Chucks & Faceplates

The primary purpose of a wood lathe chuck is to securely hold a workpiece on a wood lathe for turning. They are a very efficient and safe way to hold work on the lathe when using the properly sized lathe chuck and chuck jaws for the size of the workpiece. There are many different types and sizes of chuck jaws that can be mounted to a lathe chuck for different needs making the lathe chuck one of the most versatile and important tools in a woodturner's tool box.

Dovetail jaws are hands down the most used set of lathe chuck jaws in a woodturners shop. They are used extensively for bowl turning, platter turning, and even spindle turning. Most wood lathe chucks sold today come with a set of 2" to 2-1/2" dovetail jaws, depending on the size of the chuck. Adding additional sizes of dovetail chuck jaws for your chuck will allow you to turn projects of varying sizes and foot designs.

While modern 4-jaw lathe chucks do their job very well, proper use and knowledge of the product is paramount for safety. Always follow the wood lathe and wood lathe chuck manufacturers guidelines. We’ll outline some safety tips here we always follow in our own shops. Also, see our blog post and video, Woodturning Safety: Tips to Keep you Safe, for more tips.

• The lathe chuck and jaws should be sized to match the workpiece. Don’t turn a large workpiece with a small chuck and jaws.
• The dovetail profile of the chuck jaws and turned tenon or recess should closely match. A straight or negative taper could cause the jaws to lose grip.
• If your chuck has multiple jaw tightening locations, use the chuck key to tighten at each location to ensure a secure hold.
• Make sure your turning blanks and sound, free of cracks and remove any loose pieces that may eject when spinning.
• Use lathe speeds that are safe for the diameter of the workpiece and types of cuts. See our blog post, Determining Safe Lathe Speeds, for more details.
• Be mindful of where your hands and tools are around the spinning chuck to prevent injury. Some chucks and chuck jaws may have protrusions that could catch your hand or tool.
• Use the tailstock to support the workpiece whenever possible.