Longworth Chuck Wanted?

Mike Turner

Member
Messages
361
Location
Laurinburg NC
I sort of think Id rather have a Longworth chuck rather than the Cole jaws. I know I could make this but I have made so many things lately I want to turn and not make something else....Any ideas on the Longworth chuck? pros or cons?
 
Pros:
  • quick (quicker than the cole jaws)
  • Decent size flexibility
  • fairly simple to use

Cons:
  • Somewhat slow to tighten (you have to tighten all of the bumpers one at a time in several passes), takes maybe 4-5 minutes to snug up a bowl. If all your stuff was the same size the cole jaws would probably be faster. If you're all variable size then the overhead of moving the bumpers on the cole jaws would quickly eat any savings.
  • doesn't grip as well as some other methods (I've launched a couple of bowls)
  • The rubber bumpers are sort of a consumable (long term cost of ownership). Depending on what you make them from they can break or snag (same issue on cole jaws though).
  • Only really works well with pieces that have enough lip (have used inside and outside just fine). Straight sided stuff doesn't "stick" so well
  • Lowish RPM, but not much worse there than most alternatives for the same purpose I guess.

Overall.. B+ to A- will use again.
 
I have a commercial version..

To be clear I use it 95% of the time with tailstock pressure and only do some light finish sanding without. I've also been pretty careful to stand out of the line of fire with it (and do realize that that doesn't always save you). I also have a VS lathe, so I can carefully slowly ramp it up and STOP if anything looks untoward. I'm not sure I'd be as comfortable with it on a non VS lathe.
 
I own two that I have made with no problems. But they do have thier cons and you must work within these. I use them for doing the bottom of bowls and little else,plus they are for light cuts. As for grippers try and get some PU or Polyurethane it comes in various duro or shore numbers of hardness and is long lasting with minimal wear.
 
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