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Large Cole Jaws?

David Aion

David Aion

Joined
Jan 15, 2021
Messages
44
Likes
130
Location
Saint Louis, MO
Website
www.aionwoodcrafts.com
does anyone know what the largest Cole Jaws there are on the market? I've started turning some 15" to 17" bowls and am trying to figure out a goog way to clean up the bottom AND to create a new tenon on a bowl when I've snapped off or broken the old one before the bowl is done.
Thanks
 
I use a vacuum chuck or friction drive with the tailstock brought up to put on the pressure. You can also make DIY jaws for what you are asking about. Snapping off a tenon on a 17" bowl must be entertaining!
 
Richard Coers said:
I use a vacuum chuck or friction drive with the tailstock brought up to put on the pressure. You can also make DIY jaws for what you are asking about. Snapping off a tenon on a 17" bowl must be entertaining!
Click to expand...
Yea, I've been avoiding buying one. I did see Frugal Vacuum Chuck at the symposium in Louisville and it looked like a good product.
 
David Aion said:
does anyone know what the largest Cole Jaws there are on the market? I've started turning some 15" to 17" bowls and am trying to figure out a goog way to clean up the bottom AND to create a new tenon on a bowl when I've snapped off or broken the old one before the bowl is done.
Thanks
Click to expand...
I use the Jumbo and Mega Jumbo jaws a lot, made extensions to hold larger platters or bowls, got extra buttons to stack them if needed.

Here is a 21" platter that I finished recently, and a picture of how I mound the extensions onto the jaws, the Oneway jaws have a long slot that I utilize to do that.

Jumbo jaws.jpg

Not the actual bolts, just for showing where these go
Mounting jaws.jpg

Bowl held on the inside if shape is good for that
Black Cherry held.jpg

Stacked buttons for farther out hold

Walnut bowl.jpg
 
Last edited:
fanta
Leo Van Der Loo said:
I use the Jumbo and Maga Jumbo jaws a lot, made extensions to hold larger platters or bowls, got extra buttons to stack them if needed.

Here is a 21" platter that I finished recently, and a picture of how I mound the extensions onto the jaws, the Oneway jaws gave a long slot that I utilize to do that.

View attachment 53822

Not the actual bolts, just for showing where these go
View attachment 53823

Bowl held on the inside if shape is good for that
View attachment 53825

Stacked buttons for farther out hold

View attachment 53826
Click to expand...
 
The first set of extensions for my Mega Jaws I made of hard Maple. The second set was Aluminum stock, drilled and tapped. This gives me the ability to hold bowls up to 24'.
 

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Extensions can be purchased for the Nova large cole jaws, which takes them from 12" capacity out to 15". If you need bigger than that, making your own might be best. Have you considered a donut chuck? They are great for finishing the bottom, and safer than Coles. Easier to make too.
 
Dan Stromberg said:
Hi David,

Take a look at this video if you haven't seen it:
View: https://youtu.be/tZLbBhNIWe8
Click to expand...
Maybe I'm missing something here, but I don't see any advantage to this jig/chuck. Seems like it is only useful for a single size diameter bowl or platter. Why waste the time making one of those unless all your work is the same size? Just like the jaws on a chuck - the best hold is when the tenon or recess is sized (a perfect circle) for those particular jaws. If not, the grip only takes place at 8 points (compression) or 4 points (expansion) which decreases hold and safety. IMO, the rubber bumpers are probably a better option than the plywood contact. That said, I have never used Cole/Jumbo jaws with the rubber bumpers because I think they are too fiddly and time consuming when changing sizes. You can find my alternative solution in another recent post.
 
Tom Gall said:
Maybe I'm missing something here, but I don't see any advantage to this jig/chuck. Seems like it is only useful for a single size diameter bowl or platter. Why waste the time making one of those unless all your work is the same size? Just like the jaws on a chuck - the best hold is when the tenon or recess is sized (a perfect circle) for those particular jaws. If not, the grip only takes place at 8 points (compression) or 4 points (expansion) which decreases hold and safety. IMO, the rubber bumpers are probably a better option than the plywood contact. That said, I have never used Cole/Jumbo jaws with the rubber bumpers because I think they are too fiddly and time consuming when changing sizes. You can find my alternative solution in another recent post.
Click to expand...
Agree 100%. I was thinking at first that it's still 8 points of contact, whether it is plywood or rubber bumpers, but I agree that the rubber bumpers are a better bet (plus are more adjustable to different diameters). I need to make myself one of the solutions discussed here!

Dan
 
I authored a tip for Cole Jaw extensions in the April 2022 AAW Magazine, page 23.
Extensions for jumbo jaws
I recently turned a 13"- (33cm-)
diameter bowl and needed to reverse-
mount it to complete the base.
Unfortunately, my larger set of Cole
(jumbo) jaws will only accept bowls
up to about 10" (25cm) in diameter.
Not wishing to spend the money on
a larger Longworth chuck, I decided
to make extensions for the Cole jaws
(Photo 1).
The extensions are made from
⅛"- (3mm-) thick aluminum bar. I
purchased a piece ¾" (19mm) wide
and 36" (91cm) long. I cut eight
3"- (8cm-) long pieces using a stop
on a woodworking miter saw with
a carbide blade. I then drilled two
holes 2⅜" (6cm) apart. One was a ¼"
(6mm) hole to attach the bar to the
Cole jaw, and the other was drilled
and tapped to accept the 6mm
button screw (Photo 2).
For safety, with the larger bowls,
the maximum recommended speed
should be reduced.

1688842353359.png
 
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