"tww" wrote in message
...
This is an FYI for anyone who does not get American Woodturning and is
thinking of getting Coles jaws to hold bowls or looking for perhaps a
better way to finish the bottoms of your bowls so I'm not expecting
any replies.

The Spring 2008 American Woodturner (you can order a copy from the
American Association of Woodturners web site if you are not a member)
has an interesting article on the Straka chuck. It is used for
reverse chucking. I wish this article had appeared a few years back.
Rather than buy a second chuck and jaws to hold bowls up to 8", I
would have made one of these chucks instead and been able to hold
bowls up to 12" (I have a 15" lathe). It is also a cheaper way to
go.

The chuck has a faceplate connected to two plywood disks (glued
together) potentially as big as your lathe can hold. Next, it has a
plywood ring held by bolts to the first disks. Finally there is a bowl
sandwiched in between the disks and the ring if you can picture all
that. The article has pretty good directions on how to make the
chuck.

Fred Holder gives details of the Longworth Chuck at
http://www.fholder.com/Woodturning/chuck.htm. I found it easy to make and
very effective.