# wood collet chuck



## Dale Lynch

Hey fellas, Made this collet chucks today.Watched a youtube of a japanese pem maker use one.

Had to make a tap 1 1/4 x 8 RH ,too cheap to buy one.

Roughed out a Maple cylinder, then drilled the bore for the tap 1 1/2" deep x 1 1/8' dia

Mounted on the lathe, faced then bored to size.

Cut the fingers on the bandsaw, almost to the thread bore.

mount it back on the lathe and profile the outside,smaller at the headstock.That way you can just push the ring backward to unlock.

Made the ring from ironwood.Bored it out and cleaned it up to fit.Profiled the outside and parted it off.cleand up the otherside .

Massage the bore out with  a drum sander for a final fit.


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## 1shootist

I've watched videos of japanese pen makers using chucks with slap ring locks..looked like it worked. How has yours worked, have you tried it yet ?

Great job !


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## 1080Wayne

Now  that you`ve gone to all the work of making the tap , you will have to make a range of collets . Or did you just do it to prove you could ? Good for about a 1/16 range in diameter ?


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## Dale Lynch

1shootist said:


> I've watched videos of japanese pen makers using chucks with slap ring locks..looked like it worked. How has yours worked, have you tried it yet ?
> 
> Great job !



That's what I was going for.Have to make the ring larger,too short to slap. Holds tight ,haven't used it yet.





1080Wayne said:


> Now  that you`ve gone to all the work of making the tap , you will have to make a range of collets . Or did you just do it to prove you could ? Good for about a 1/16 range in diameter ?



That's the idea. Tryin to get around having spend money on proper tools. Maybe only down to 1/2" by 1/16ths


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## magpens

That is very interesting !!!

You deserve a lot of credit for making it !!!


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## dogcatcher

Using the same principle you can also make ex[anding arbors, you can use the live center to expand the :fingers" or drill and tap and use a 2/4" pipe plug.


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## 1shootist

magpens said:


> That is very interesting !!!
> 
> You deserve a lot of credit for making it !!!


Absolutely !


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## jttheclockman

That is pretty cool. Now I made something along those lines many years ago to be able to hold a billiard ball and drill on a lathe. I used a simple clamp and an old faceplate. Have since used concept and now I drill on a drill press. The lathe one is for something other than my desk clocks. Have not really used that jig much yet.


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## Dale Lynch

Thanks fellas!, glad you like it.

Good ideas catcher and JT


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## dogcatcher

When I first started turning, there were no chucks for wood lathes, and the chucks for metal lathes were extremely expensive.  I made chucks like this and mounted some on faceplates.  The faceplates were either homemade or jury rigged from scrap metal.  Whne I started making duck calls in 1964, these gadgets came in handy.  Not sure on when, but I came across some hard plastic blocks, I got those from the scrap bin at the local USAF Base.  That was heaven,, the plastic, made better chucks, and the accuracy improved.


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