A Turner's Guide to How and Why to Use a Recess

Mike Peace explains the pros and cons of using a chuck recess for woodturning projects and how to make one correctly for a secure hold on your bowl blank. If you find my videos helpful, you can buy me a virtual cup of coffee with this link. www.buymeacoffee.com/mikepeace3Y
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases from my Amazon shop amzn.to/3PYfoKz
Check out my website for demonstration handouts, downloadable copies of articles I have published, and more woodturning info including an article I published on this tool. www.mikepeacewoodturning.com/...
00:00 Introduction
00:40 Making a small recess
07:24 Why a Recess?
10:30 Making a recess on a bowl
14:21 Why bowls vibrate or come off a recess
20:10 How do orient a green blank
23:56 Why I do not like recesses

[@jimbalz3017]

The trick about orienting the grain in the recess at 45 degrees to the jaws was worth the price of admission!

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

Thanks for posting that!

[@tomthompson7644]

Thanks Mike I've been turning for about 7 months and have been primarily using a tenon. You broke it down nicely and explained in detail the proper use of a recess. I particularly like the details for sizing a recess. Thanks again!

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

Glad to help!

[@duaneheadworth6275]

Well done. Very comprehensive and helpful. Thanks for taking the time to make the video.

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

Thanks. Safe turning.

[@tomw83]

Thanks for another great video. Very helpful information for a beginning turner.

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

Glad it was helpful!

[@MRJMAYJR]

I truly enjoy watching and learning from you. (Thanks)

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

Thanks for that!

[@jackthompson5092]

Great lesson Mike.

[@larryd6390]

I'm with you Mike, attractive bottoms are desirable 😀. That's why I always try to embellish somewhat.

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

🙂👊

[@rexb6478]

Thank you! I always wondered which is better. You helped explain what the facts are and helped make the recess safer for all!!

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

Glad it was helpful!

[@jimneely4527]

Turning away the recess after the bowl is finished is something I never thought of. Thanks for the tip, Mike.

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

You bet!

[@OregonOldTimerWOODTURNING]

I made my first recesses pretty deep, not knowing they didn't have to be. But I made the foot tall, too, and after the bowl was off the lathe, I took the bottom down on a jointer to make both recess and foot look good. Now, knowing better, I make shallower recesses. At 20:22, your commentary on grain orientation... I'd never have thought of that in a million years. Thanks.

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

Turning is a journey!

[@LewisKauffman]

Thank you, Mike!

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

Welcome!

[@trevordarx6215]

More great tips Thanks Mike

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

You bet!

[@archiehebron8944]

I took note of the 45 degree offset for grain orientation. I expect that to be a valuable piece of knowledge in the future.

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

Thanks you!

[@charlesreicks648]

Such good advice. Thanks Tim

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

My pleasure!

[@cobberpete1]

I'm a long term viewer and learn things all the time. I use Recess for platters so I don't have to remount. Am guilty of going through the bottom, and also having the foot to thin, resulting in it breaking and flying off. So I will be using your 'Foot' technique to give me the reference of the recess depth. Big Thanks Mike. A lot of things this time to help me out.

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

Thanks, Peter. Glad that tip helps.

[@kenburnette1121]

Very informative!

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

Glad you think so!

[@glencrandall7051]

As you said in your wrap up, there are good times for both methods. Thank you for sharing. Have a great day and stay safe.🙂🙂

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

Thanks for watching!

[@peltona]

Thank you Mike. I made your recess tool years ago when I saw your first recess video. I took the jaws off and scribed them right on the tool before I ground it to get the perfect angle. That block of wood showing the grain with sharpie marks and the 45 degree grain orientation was really helpful.

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

Fantastic!

[@oldgeezer1746]

Have not used recessed fixing very much as I generally used tenons. I had not thought to much about the grain orientation and the jaw expansion being at a 40-degree angle. This is a good thing to help distribute the stress even in dry wood.

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

Yes it is.

[@colinball1960]

I love all your videos Mike and am learning all the time.Just learned two very important points with this one regarding depth and the foot. I can't understand that with 1,480 views only 165 likes before me. You keep posting and we can keep learning. Many thanks.

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

Great to hear, Colin!

[@markhunt6177]

Great tips as always. I prefer using a mortise but usually make it deeper than necessary. I hava a bowl on the lathe now that I am going to try your method with. Perfect timing, my next step is the mortise.

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

Right on

[@keithmetcalfe3990]

I have watched your videos for a couple of years and I thank you the knowledge you have passed on to me, your latest videos on tendons versus recess’s have been excellent. I knew everything thing you were telling me, I have heard it all before, it must have been the way you were explaining it but now the penny has dropped. I have put into practice what you were explaining with great success. Many thanks again, keep up the good work. Take care Mike 👍

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

Wow, thank you!

[@hfbowerndesigns810]

Thanks for the two great videos on recess and tenon for holding projects on the lathe. Always good to tweak your thoughts to look at the use and how to deal with using each and the issues to watch out for when using each. Take care my friend Cheers Harold

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

Thanks 👍

[@gordongroves6674]

Thanks Mike, another very useful video. I would suggest also for those starting out (that's good coming from a novice like me). Put spigots or recesses on your early works and leave them on as long as they blend in with your piece. The idea being that after a couple of years - learning from experts such as Mike and others - you'll be able to remount the piece and get that extra enjoyment of remodelling it into something quite special!

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

Thanks for the tip!

[@johnhicks4992]

Class A instruction!

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

Thanks!

[@paulmelanson1527]

Great video. I learn a lot about making a recess . I liked the flip chart drawings. The only negative thing is the image was a bit grainy. Making it hard to see the details. I started watching your videos in April 2022. That's when i started playing with a lathe. Thanks for you videos

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

Thanks for sharing!

[@dougrobins8291]

This was an excellent series, Mike. I generally use tenons, as early in my turning career I blew out the sides of a recess when hogging off wood to round a freshly cut bowl blank. I might have avoided this by using light pressure and sharper tools...but have only broken one tenon is over 9 years.

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

Thanks for sharing!

[@PatrickSalsbury]

This was great, with lots of really informative parts. That bit about grain orientation was enlightening, and I really liked the stuff you took time to diagram on the illustration pad. Showing all the different ways that slight adjustments can make or break the friction of the mount, or crumble the edge, was the kind of wisdom that only comes from years of experience. Thanks for sharing that wisdom and experience with us.

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

Glad it was helpful! Thanks for commenting.

[@briank4322]

Mike, I really liked your use of the threaded glue block. I will be on the lookout for a tap that matches my lathe. I also really enjoyed your tips on recess depth aligning with the shoulder of your bowl to judge how deep you can go when you turn the bowl. I have also been making too deep of a recess in the past, this this is extremely helpful all around. The diagrams are next level and shows your true passion for teaching turning and making it approachable to anyone willing to throw shavings!

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

The Beall tap is the best value. It comes in 1x8 and 1.25x8

[@jasonrobinson252]

I’ve been cutting my recess far too deep. Looking forward to having more volume in my vessels!

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

You got this!

[@harryheafer4847]

Mike, enjoy your videos and pick up great tips, not to make time on my lathe to put them to work. Question on your use of the live center here, using the pointed tip vs a cup type one or one with the small teeth around it. Thanks

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

I do not have a steb live center with teeth. I typically use the point and cup powermatic live center without the cone. I use the cone show when I have a hole or need to cut near the point. IN the video I probably just used the cone because it was convenient..

[@daviddejong187]

Good video! I normally use a recess mainly because i don't like the idea of remounting and removing the tenon. Everything you've shown here is what I do except for the grain orientation which is something I will pay attention from now on. Besides I think a nicely made recess with a foot can be an attractive element to the bottom of the project. Thanks for the video

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

Thanks for sharing!

[@scottmedori1437]

My tenons are too deep, I guess I feel more comfortable with more material. The 45 degree tip explains a lot of my goof ups- maybe why the deeper groove.

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

I hope this video gave you the confdence to try a shallower recess. Especially if you plan to leave it.

[@Brush0akie]

I’m starting out trial and error, working with green wood trying to twice turn it, green and then dryer green. The tenons for me have sheared off, mortise are secure and safe.

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

They both work when done right. Stay safe.

[@allyncross6973]

Hey Mike, I caught your tenon video yesterday and subscribed. Today I saw you had this one out so I just finished watching it. I mentioned in the comments of your tenon video that I have a PSI Barracuda 2 chuck and it is horrible for recesses. There is no dovetail on it. Almost every recess I have tried has failed even though I use a 90 degree parallel recess. The only ones that have succeeded are if I make it at least 3/8's inch deep and even then they rarely succeed no matter how non-aggressive I am. That said let me ask you this. I will be buying a different chuck down the road. One with good dovetails on both sides. What chuck would you recommend? Thanks for the video. Yall have a wonderful day.

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

Sorry your Barricuda does not work for you. Check out this video on buying your first chuck. kzbin.info/www/bejne/p3mxq41qlN51f9U

[@allyncross6973]

@@MikePeaceWoodturning Thank you I watched your video and that did not give me any kind of definitive answer to my question at all. It did in fact simply leave me in the same boat I am now. I guess I should have asked Phil or Dean or Gary or hmm I could just go check out Kent's site. Im sure he will offer a definitive answer. Have a good day.

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

@@allyncross6973 ok, buy a Re ord Power sc4. I think you will like it. Your question is a bit like asking what car should I drive.

[@allyncross6973]

@@MikePeaceWoodturning actually it is exactly like asking a mechanic which car they would recommend, I was a mechanic for some years and I often made recommendations to my customers based on my opinions and experience. They may not buy what I recommended but when I was asked I gave my honest opinion of what I thought was the best. I asked for your honest opinion because you are clearly a talented experienced woodturner and you portray yourself as a teacher so I expected you to give an honest recommendation much like I did when I was a mechanic and service manager. Thank you for your recommendation of the Record Power SC4. I appreciate it and will check it out. Yall have a wonderful day.

[@ivus2010]

Hey Mike, Did I hear you say that all chucks are dovetailed on the outside?

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

No. Some are parallel which is why you need to look at them closely.

[@ivus2010]

@@MikePeaceWoodturning thanks Mike.

[@billy19461]

I had a tendon to break off and my bowl went flying on some red cedar. Scared me to death.

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

@billy19461 Yes, flying bowls will do that!