Faceplate ring

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Democritus

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I have been given a faceplate ring . Marking a bowl blank centre in the usual way is ok , but should I then position the faceplate ring ‘by eye’, or is there a more accurate way of doing it?
D
 
Don't have one myself, but maybe make a thin ply disc, with a small centre hole and made to the same width as the inside diameter of the ring. Use something pointed to locate this at the centre of the stock, Slip the ring around this and screw in position. Or something along these lines..........
 
Look up Lyle Johnson on you tube he has a great system for mounting, he never uses a chuck and his method is simple and effective
 
The few times I use one I get compasses and draw a circle on the base then set ring in circle and screw it down. Half the diameter of the ring is the setting for the compasses but slightly larger is ok. Its easy to eyeball one circle inside another. Best screws I have found for faceplates are hex head roofing screws and they can be reused. Being designed to hold sheets on a roof in high winds they have very good holding power.
Regards
John
 
I have been given a faceplate ring . Marking a bowl blank centre in the usual way is ok , but should I then position the faceplate ring ‘by eye’, or is there a more accurate way of doing it?
D
I made this up works really well masonry nails through the middle centres it in the marker hole?
 

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Post in thread 'Face Plate size guide' Face Plate size guide

See this much earlier thread. Even if you are using a faceplate it's handy to mark the centre so when you reverse it you can bring the tailstock up accurately if you need to.
 
Another quick and dirty way which is nowhere near as accurate as the above suggestions and needs a faceplate that has four screw holes equally distanced from each other. Draw two perpendicular lines crossing the centre point then eyeball the four screw holes so that the lines appear 'centreishly' in each. You should be somewhere around the mark but I repeat that it won't be accurate except by luck.
This is something that has just come to me so probably needs to be 'kicked about' to see if it works well. If you have a circle cutting jig for a bandsaw you can cut a disc to fit the centre hole in the faceplate, put the disc on the circle cutter then place the blank with faceplate already fitted onto the disc. You will need a spacer the same thickness as the faceplate fitted to the jig near the blade to stop it snagging if it tips the blank. I'm getting ready to be blown out of the water with this idea.

Gary
 
There seem to be two issues:
  • marking the centre of the blank - most blanks are not accurately circular due to cutting errors and grain direction/moisture content changes
  • ensuring the faceplate is centred around the marked centre of the blank - I like the idea of a disc fitting the centre of the faceplate with a nail to locate the marked centre
 
There seem to be two issues:
  • marking the centre of the blank - most blanks are not accurately circular due to cutting errors and grain direction/moisture content changes
  • ensuring the faceplate is centred around the marked centre of the blank - I like the idea of a disc fitting the centre of the faceplate with a nail to locate the marked centre
Plus, you may also want to deliberately move the centre point of the face plate ring to an off-centre location to have that swirl/knot/inclusion to appear in a particular position on the finished piece.
 
Plus, you may also want to deliberately move the centre point of the face plate ring to an off-centre location to have that swirl/knot/inclusion to appear in a particular position on the finished piece.
Indeed, which is why a transparent acetate is more useful than a solid disc.
 
Hi Guys,
Thanks again for all your suggestions. I don’t have a problem marking the centre of a bowl blank. I either use a standard centre finder, or use my large transparent centre finder disc of the type to which Robbo referred.
If I use a traditional faceplate, I use a rod with a nail in the end that fits the central hole. I suppose this is similar to the idea of cutting a disc to fit the ring. I think this is probably the best solution.
Cheers
D.
 

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