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Nova Woodworm Screw

P

Pete Halsted

Joined
Feb 9, 2023
Messages
7
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Location
Sunrise Beach, MO
I just recently upgraded to a used Laguna 12 | 16, and it came with (2) Nova G3 Chucks, I order a NOVA WOODWORM SCREW (10006) since there were no in the boxes when I got everything home.

Worm Screw is my preferred method of mounting bowls. When I started out I followed Richard Raffan's videos and I have been using a 1/4 plywood spacer to give extra mounting surface and reduce the length of the screw some with my Baurer and Wen chucks. But the Nova Screw seems quite a bit shorter with only an inch of threads, when when mounted with the standard jaws, you are done to closer to 5/8 - 3/4 of an inch of threads. So using my 1/4 ply backer for added surface area doesn't seem like it is a good idea with the Nova screw?

Is the Nova screw shorter than most worm screws or are the ones I have been using with Baurer and Wen abnormally long or ?
 
The screws for various chucks vary in length since the geometry of the chucks themselves are different. I don't believe there is a standard for how much thread protrudes or even the diameter of the screws. Whether or not to use a spacer will depend on the size and balance of the blanks you're turning, and your experience/comfort level. If you decide to use a spacer, some tempered 1/8" hardboard in place of the 1/4" plywood would give you a bit more screw length. Using larger diameter jaws would accomplish the same thing, without needing a spacer.
 
I just use 1/8 hardboard for spacers. Have mounted up to 14 inch blanks without issue on the stock nova woodworm screw. I hardly ever use them anymore, preferring to start bowls between centers instead.
 
Not to mention, I would wonder "why buy one" when you can easily make your own custom woodworm screw that mounts in your jaw chuck - a little drilling, your chosen size of lag bolt, some baltic birch plywood, you got a pretty solid (or lots of em) woodworm screw... I have a couple I made for past projects when the regular woodworm screw just seemed to be too big (diameter) for the wood or project... easy to make as many as you like in as many variety of sizes you can find hardware for...
 
Pete Halsted said:
Is the Nova screw shorter than most worm screws
Click to expand...
Screws vary in length. You already know you can shorten the too long ones with a spacer.

I have several spacer thicknesses. Plywoods, MDF, some band sawn from dry wood.

I like to use as much screw depth as the blank will support.
Some thin platter stock doesn’t allow much screw depth
If I can’t get 3/8 depth I don’t use a screw - my comfort zone limit- your comfort zone may vary
 
I saw this thread and thought perhaps someone in the last few years might have insight into my related question about the woodworm screw that came with my Titan III chuck. Since posting this question several years ago, I was able to turn off a portion of the screw boss which gives me 1/2” of exposed screw. I may go back and do a bit more, as it seems pretty substantial anyway, but I’m still puzzled about what the purpose of this screw shipping with the Titan chuck is. Nova was no help.
Lou Jacobs

Thread 'Nova Titan woodworm - what am I doing wrong?'

I just received my new Nova Titan III, and it seems to be a beautiful piece of work. I’m looking forward to using it, but I’m stymied by one thing. The woodworm screw that came with it seems to be too short to protrude the 3/4” beyond the end of the PowerGrip jaws, as described in the literature. When it is mounted as instructed, with the head (boss section) up against the bottom of the jaws, there is only about 1/4” of the screw exposed beyond the lip of the jaws. Did they send the wrong screw? Am I missing something? If anyone has this chuck and screw, I’d love to hear your...
Here’s the result of turning it on a wood lathe using a carbide tool. Not perfect, but it works.
IMG_7589.jpeg
 
That screw has 4 flats that the jaws are supposed to hold against and that is far and away not the greatest of ideas. I have in the past tried it and it did work but I didn't push my luck, once was enough. A better idea with that screw would be to machine a slot the thickness on the jaw base so it is held like the woodscrew for all the other Nova chucks. Nova didn't think this one through very well at all. If you hold it (the unmachined screw unlike above) with it held behind the bottom of the jaws so it can't pull out you only get about a 1/4" of thread showing and I think that even machined like the one above you would be lucky if you had 1/2" of thread showing (more like 3/8"). Another fix might be to weld a washer that protrudes a 1/16" of the head which would allow that it could not be pulled out when gripped on those 4 flats. As I have done nothing to mine I just do not use it. The next time I need something welded from my guy I'll have him weld the washer on it and see how that works.
 
Bill Blasic said:
If you hold it (the unmachined screw unlike above) with it held behind the bottom of the jaws so it can't pull out you only get about a 1/4" of thread showing and I think that even machined like the one above you would be lucky if you had 1/2" of thread showing (more like 3/8").
Click to expand...
You’re right Bill. I don’t know what they were thinking here. After posting this picture yesterday I went back to the lathe with the “mystery screw”IMG_7595.jpeg and put it back in a collet chuck to cut it back a bit further. Now it’s got just 5/8” of screw exposed when it’s properly mounted behind the jaws. I could take a bit more off, perhaps another 1/8”, but will give it a rest for the time being.
 
hockenbery said:
Screws vary in length. You already know you can shorten the too long ones with a spacer.

I have several spacer thicknesses. Plywoods, MDF, some band sawn from dry wood.

I like to use as much screw depth as the blank will support.
Some thin platter stock doesn’t allow much screw depth
If I can’t get 3/8 depth I don’t use a screw - my comfort zone limit- your comfort zone may vary
Click to expand...
Spot on. I like the Woodworm, it fits nova and Vic chucks very well.
 
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