William
I use glue blocks a lot on face plate work. In my case that means up to 18"
but usually no more than 14". I seldom use a chuck in face plate work and
then only because some one asks me to show them how. For glue I use standard
or heavy duty hot glue from a craft gun, whichever glue is on sale when I
run out. The wood used is generally hard wood, likely maple or cherry and
sometimes ash. What I do to get it is to cut about 4" off the end of a log
to eliminate end cracks before turning. Then that 4" slab is cut on the band
saw to leave flat boards that I dry for a while. Any cracked ones are fire
wood and the rest are stacked for eventual glue blocks or what have you. On
my site are instructions for making a glue block from a slab of wood by
tapping it. The page on finishing bowls shows the blocks in action.

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God bless and safe turning
Darrell Feltmate
Truro, NS Canada
www.aroundthewoods.com