did/does happen. I thought about this and thought why now put a piece of rubber around it? I went to the local bike shop for old inner tubes and they had a 28x3.5 tube which was perfect to cut into about 1 inch strips circles like rubberbands and put over the edge. At least if you happened to hit the edge it might keep you from getting nicked. So comments/suggestions/concerns?
 
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I have seen people put rainbow colored wrist bands around the chucks as well. Of course, if you have enough chucks and jaw combinations, you can match the size perfectly so the jaws and slides don't stick out past the body, well, at least not much.

robo hippy
 

odie

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Although I'm not a fan of the Easywood carbide lathe tools, their Easy Chuck is, in my opinion, a clear advancement in wood turning chuck designs. The rounded corners of the jaws are clearly an improvement in safety. That, along with quick adjustment ring and quick change jaws......what's not to like?

Alas......I'm not in the market for a lathe chuck, because I already have three Oneway Stronghold chucks......but, if I were in the market for a chuck, the Easy Chuck looks pretty darned appealing! :cool:

ooc
 

hockenbery

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The rubber bands, tape, cloth All offer some protection and may increase confidence in beginners.

The down side are these will not be put on in the routine use of a chuck.

I open the jaws wide and sand the leading edge to remove any burrs or sharp edges.
I touch the chuck sometimes in a class to show students that softening the leading edge will keep the chuck from cutting.
If you can rotate it by hand and not feel and sharpness then there won't be anything to cut you.

Working on finials and such I get close to the chuck. I don't bump against it but I'm confident it won't cut me.
 
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You can also stick little flags of masking tape on the chuck body that will flap against your hand as a warning you are getting too close. It works! Fast and easy and you already have it in your shop.
 
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Although I'm not a fan of the Easywood carbide lathe tools, their Easy Chuck is, in my opinion, a clear advancement in wood turning chuck designs. The rounded corners of the jaws are clearly an improvement in safety. That, along with quick adjustment ring and quick change jaws......what's not to like?

Alas......I'm not in the market for a lathe chuck, because I already have three Oneway Stronghold chucks......but, if I were in the market for a chuck, the Easy Chuck looks pretty darned appealing! :cool:

ooc
Alas…… Poverty has it’s drawbacks
 
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Although I'm not a fan of the Easywood carbide lathe tools, their Easy Chuck is, in my opinion, a clear advancement in wood turning chuck designs. The rounded corners of the jaws are clearly an improvement in safety. That, along with quick adjustment ring and quick change jaws......what's not to like?

Alas......I'm not in the market for a lathe chuck, because I already have three Oneway Stronghold chucks......but, if I were in the market for a chuck, the Easy Chuck looks pretty darned appealing! :cool:

ooc
Ditto! I couldn't be happier with mine...except for the hole in my savings account.

I don't want to seem insensitive to the student's injury but he/she experienced a life lesson with consequences. I expect that individual will stay away from the chuck in the future without being told. By all means do everything you can to make the environment as safe as possible for all.

When I was in elementary school, I was learning from a Ferrier about shoeing horses. Don't pick up the horseshoe with your fingers even after it's been quenched in water. It's still hot.
 
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If you use a Oneway chuck, you have the option of setting the jaw with the roll pin in the shorter groove of the chuck's body.

That way the jaws will not stick out of the chucks body.

Safe chuck jaw setting.jpg

Of course usually or very often the turning piece/wood will be larger than the chuck body, so there is another part you have to keep your knuckles away from ;)
 
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hockenbery

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If you use a Oneway chuck, you have the option of setting the jaw with the roll pin in the shorter groove of the chuck's body.

I have a jaw set with a sheared off pin. Had this semi-crazy student who kept opening the chuck undaunted by the resistance.
That was around 2000. Jaws still working fine except not stop.
 
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Lol, when I grew up on the farm way back some. A lot of the time pain was considered a good teacher :) especially If I didnt pay attention and would get the usual quip. Did that hurt? Yup it sure did, wont do that again will ya.. Probably not so relevant to this instance, but it sure brought back memories
 
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Lol, when I grew up on the farm way back some. A lot of the time pain was considered a good teacher :) especially If I didnt pay attention and would get the usual quip. Did that hurt? Yup it sure did, wont do that again will ya.. Probably not so relevant to this instance, but it sure brought back memories
LOL... not to go too far off the topic, but that reminds me of my Dad when we worked together in heavy equipment repair shop, he was holding the bar, bracing it steady with his knee while other worker (not me) swung the 16 Lb sledgehammer to drive track pins out... Sledge missed and hit dad square in the knee... after half hour of cussing and limping around and an ice pack from the office, that's pretty much how the conversation went... Me: Did that hurt? Dad: (fake dirty look while everybody laughs) then we rigged up a stack of wood blocking and a chain and binder to hold the big steel bar steady for more sledgehammering.
 
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