Fig. 858.
For very large chucks a cross of this kind would not afford sufficient strength, hence, the form shown in [Fig. 858] is employed. The arms are bolted to an iron face plate, as shown, their number increasing with the diameter of the chuck. To keep the chuck true, the arms should have a level and fair bed upon the face plate, the segments composing the rim being fairly bedded to the arms and well jointed at the ends. They should be both glued and screwed, care being taken that the points of the screws do not meet the face of the chuck, in which case they would damage the turning tools used to true the chuck.
As wooden chucks are liable to warp and become out of true it is requisite to test them on each occasion before use, and true them if necessary. The work is fastened to these chucks by means of screws whose heads are sunk beneath the work surface a sufficient depth so that there is no danger of their coming into contact with the turning tools. In other cases the work is glued to the chuck, a piece of paper being interposed between the work and the chuck, which, by being damped, will enable the more ready removal of the work from the chuck.
Fig. 859.
Another form of chuck used by wood workers is shown in [Fig. 859]. It consists of a disc of wood a; screwed to the face plate and carrying the two pieces b, b. The pieces c, c are wedges which slide endways to grip the work. This chuck is especially handy for small work of rectangular form.
From the shape of some work, it cannot be chucked in jaw chucks of any description, and this is especially the case with work of large diameter, hence, large lathes, as, say those that will swing more than three feet, are not usually provided with universal chucks, although sometimes provided with independent jaw-chucks. So likewise in small lathes there are many forms of work that cannot be chucked in jaw chucks, and yet other forms that can be more conveniently held or chucked on face or chuck plates, &c.