Woodline longworth chuck

[John Hicks]

I am wondering if anyone has used a long-worth chuck sold on Woodline? I have heard of other ones, but this one seems a bit heavier duty.
Also; for general purpose work with bowls, which is better: a longworth (I have cole jaws), or a vacuum system?
I turn between 8-20" bowls, some live edge. The cost of a vacuum pump is kind of scaring me away from vacuum systems.

 

[hockenbery]

general purpose work with bowls, which is better: a longworth (I have cole jaws), or a vacuum system?

Vacuum is far and away better than cole jaws or longworth.

The vacuum
Will hold any rim the others require a rim design that can be held by the buttons on the Chuck.
Is quicker to set up
will generally hold most warped bowls better
will hold a thin piece with less chance of cracking

I usually a simple jamb Chuck for bowls.
Holds thin pieces better with no chance of cracking

 

[john lucas]

I'm with Al. I built my first vacuum chuck from a car compressor. There are plans in American Woodturner to do this. Cost me about $35 at the time. It worked fine. I finally ran across a Ghast vacuum pump at the flea mkt. and set up a better system. Almost all of my bowls and platters are done on the vacuum chuck or with a friction chuck. I hardly ever use my cole jaws. Once in a while they are just the right tool but most work fine on my vacuum chuck.

 

[Mark Jundanian]

The cost of a vacuum pump is kind of scaring me away from vacuum systems.

Google Frugal Vacuum Chuck. Bob Leonard's retirement was briefer than Michael Jordan's. He has found another pump supplier and is selling again (or will be shortly).

While I agree with the suggestion to acquire a vacuum chuck next, I believe that a Longworth is quite useful, and you should consider it for a future get. I have Cole, vacuum and a Longworth-donut combo. They all get frequent use and sometimes only one of them can solve the problem.

 

[Gary Beasley]

You can often find used high vacuum pumps for evacuating automotive AC systems for pretty cheap, Craigs list, Ebay or pawn shop. Usually run 2 or 3 cfm and can pull up to 28” of vacuum. I have one I got at a yard sale.

 

[Tim Tucker]

I have both the Woodline Longworth chuck, and the Frugal Vacuum System. I use the vacuum chuck more often, for all of the above mentioned reasons , plus one: Portability....I have my vac pump inverted, and suspended above the extreme left end of the lathe and it is a simple reach up to grab the vac hose and stuff it thru the headstock and screw on the vac chuck. With the Woodline Longworth...I need the correct jaws on a chuck first. Then I have to heft that beast on to the lathe. and secure it into the chuck jaws. The phenolic it is made from will not tolerate being dropped or bumped hard. My first one arrived with one of the plates broken from shipping damage...no damage to the box.