Got The Chuck & Fear For My Bearings

PIcked up the SuperNova2 and the Pin Jaws. Cleaned them
up put the chuck on the JET midi lathe and now I'm concerned
about my drive head bearings. This is NOT a delicate little
thing - but rather an 8+ pound, 3 3/4" diameter, 2 " thick
chunk of steel - without the jaws. And its center line is
sitting 2 1/2" from the nearest bearing.

The other issue is the JAWS manual's "DO NOT EXCEED 684 RPMS"
for any of the jaws. Fortunately the JET variable speed
starts at 500 rpms but the slow speed seems to conflict with
the general consensus that higher speeds are better than
lower speeds.

Was also surprised that the chuck came with no manual
and a two page "instructions" *** - AND a DVD. COOL -
a DVD. But there's almost no video - four short mpeg
files - but the rest is either image files or pdf files. That
sucks.

Have to clean up the shop of the residue of three utility
shelves - 6 shelves each - and clear off the workbench
before trying this puppy out.

Also picked up Raffan's tape - his skew seems an
extension of his arms and hands. My teeth go on
edge watching him wield that skew and hog out huge
quantities of wood - starting with the long point!

Got one of Mike Darlow's (the author of the article
Turning Tools, Spotting Design Flaws) books -
The Fundamentals of Woodturning. I was trained
in engineering so his explanations and illustrations
of the mechanics of turning and the use of tools
is something I can understand, rather than accept
"do it this way because that's the way I do it and
I'm an expert.". If I can understand "what and
why" I can figure out "how" myself.

Relaltive to furniture making, turning seems
to be The Wild Wild West - a hundred ways
to do things and only one or two that don't
require 100-200 hours of practice with a lot
of trial and error - to say nothing of the
Pucker Factor. Probably should take a class
DUH!

Fun this turning thing.

charliel b.
.