TWO CENTERING JIGS

A FACEPLATE-CENTERING JIG

TWO CENTERING JIGS

Centering the faceplate on a workpiece

To center your lathe’s faceplate on a cir­cular workpiece, use the handy jig shown at right. Turn a cylindrical piece of wood to the diameter of the faceplate’s threaded hole, tapering the end slightly. (You may wish to form a handle at the top end of the jig.) Drive a nail into the center of the tapered end, cut off the nailhead, and grind a sharp point. To use the jig, mark the center of the workpiece with an awl (page 132). Next, set the faceplate on the workpiece with the awl mark in the mid­dle of the threaded hole, insert the jig in the hole as shown, and “feel” for the mark with the nail tip. Holding the jig in place, screw the faceplate to the workpiece.

A CENTER-FINDING JIG

Acrylic plastic disk

 

Screw

 

Skew chisel

 

TWO CENTERING JIGS

Attaching the faceplate to an irregularly shaped workpiece

The jig shown above will enable you to center the faceplate on an irregularly shaped workpiece. Cut pieces of Winch clear acrylic plastic and Winch plywood into 12-inch-diameter disks. Attach the two together with double-sided tape and a screw. Mount the assembly to your faceplate so the plastic is facing out, then use a skew chisel to cut a series of equally spaced, con­
centric rings into the disk (above, left). Remove the plastic disk and spray it with black paint. Once the paint has dried, peel the backing paper off both sides of the plastic. To use the jig, set it on the workpiece so as much of it as possible is within one of the rings and mark the center with an awl (above, right). Use the mark as a centerpoint for mounting the faceplate.

Updated: March 12, 2016 — 2:12 pm