reverse bowl chuck

[crazylegs]

quick question, what do you all use to stop the small indentations you get when using a reverse bowl chuck.

[Les Symonds]

I've stopped using them....instead I have two main systems.

• ...  for smaller bowls I have a 12" diameter disk set onto a chuck and I simply return a shallow recess into the outer face of the blank, such that the bowl sits comfortably on it, then bring the tailstock up and turn the old chucking point away to a fine cone which eventually gets taken off by hand and sanded smooth
• ...   for larger bowls and platters, I have a 24" diameter plywood disk held in a chuck. The front surface has an anti-slip cloth glued onto it and I simply press the bowl against it, holding it in place with the tailstock

....this is all I've used for a year or more and each system is very quick and convenient to use. Also, for irregular, natural edge bowls, I have "dollies", in the form of several short logs of 3" to 12" diameter, each of which each fit into my 4" chuck jaws and has an end rounded over. I usually put several layers of soft paper or a piece of anti-slip fabric between the block and the inside of the bowl.

Les

[fuzzyturns]

Same as Les, except my plywood discs are mounted on faceplates, so they don't take up a chuck.

[Walnut Les]

Same as Les, except my plywood discs are mounted on faceplates, so they don't take up a chuck.

I also do it the same way as fuzzyturns, i also use a hot melt glue gun and do away with the cone when the need takes. Les

[bodrighywood]

Same as the others. Plywood faceplate made up to fit into the chuck. One has antislip matting and the other. used on n\atural edge bowls etc has thick foam that adjusts to the shape of the bowl. For smaller things such as boxes etc I use jam chucks.

Pete

[The Bowler Hatted Turner]

I have to say that I do not get any indentations when reverse turning a bowl in my cole jaws.May I suggest that you might be overtightening a little bit. You could always pad the jaws out with kitchen paper if the problem persists.
I also(sometimes) use the system that Les and Fuzzy use but not with a disc. I use 18mm plywood in a strip about 5" wide and make the length what ever I would've made the diameter. Just make sure you turn the speed down.

[crazylegs]

Thanks for the tips. I was turning some lime so maybe its just a bit soft or I am heavy handed. I will have to experiment with the flat disc idea. I quite like the idea of a dovetail tenon at the back for ease.

[Les Symonds]

Thanks for the tips. I was turning some lime so maybe its just a bit soft or I am heavy handed. I will have to experiment with the flat disc idea. I quite like the idea of a dovetail tenon at the back for ease.

...just beware of the wear on the dovetail recess that can occur if you use your disk repeatedly. In my original post I neglected to mention that I have faceplate rings fixed to mine.
Les

[fuzzyturns]

Well, Lime is very soft and easily dented. It is worth nothing also that for large(ish) thin bowls there is a risk of depressing the foot back into the bowl if the tailstock is applied too severely. For these cases I always use a lump of poplar turned into a rounded cone with a flattish tip. This will allow the inside bottom of the bowl to sit on the rounded cone, and the pressure of the tailstock has no chance of depressing anything.

[Sandy]

A few good tips from experienced guys for the rest of us.
Thanks