Here’s an idea I use to either clean up, or entirely remove, the dovetail used for securing a bowl or platter to a scroll chuck.
Two pieces of equipment are needed:
1. A face-plate made from 16mm MDF or plywood which has been trued up on the lathe and to which has been adhered a 12mm disc of high density foam.
2. A plastic hose adapter that has been stolen from the garden tap.
In use, the idea is that when you first turn the dovetail, turn another recess just a whisker over 15mm in diameter and about 1mm deep. This will fit the small end of the plastic adapter and enables you to find the true centre later on. When the bowl or platter is all but finished, install the face place, bring up the tail stock complete with a suitably sized live centre to the vicinity of the work, hold the bowl centrally against the face plate and install the plastic adapter with the small end in the recess previously made, the larger end going over the live centre as the tail stock is brought up.
Lock the tail stock down and wind in the live centre together with the adapter to obtain a snug fit of the bowl against the face plate. Finally lock the wind in mechanism for the live centre.
I know this sounds as though you need a dozen hands but you don’t. It’s surprising how easily the bowl seeks to centre itself against the face plate.
Using a low to moderate lathe speed, the dove tail make be re-worked or entirely remove as desired. Apply whatever finish has been used on the rest of the project, which leaves only the 15mm piece in the centre which may be hand sanded if necessary and finished off the lathe.
