"Patriarch" wrote in message
. 97.136...
,
launcher of three bowl blanks last night, before retiring to study
methods.
again.

Pin chuck!


Well, that makes more sense than the Nova Midi2, dovetail method. I blew
out two dovetailed bases with a heavy catch. Pretty certain that it was
operator error, and using too big a gouge on a modest sized bowl. I got a
load of 'iffy' walnut, and it's not as forgiving as some of the other
woods
I've used. Lost one to ring shake, too. At least that one wasn't my
fault, and I had the sense to throw it in the 'interesting firewood' bin.

Well, catches are certainly technique not nature, but you can help nature
and Newton a bit by keeping that center post inside and a tailstock drawn up
until things are at their lightest and most balanced.
http://personalpages.tds.net/~upgeor...ugh%20Page.htm

If you have doubt on either a tenon or recess, run some water-thin CA into
the endgrain to firm it up. Even helps if you have one of the "gripping"
types of chuck, because wood is going to split out along the grain, and you
don't want to create a place for it to start. When I have wet sapwood to
hold, this is almost automatic.

With support from a toolrest there isn't such a thing as a too-small gouge
inside, that's for sure. But we do get impatient and chose too large once
in a while. I have a 1" bowl gouge that's really too big after about the 9"
interior diameter point, but he hogs so well down to that point I sometimes
have to force myself to downsize.