I am about to turn my first bowl on my new lathe. Well, as soon as I figure
out how to use the faceplates.

The faceplates I am used to are 3" diameter aluminum with 4 small holes for
screws.
These are 4" and 8" diameter steel, with huge slots in them. I will have to
use washer to hold screws, and that can't be right.

So how does one use these faceplates, and why are they better than the 3"
ones?

Thanks.

On Jun 8, 10:13 am, "Toller" wrote:

I am about to turn my first bowl on my new lathe.
Well, as soon as I figure out how to use the faceplates.

My experience only, as they say, your mileage may vary.

The smaller faceplates are used for smaller work, and usually on
smaller lathes. Frequently the smaller faceplates are used where you
have a nice flat spot to accommodate the face of the plate. A three
inch faceplate will hold a piece of wood that is fairly out of balance
well.

But the more secured surface you can get on a faceplate is always
best. So larger faceplates that will use larger screws (the large
ones will take a nice sized lag bolt) and thus hold a piece more
securely.

I have found that a 3" faceplate works nicely on my Jet mini as it
only has a 10" swing. But I know there is a large group that likes
the security of a faceplate hold when turning rough, and the bigger
the better. I have a friend that uses a 6" on his Nova 3000 all the
time. He puts the faceplate where he wants it on the piece, takes out
his cordless and drills pilot holes where he wants.

He uses small lags with washers to secure and will confidently spin
large out of round pieces until he gets them where he wants them, then
he will cut a tenon for his scroll chuck.

As far as the slots in the faceplate go, these are used to help you
have options on your attachment points. I wouldn't get too wild about
getting the large screws out of alignment with each other as they can
contribute to an out of balance piece themselves.

Robert

"Toller" wrote in message
...
I am about to turn my first bowl on my new lathe. Well, as soon as I
figure out how to use the faceplates.

The faceplates I am used to are 3" diameter aluminum with 4 small holes
for screws.
These are 4" and 8" diameter steel, with huge slots in them. I will have
to use washer to hold screws, and that can't be right.

So how does one use these faceplates, and why are they better than the 3"
ones?

Larger size for better load spread, of course.

If you're going to do green or rough wood, I suggest you take advantage of
your drillpress to make the flat area for attachment. Wedge, brace, or
lightly screw the bowl to be to a piece of plywood that you can slide around
under a Forstner bit, and use your depth stop to get a good surface. Use
the big ones for the large face, small ones for the smaller.

Sheet metal screws will give you a good coarse thread if you don't want to
go to lags. They can be used with washers if the gaps are that large, but
I'd go with large screws, maybe a bit shorter, rather than small gage. Be
sure and drill for the screws, and maybe cut a touch below the surface with
a chisel or gouge to compensate for the wood the screws will wedge upward
into the plate for firm mounting.

Small one should do for the reverse mount. Most people end up with a chuck
so they don't have to fuss with the faceplate at the other end. I use a pin
chuck for roughing rather than a faceplate, because it does well at the
task, and by leaving the hole in the drying piece, I can get an easy
re-center after the warp down.

All woodturners in the Long Island, NY, area (and beyond) are cordially
invited to attend our Open House on Saturday, June 16.





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9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

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DIRECTIONS TO THE EXOTIC WOOD GROUP SHOWROOM FROM
THE MIDTOWN TUNNEL, NEW YORK CITY:



1) Take I-495 East/Long Island Expressway (stay on for about 25
miles)

2) Take Exit 42 to merge onto Northern State Parkway East toward
Hauppauge (stay on for about 11 miles)

3) Take Exit 42N (Deer Park Road) toward Northport (stay on for
about 0.1 miles)

4) Bear right onto East Deer Park Road (stay on for about 1 mile)

5) Merge onto East Jericho Turnpike/Route 25 (stay on for about 3
miles)

6) Turn left at Larkfield Road (stay on for about 3 miles)

7) Cross over LIRR tracks and bear left at fork onto Laurel Road
(stay on for about 0.5 miles; you'll pass by a cemetery)

8) Turn right at the Laurel Shopping Center at 192 Laurel Road

9) Park anywhere in the parking lot. We're located down the ramp
at the very end of the parking lot (underneath the Northport Dance studio).

Hi Toller

By your description of your face plates, I think you have metal
turning lathe faceplates, where fastening is done with bolts and hooks
etc., or for the tail of a bend lathe dog that will go in a slot etc.
I have a couple of larger wood faceplates, but only use those for
larger than two feet D turnings.
For regular turning to say 17-18"D I use a 4" faceplate.
You can use the ones you have or maybe trade in for wood turning ones,
but if you want to keep and use them, I would suggest you drill some
holes for wood screws to go through, counter sink the holes a little
on the face side, so the wood has a place to go when you drive a screw
in.
Have fun and take care
Leo Van Der Loo




On Jun 8, 11:13 am, "Toller" wrote:
I am about to turn my first bowl on my new lathe. Well, as soon as I figure
out how to use the faceplates.

The faceplates I am used to are 3" diameter aluminum with 4 small holes for
screws.
These are 4" and 8" diameter steel, with huge slots in them. I will have to
use washer to hold screws, and that can't be right.

So how does one use these faceplates, and why are they better than the 3"
ones?

Thanks.

what leo said. I've turned over 30 inches, with blanks pushing 100 pounds
using a 3 or 4 inch faceplate, no problems, but I do support the other end
with my tailstock while roughing, otherwise it can get dicey if you shear a
couple of lag bolts off.

oh, by the way, you can find inexpensive wood turning faceplates via my web
page, www.wbnoble.com - if those other faceplates have threads I can use,
I'd be happy to trade (I need 2 1/4X 8 threads)


wrote in message
ps.com...
Hi Toller

By your description of your face plates, I think you have metal
turning lathe faceplates, where fastening is done with bolts and hooks
etc., or for the tail of a bend lathe dog that will go in a slot etc.
I have a couple of larger wood faceplates, but only use those for
larger than two feet D turnings.
For regular turning to say 17-18"D I use a 4" faceplate.
You can use the ones you have or maybe trade in for wood turning ones,
but if you want to keep and use them, I would suggest you drill some
holes for wood screws to go through, counter sink the holes a little
on the face side, so the wood has a place to go when you drive a screw
in.
Have fun and take care
Leo Van Der Loo




On Jun 8, 11:13 am, "Toller" wrote:
I am about to turn my first bowl on my new lathe. Well, as soon as I
figure
out how to use the faceplates.

The faceplates I am used to are 3" diameter aluminum with 4 small holes
for
screws.
These are 4" and 8" diameter steel, with huge slots in them. I will have
to
use washer to hold screws, and that can't be right.

So how does one use these faceplates, and why are they better than the 3"
ones?

Thanks.





--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

Those are metalworking faceplates. The slots are for bolts so the part can
be adjusted.

"Toller" wrote in message
...
I am about to turn my first bowl on my new lathe. Well, as soon as I
figure
out how to use the faceplates.

The faceplates I am used to are 3" diameter aluminum with 4 small holes
for
screws.
These are 4" and 8" diameter steel, with huge slots in them. I will have
to
use washer to hold screws, and that can't be right.

So how does one use these faceplates, and why are they better than the 3"
ones?

Thanks.

CW wrote that "The slots are for bolts so the part can be adjusted".
***********************************************

The slots could also be for lathe 'dogs' to keep metal work held between
centers from slipping. The dogs are basically a clamp fastened around
the work with a right angled tail that fits in the slot and acts as a
drive. The concept never caught on for woodturning although AMT tried
to sell them to woodturners at one time. They were more dangerous than
three jaw machinist chucks and just as inefficient.

As CW suggested, later you might want to sharpen the tips of the bolts
to act as a large threaded-on spur drive, even as an eccentric drive.
Maybe not. Whatever, they are probably heavy and good quality.


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