How to Mount Wood for Woodturning

Beginning woodturners are often confused as to how to mount wood on the wood lathe for safe turning. The process is different from that of most woodworking events in the shop where wood is advanced into the cutting blade as on a band saw, table saw or planer. At the wood lathe, the material is held by the machine and the cutting tools are advanced by hand. To achieve safety in holding the wood, mounting systems have been developed over the ages.

There are different methods for holding the wood just as there are different types of turning. In general, wood that is turned with the grain parallel to the lathe body is called spindle turning and that which has the grain at right angles to the lathe body, faceplate turning.

Spindle turned wood is usually mounted between centres, as has been done for thousands of years. Centres are held in the headstock and tailstock, usually be being inserted into tapered sockets. The centres themselves will have a tapered shaft, usually designated Morse #1, #2, or in very large lathes #3. All that is required of the lathe user wanting to purchase a new centre is the number of the taper. However, most lathes come with a set of centres.

Spur centres go in the headstock. They will have from two to four spurs equidistant around a center point and serve as drivers for the wood. The tail centre will have a single point and will be either solid and called a dead centre, or have a movable point with sealed bearings and be called a live centre. In general, live centres are preferred. A spindle is secured between the centres and tightened until the spurs bight into the wood, ready to turn.

Faceplate work is generally held with a faceplate which is a round metal disk attached to a central nut that fits the headstock spindle. The wood is fastened to the faceplate with sturdy screws. Number fourteen, self tapping sheet metal screws are recommended.

In recent years the four jaw chuck has been introduced to the woodturning world. Designed for holding work for faceplate turning by having the jaws either grip a tenon or expand into a mortise, the hold is superb and convenient. What is seldom realized is the versatility of the chuck in holding wood for spindle turning. In particular, it is easy to mount a spindle in the small jaws of a four jaw chuck when the spindle is too small for the spur centre.

As in all things in woodworking, safety is in the hands of the worker but the methods for holding work on the lathe have been used for many years, in some cases many centuries, and are well proved. With experience comes confidence and many turners will find themselves exploring new ways to mount work to the wood lathe as they increase their knowledge and enjoyment of the craft.

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