Glue Blocks for Woodturners 

Mike -- This is an excellent how-to video for using glue blocks with 4-jaw chucks. I frequently use glue blocks. When I do, I generally use them with a faceplate. Used with a faceplate, I think ordinary construction lumber is more than adequate for making glue blocks. I use a hole-saw mounted in my drill press and can quickly cut out several 1.5" thick glue blocks out of a 2x6. (A 2x4 is slightly too narrow for my smallest face plates.) I then take each glue block, mount them on the lathe using a screw chuck, and flatten the face of the glue block. Then, using the hole from hole-saw to center the glue block on the face plate, I mount the glue block onto face plate using sturdy screws (with the flattened face against the face plate). Then, I prepare the glue block for gluing to my project blank as you demonstrated in your video. It sounds way more complicated than it is in practice. Using face plates with glue blocks isn't better than using them with chucks. Both methods have their advantages and disadvantages. I'm mentioning it only so your viewers know another option.

Thanks Mike.

I tried to make some glue blocks using side grain oriented pine from a 1x4. You sure warned me about the issue with roughing out the endgrain on the sides of the spinning square block ! I shoved my rough shaping carbide tool too far and it took a chunk out of the wood and stalled the lathe ! Then, I managed to hit the long screws I had used to screw it into my faceplate....that sure was a hard hit with metal on metal at 2000 rpm ! Took a big old chunk of carbide out of the insert, never seen that before even when I hit nails on my helical carbide planer ! Nails just nick carbide inserts in the planer, but the screws on the faceplate took almost half of the 11 mm insert edge off - anyway, turned it 90 degrees and the tool is back in business. At this rate, I might need to order a dozen more square inserts to keep up with my bonehead moves !

Thanks Mike. Really clear as ever!

Thank you Mike for the tutorial very good!!! Yiannis (Athens Greece)

I've read that Eastman Kodak created CA by accident while attempting to make an adhesive to connect reels of film into a long strip but it turned out to be too brittle for that purpose. I'm not sure if that's the full story, but it was later used during the Vietnam war to temporarily close wounds on the battlefield....the original "new skin" bandage. I can't count the number of times that I've used it on small wounds over the years, they still use it today in place of stitches in ER's for minor wound closure....just don't use accelerator if using it on skin, the chemical reaction produces an uncomfortable amount of heat....

Avoiding pine was the part I was trying to find. Thanks!

Good tips as always Mike!👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

I have owned a lathe for over thirty years but rarely used it because of other hobbies now I am an octogenarian and spend more time in my garage I have rekindled my interest in turning.I can’t tell you how much I appreciate your demonstrations. You have a gift for uncomplicated communication and I am learning so much from your clear explanation of the techniques you use. Thank you for inspiring me and giving me the confidence to try some of your projects Ken

Good tips Mike, thanks for sharing.

Great demo, thanks.

Great video, thanks for taking the time to make this

Thank you for another most helpful video

Very cool idea using that hole and pin to center the two pieces. Thanks Mike

Nice work on describing and demonstrating the how to's of glue blocks. Answered a bunch of my questions about this topic and as a relatively new turner I appreciate this kind of instructional video. Especially tips like drill the hole for centering the piece to be turned. Thanks very much Mike, and Yes, I've subscribed and I'll be back!

Really useful video Mike. Thanks for sharing

I like the how and why when you do your explanation. Happy Thanksgiving SAFE TURNING, John.

Great information for a newbie!

Great info! thanks

Great vid Mike!

Great tips Mike, thank you. Cheers Mike

Great instructional video Mike and really like the dual camera / two view set up

Thanks Mike! Learning a lot from your vids!

Always learn from your videos!

Good video Mike. Thanks. Happy Thanks Giving to you and yours! Ron

As always GREAT info. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family sir.

Another very useful tip, Mike. Thanks for sharing! Take care, …..Gord

Well done mate

Good technique and video. For the benefit of everyone: 1) Don’t let yourself get into the habit of turning against the grain. There are times when it’s necessary but only do it at those times. 2) Always use your tailstock with a chuck and bit to drill. Square and centered is critical. Shortcuts with handheld drills will bite you when it comes to accuracy. 3) One half inch outer circumstance contact is all that is needed for glue blocks. Turn the center down a quarter inch and ensure that outer half inch is absolutely flat. It’s critical for success.

Answered a few questions,, thanks for sharing

Its good to see some videos on glue blocks. Everyone is so reliant of jigs now and other pre-made chucking methods. But if your are starting out (that's me), then you don't have all those toys.

Thanks for these videos! I'm new to turning and dont have the time to join my local Turner association (I will once I'm out of grad school) so your videos give me the next best thing to a one on one instructional session. I have a lot to learn and gain so much from each video you share. Thanks again!

Hi Mike. Just a quick update on my vacuum chuck. I used the strategically placed piece of tape and that worked perfectly, thank you once again. John from the uk.

Mike, Here’s a tip for separating a CA glue block. Freeze the glue line with canned air ( the kind for cleaning computer keyboards). It will then easily separate with light pressure from a thin putty. Great tip on cutting a chamfer to get the putty knife started. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family and thanks for sharing your videos.

Awesome video, Happy Thanksgiving 👍👍

Mike, thank you for sharing some great ideas with us. While watching your video, 1 minute into it I realized you were wearing an ACU shirt. I recently retired from active duty service and have a couple of multi-cam shirts left over from my service days. I have been thinking about what kind of wood working shirt to wear or buy for quite some time and feel the multi-cam shirts would fit the job nicely. I look forward to more of your videos and learning from your advice, wisdom and techniques.

Two more bits of tips. Glue blocks can of course be used multiple times. Bonnie Klein's videos introduced me to glue blocks on face plates. I bought several of them to help keep them available. Bonnie also suggests using pencil line circles to help with centering. When using glue blocks held by chucks & jaws, if you have multiples, use a Sharpie to ID the chuck/jaws. Also mark the block to realign with a specific jaw number to help return it to nearly true. A second or two to help repeat your processes. Tip from Dick Sing.

Excellent video Mike! I now feel good to go. I am making a bowl cover with a small spire and don't want to use a big piece if expensive wood. Thank you.

I use glue blocks fastened to face plates 90% of the time. I alwas hollow out the center and only use about 1/4" lip on the outside of the glue block for the glue up. To part off the bowl I use a multitool, this way I can get a lot of bowls out of one glue block. When I get down close to the screws I just glue on another layer and I good to go.

Good timing Mike. I've been using glue blocks for many years but, this time of year is when I can probably say I use them most when turning globes and finials from waste wood I just couldn't throw on the firewood pile. Just yesterday, I was turning a bauble from a very soft spalted, unknown timber that refused to adhere to a block. So, since I would be eventually be drilling a 25mm hole through it, I made a 25mm diameter by 25mm deep tenon on a glue block and stuck it to that. Much safer than jam chucking it which was my first thought/solution. Thanks, Mike.

Mike, thanks for sharing great videos for us new woodturners. I use a Oneway Talon chuck on my Laguna 12/16. I've watched your threaded wooden faceplate video and this glue block video, but I'm confused as to when to use a threaded faceplate as a glue block and when to use a tenon fashioned glue block. Thanks again!

happy thanksgiving mike hope its a great one .

That's brilliant I've knackered my parting tool hitting the screws holding to faceplate and get really annoyed at waste of wood. Any advice on removing once finished or just with a parting tool?

Great video Mike, thanks for some good ideas. BTW: First, this is not a complaint, but rather just some FYI on internet connections and data caps. We live way out in the sticks and our ISP is one of the satellite company's and they have data caps on our service. Basically our 'bonus' time is between 2AM and 8AM and then after 8AM our regular data capped time kicks in, so I always try to watch or download any RU-vid videos during the bonus hours so as to save as much of the capped time as possible. We live in the same time zone as you, so when you post a video at around 8AM I always have to decide whether wait until the next days bonus time to watch, or say to heck with the data cap and watch it anyway. So my point... if your videos were, by chance, posted at 7:30-7:45AM it would work so wonderfully for my set up. But, I have no idea on what your needs are on the timing, so you'll not hear any complaints from me no matter what action you do or do not take. I love your videos and will continue to watch as long as you keep posting. Thanks for all that you do Mike.

Great video - demonstrates a very useful turning trick. I use lots of glue blocks, but in my case, they are mostly threaded to screw onto the spindle of my lathe. I make them in two parts - one part is drilled and tapped to match the spindle thread (all the way through the block so that I know that the hole and threads are full depth). I always reinforce the threads with thin CA, run the tap through again to clean up the threads, and then wipe some paste wax on the threads. Then I glue the second portion onto the threaded portion and face it off as you demonstrated. And yes, I drill a hole (3/32") to help centering the glue block. I have a scrap of coat hanger wire (which is 3/32" in diameter) mounted in a handle and with the end sharpened that I use for centering. Because I take care in creating the threaded portion, these glue blocks can be reused many times. Cleaning off the face causes the face portion to eventually become fairly thin, so I just glue on another layer.

Excellent advice! To take it a little further, I use glue blocks in conjunction with faceplates. I do a lot of segmented work, and it is not uncommon for me to have 2, 3, or 4 projects in progress at the same time. The faceplate eliminates any of the concentricity problems you can run into when dismounting/mounting work on a chuck. Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanks, Mike, great lesson! What do you think of side-grain douglas fir for glue blocks? Thanks for any advice!

Great info, thanks. I recently started using a chuck and am relatively new in general to turning. Regarding the titebond glue, do you glue with paper in between to help with the separation when you’re done turning? Is paper necessary?I’ve been using paper because it’s what I learned in wood shop years ago.

As a relative novice to woodturning, I wondered about what wood to use for glue blocks. Recently, I glued 2 pieces of regular 2 X 4 together and turned them round ~4" long. I used the end grain for my first small project and used the woodturner's tape that you talked about in a previous video. Fortunately, it held VERY well, but I now see that changing the grain orientation would be much better. In addition, it looks like you would get a much better grip on the tenon as well. The soft pine gripping on the end grain tended to loosen. Have you tried using treated wood for glue blocks? It seems to be harder. Thanks for the info.

Excellent explanation, as usual. If you were turning something with a larger radius, would you still use a tenon close to the minimum for the chuck? I've heard conflicting views from experienced turners (one says he aims for a tenon about 40% of the diameter for more support on push cuts) - just want your take on it. Thanks!

Mike all I have is a 5” faceplate and spur center tailstock center for now could you show something for that type of glue block thanks and happy thanksgiving 🦃🍁🍽 to you and your family god bless

Thanks for the tip. I do have a question though: I am trying to clean up a bowl that I turned high school (many moons ago) that’s about 10” across. How large should a glue block be? Thanks.

Could you use a hole saw to cut out your glue block blanks or would the pilot hole bit make the center hole too big? Just seems like it would make a lot of them quickly out of a board but I have no current experience doing so, thus the question

Great job Mile. Subscribed thanks. One question, how do I get it off? Does it mean cutting the glue block with a parting tool?

Is tightbond 3 ok for this also?

Thanks for sharing!! Remember rule #1 don't get any blood on the wood😂

Why not start by cutting it round on the band saw? Start close to round.

Are you not concerned about the low elasticity and brittle nature of CA glue resisting torsional forces? I'd vote PVA based glue for this prob being safer?

You are wearing long sleeves, ring, and watch, and worried about a small nick!

Why a tenon... just screw a faceplate. Turners are always making it more complicated.