Donut Chuck or other?

[Chip Sutherland]

I traded my old donut chuck years ago and never got around to making one for my 3520B. I have not committed to this yet as I guess I could also just drop a wad of money on a Cole Jaw type system. I really like the captured aspect of a donut chuck but I really hate making jigs. I have small Cole Jaws but I need to grip bigger pieces. Plus I have moving the stupid buttons. Looking for others' thoughts and suggestions. Thx

 

[Sam Fleisher]

Depends on if you are turning anything with holes in it but have you considered a vacuum system?

 

[BobCoates]

Here is what I mounted on my cole jaws. Manly used to turn the base when the rest of the bowl has been finished. Base is 3/4 ply and the rings were built up segmented rings. The steps are then cut based on how far between the closed and max open size. I have also made and used donut chuck which I think is much safer.

Add single picture of one of the wedges.

 

[Doug Freeman]

Cole and donut chucks work for 2-turn flat rim bowls, but dont for natural edge or warped 1 turn bowls. A friction chuck on the spindle with a tail center in the original dimple can handle all shapes, as well as bowls that dont hold vacuum for various reasons.

 

[Randy Heinemann]

Ron Brown (Ron Brown's Best) online sells a whole donut chuck set. I have it and have used it a few times. I find the setup and securement of the bowl somewhat time-consuming; tightening the nuts gradually to make sure wobble is held to a minimum. The suggestion above about a vacuum chuck might worth looking into. When I get a few minutes I am planning on determining costs. I have a Festool VacSys which is a vacuum clamping system. I believe I could use the vacuum pump with a vacuum chuck, but need to find ways to quickly change back and forth since I use the VacSys for its intended purpose (holding boards, etc. in place to work on them) probably as much as I'd use the vacuum chuck. It's a good idea and the costs might be similar to buying a donut chuck set (but certainly more than making it).

 

[hockenbery]

QUOTE="Chip Sutherland, post: 224663, member: 1401"]
traded my old donut chuck years ago and never got around to making one for my 3520B. I have not committed to this yet as I guess I could also just drop a wad of money on a Cole Jaw type system.
[/QUOTE]

I used Cole jaws a long time ago but almost never now.
I turn the bottoms off most bowls and HFs using the tail center and a friction drive inside the piece if possible
I have a vacuum chuck I use for platters and some bowls.

I use a donut chuck for balls and other small turnings. My time to make one is less than 30 minutes.
Here is this idiots guide to making donut chuck

http://swat.hockenbery.net/Making%20a%20straka%20Chuck.pdf

 

[Alan Weinberg]

Saw an inexpensive and easy way to combine Cole jaws with a donut Chuck

 

[Alan Weinberg]

Ron Brown (Ron Brown's Best) online sells a whole donut chuck set.

If you search his site, spell it “doughnut.” It’s over $200 but he has several.

 

[Odie]

donut chucks work for 2-turn flat rim bowls, but don't for natural edge or warped 1 turn bowls.

Hello Doug.....

There is a way to make donut chucks work for natural edge and warped bowls. That is to use a soft child's play ball pressed against the interior of the bowl with a spacer between the ball and the lower half of the donut chuck. This lifts the rim of the bowl above the lower half of the donut chuck. The only surfaces that are in contact with the bowl are the upper half of the donut chuck, and the ball.

-o-

 

[hockenbery]

Hello Doug.....

There is a way to make donut chucks work for natural edge and warped bowls. That is to use a soft child's play ball pressed against the interior of the bowl with a spacer between the ball and the lower half of the donut chuck. This lifts the rim of the bowl above the lower half of the donut chuck. The only surfaces that are in contact with the bowl are the upper half of the donut chuck, and the ball.

-o-

A section of PVC with foam on the rim works really well to hold the rims off the base too
The pvc makes it easy to center bowls and it provides a solid Mount.

Too much play in a cushion makes the turning spongy and a little untrue in the result.

 

[Odie]

A section of PVC with foam on the rim works really well to hold the rims off the base too
The pvc makes it easy to center bowls and it provides a solid Mount.

Too much play in a cushion makes the turning spongy and a little untrue in the result.

Yes, the pvc is good for this purpose, and good advice, Al. BTW: I checked out your link, and your construction of the donut chuck ought to be a pretty good. A small ball is not very "spongy", and works very well for this purpose. It provides just the right amount of pressure, while giving a little cushion to the contact point. It also conforms perfectly to the shape of the bowl interior. I see what you're saying, and too big of a ball might be a bit too spongy.

I made a recess in the center of the lower half to accept the pvc, and keep it exactly centered.

I decided to make another piece between the pvc and the ball, the next time I use my donut chuck. This is to create a more uniform surface between the pvc extension and the ball. It works as it is, but this small improvement ought to make it a little bit better.




-o-

 

[Chip Sutherland]

Saw an inexpensive and easy way to combine Cole jaws with a donut Chuck View attachment 55398

OMG....I have never seen this solution. The only downside is the cole jaws take up a chuck. Worthy of consideration.

 

[Tom Gall]

Chip, this has been discussed several times in the past. Here is another option for Cole or Jumbo Jaws.

Cole jaws tip

Here is a quick tip on using cole jaws (or mega remounting bowl jaws as Record Power calls them) with angular buffer stops. These stops have a four different profiles which are hard to see how each is marked without extremely good light. Take a felt tip pen and highlight the text on one side...

www.aawforum.org

 

[Dean Center]

Dump even more money on a vacuum set up and don't look back.