Faceplate help

[series60]

So I have had my lathe for a while (grizzly 7x12) and I don't have a 4 jaw chuck. Was curious if anyone could enlighten me on the setup and use of the faceplate like fastening work to it. I want to be able to machine square stock with my lathe. Thanks for helping a kinda newb...

 

[Beone]

Get some angle, steel or al, drill and tap screws or all thread between and bolt to faceplate. Squeeze the square between the angles like a vise. Just one way. Use bolts,clamps whatever you have. Dave Gingery's books, 2 and 6 esp, have a lot on making your own clamping hardware for the faceplate. He uses castings but bar, plate etc could be easily substituted.
Make a nice lex an shield for in front of the lathe, bolt something up and try it. If it doesn't work try something else. It's a learning process.
Dave

 

[cwelkie]

You might want to take a look at Harold Hall's website (if you haven't already) for some tips on using a faceplate:
http://www.homews.co.uk/page465.html

... everything from setup and clamping to balancing.

 

[Beone]

Thanks cwelkie, I had lost track of Halls site.
Dave

 

[MachineTom]

The first accessory for a lathe should be a 4 jaw chuck. Then learn to quickly center your work. When the piece has to be concentric over a multiple grabs, a 4 jaw is the only way to go. Then there is square, polygon whatever, get and use the 4 jaw your work will expand.

 

[kvom]

The first accessory for a lathe should be a 4 jaw chuck. Then learn to quickly center your work. When the piece has to be concentric over a multiple grabs, a 4 jaw is the only way to go. Then there is square, polygon whatever, get and use the 4 jaw your work will expand.

Minor quibble here. A dead center in a 3-jaw chuck or faceplate along with lathe dogs is as accurate across multiple chucking. Of course this requires the other end to be supported by a live center in the tailstock and not removing the dead center.

Still, you'll need a 4-jaw eventually.