Making and Using a Glue Block

How to make a glue block using a nylon insert lock nut. Originally observed in a Bonnie Klein demo at the Florida Woodturning Symposium.

[@scottg9208]

I know this video is 9 years old but I just saw it today. I went down to my local Fastenal branch store and got 5 of the 1-8 nuts for $2.30 each. I did not get the lock nuts, just the standard nut. This is a great tip and I will make several different size waste blocks this way.

[@rsauve999]

Bought this same standard nut at a local (NL Canada) supply store last week. Shocked that I paid the same price as 5 yrs. ago - $1 cnd.

[@claypigeon001]

I never thought of using a nut as an insert for a glue block 🤔👍 good idea, thank you 😊

[@bernym4047]

Thanks Walter. I'm just getting started turning with an old Clarke's lathe I paid just a few pounds for. It only has a faceplate (no chuck) so I had no idea how to mount my work pieces. This video was very useful.

[@philipguarino524]

Great tutorial, nicely presented. Thank you, Phil

[@kevinkrull5483]

That's a great idea Walter! I'm glad you shared it. I'll have to add at least one of those to my arsenal! Have a good one, Kevin

[@caylecox3347]

Great info and explanations. Thanks for putting this together

[@bernym4047]

Excellently produced video and very good tips. Just what I need for my old Clarke’s Lathe as I dont have a scroll chuck for it. Thanks.

[@JamesCouch777]

That's an excellent idea 👍 I can't do the nuts because I have an antique Crescent lathe with 1-1/8 threads but I was able to order a tap from China so now I can make anything I need from hardwood and thread it on to the lathe.

[@MikeWaldt]

Good tip Walter, and well presented and explained. Take care Mike

[@jimmiller4526]

Tried gluing up with CA a couple years ago. I found that it gets very very brittle when accelerator is used. Launched a couple projects across the shop. For me it's titebond and patience. Very informative video and nicely done.

[@michaelogden5958]

I tend to agree. In my experience, CA is a very niche product. It does, however, excel at sticking one's fingers together. 😄

[@TheWoodWerker]

Really good tips Walter!...Thanks 4 sharing! Have A Super Blessed Week!.....Gus

[@AllenMayles]

I have an old fashioned family hardware store near me (the kind of place you can rummage through drawers and the owner knows by heart where everything is) and I just picked up some of the nuts for 2.99 each. Hopefully I'll get the nylon out easily and get my chucks made in a day or two, thanks for the info and inspiration.

[@mikethompson7290]

brilliant! Just founf this today...Off to the hardware store for some nuts and I will make a few of these . Great tip

[@patpiper6884]

Nice tip on using hardware nuts for glue blocks.

[@craigjanice1568]

Thanks, I'm new to turning so my initial attempts at removing the nylon insert using the lathe put me in one of those " gotta be a easier safer way for me" modes. I found out that by putting a cutting bit into a dremel and securing the nut in a vice I could make 3 or 4 cuts into the nylon insert and easily pry out the insert. Thanks again well done and informative video.

[@spinzwood8290]

I don't know if it will work, but I'm thinking I can make a "hook tool" from an old screwdriver to turn the nylon out. i'll see if it works

[@petercockshott7657]

Janice

[@thewoodman6039]

Great Idea, I bought two at local store. This is a good way to save money. I was looking at beal tap. Not anymore. thanks

[@spudpud-T67]

I've never owned a wood turning jawed chuck. I use a waste wood block and hot glue. That's been my way for 35 years.

[@williamdonnelly8783]

Thanks for the info on glue blocks, It will help me turn my bowls without a chuck recess.

[@rogerteaters5282]

You can never have enough of these... Gonna make some up ASAP.... Great tip!!!

[@waltwager]

Hi Duhhh, Thanks for your comment -- I have never had a problem with getting the lock nut glue block off the lathe. I believe that is because the rounded part of nut makes minimal contact with the flat part of the spindle, unlike the larger flat surface of a scroll chuck.

[@rockdalejohn]

I have been using this type of glue block for awhile and have not had any problems. I don't use epoxy. I use baking soda and thin ca glue. Fill the cavity half full of baking soda and saturate with ca glue, let set for a minute and fill to top and add ca glue. I got this tip from Stewart-MacDonald the guitar repair people. They use it to repair the nuts on guitars.The soda and ca glue gets very hard.

[@ChurchClown7]

Thanks for the tip!

[@spinzwood8290]

I use this technique in some areas of my woodcarving. However, for this application I would be concerned. CA can get brittle, more so with age and environment. I think the stresses on a guitar nut are different from the stresses that CAN happen in turning.. catches for example. I think I'll consider either epoxy or E6000. One thing where CA works well in an application like this is to use your favorite wood glue but leave a spot for a few drops of CA. Add a spritz of accelerator to the mating piece in the location of your CA drops.. mate together. The CA bonds quickly and holds the pieces together and keeps them from moving while the slower setting glues cure.

[@clausjensen8735]

John MacNeil n

[@kellerLangford]

Great training!

[@seaotter52]

Nice idea. If you have any concerns about the adhesive bonding, rough the sides with. 100/150 grit for mechanical bond

[@rogerjewell7256]

You can get plain nuts for about a third the price of the lock nuts (those with the nylon inserts) and you don't have to mess around removing the insert! Mine work just like the ones we used in Bonnie's class.

[@Bostonwoodturningart]

Ive made a few taped wooden faceplate s recently and usually add a second piece of wood that sort of is like using the nut, gives it both distance and strength. Even thought I like your suggestions about using the nut I still think tapping the wooden faceplate might be a little faster.

[@waltwager]

While I haven't had any problems with using CA glue, I still keep the tail stock live center engaged as long as I can. I might also note that CA glue doesn't work equally well on all woods. Titebond and patiece is certainly better.

[@markyehle6355]

I bought some 1 1/4" lock nuts from FWM Fasteners but they were to small for my spindle threads. The lock nuts are listed as 1 1/4" but have an inside diameter of 7/8". I called FMW and spoke with a representative named Steve who was very helpful. He said they don't have a lock nut that large but they do have another nut used in the oil fields that will fit (not lock nut). We wondered if your spindle size was smaller that the one on my NOVA, which measure 1 1/4' on the outside of the threads. I'm returning the original lock nuts and ordering some of the larger nuts. Hope they work.

[@nathanast7036]

I usually use hot melt glue instead of ca glue and it seems to work well, it lets me take a heat gun the the edge and pry them apart quite easily

[@winiewicz]

Hi, thank you for very informative video. What I would like to ask is probably obvious to most of turners. The piece you glued at the end is an actual waste block that the piece will be glued to right? I would like to know how do you remove the waste block from the piece? and later how do you remove the waste block from the glue block so it doesnt get destroyed. Many thanks from Hong Kong!

[@RickRose]

Very well presented--Thank you!

[@frandavey5298]

try solid plastic decking. It drills easy and taps well. If too thin blue a spacer to the back. If you put a metal dowel on the end of your tap the tap will self aline. then screw wood pieces to it. I then hotmelt my piece to be turned to that. it has served me well.

[@tedgaunt3044]

great idea! However, I cannot find them for 1-1/4 x 8 TPI...

[@carlosvalenzuela7014]

Thanks Walter for sharing

[@corodimask]

This was very helpful--thanks very much.

[@ArcticFlies56]

Walter, great idea and economical to.

[@zarrir]

Awesome! Can you do it with regular nuts instead of nylon ones?

[@rebeccadonaldson1464]

Using the smaller tubes of Epoxy, you returned the Red Cap to the tube which previously had the White Cap. This will solidify all the Epoxy parts in both tubes. Good job you hadn't much left in those tubes. Great video though.

[@rogerdirkx.1679]

Hi, I had trouble removing the nylon from the 1” lock nut. After watching your video AGAIN I realized you used your parting tool to get the nylon out. Did you have much trouble with the tool hitting the metal? That is a concern as I’m a new turner. Any suggestion would be appreciated. Thanks for video and your help.

[@hermsradatus4689]

Walter I live in Ontario, Canada. I was searching for a 1"-8 locknut and found some at Home Depot today at $12.50 CDN, roughly $9.00 US. So I only bought one. I don't know where you could find them for $1.50 even in the USA. I saw some flat washers for about that price. Otherwise my epoxy is curing nicely and I should be using my new chuck tomorrow. Regards, Herms

[@braveheart51able]

A company called Fastenal carries them at that price in the States. Maybe a dollar more but not much.

[@spinzwood8290]

Hey Herms, I have a Fastenal close by. They had them for $3 ea. Called a local commercial company and they had them for $2 ea. I bought 5.. maybe I'll gift one to a friend who has been threading the wood. They also had plain nuts w/o the nylon. I opted to not get them as I have no experience doing this yet. I would have tried the plain nuts but I didn't know if I would need a relief in one end so the nut could firmly sit against the spindle.

[@rsauve999]

Went to HomeDepot last night here in St. John's, NL - too expensive. Went to Fastenal - here they only sell to businesses. Then to a local company - only $1.15!

[@alexmcneilly]

I went to the FMWfasteners.com site today and the nuts are not even close to the $1+ price. They are now $11.60 !! each. Ouch.

[@Canalcoholic]

Another one of those ideas which is so blindingly obvious that you wonder why you never thought of it yourself.

[@tommyschutz9008]

Very good Walter. I didn't get to see how one would get the ring out of the inside of the lock nut. Did you suggest I turn it off with a parting tool? Any tips would be helpful. Thanks, Tommy

[@waltwager]

Tommy Schutz the nut will screw onto the spindle until it hits the nylon ring. then you can take a small parting tool and go straight into the ring. you may hit the very end of the spindle, so be gentle as you cut it off. Or you can drill a 1" hole in a piece of wood so that it goes onto the spindle first as a spacer and that keeps the nylon ring from bottoming out on the spindle, then use the small parting tool to cut out the nylon ring. Maybe take a torch and burn out the nylon ring (I have never tried this but it should work- not on the lathe though).

[@rexdobson2816]

Very sad but Harbor Freight told me they do not sale lathe parts anymore. Only the turning tools.

[@rimar2000]

Excellent video. I thought that this was MY invention. I use this system because my lathe is homemade, made with junk materials and obviously lacks a good chuck. I discovered something using this method: is that the sacrificial wood must be machined cup-shaped to facilitate removing the finished piece. Anyway the effectiveness of the clamping produced by the glue decreases from the periphery to the center. I leave it a thin lip, only 1/4 inch or so.

[@JamesCouch777]

I have an antique Crescent lathe and I do the same thing 👍

[@johnmer3000]

HF, at least closest one to me, never has any M2 or 1'x 8tpi lathe accessories and I'd sure like to know how you find them ;). M1 seems to be their standard and I've often wondered just why HF hasn't caught on that it'd be serious competition to Jet et al if they did so.

[@johnwallace4408]

Woodcraft

[@hawkeye10100]

I do a lot of glue block work on the lathe, but I like to use wood glue.

[@billy19461]

I did one and it came out of the glue. Glue did not turn a lose from the wood but from the nut.

[@waltwager]

You are correct, round and slightly concave is better :-)

[@barryparks7057]

very useful. many thanks

[@billy19461]

I tried this and the nut came out. I cleaned the nuts with alcohol to get the oil off . I am going to try again but will cut notches in the nut.

[@AllenMayles]

I have a question...I'm using 3/4 birch plywood to epoxy my nut into, will I run into strength problems using the plywood instead of hardwood?

[@benrumler7129]

Been to every hardware store in town no one has the lock nut in one inch 8tpi

[@judyvickery9108]

I don't know where you live, but ACE Hardware generally carries Hilman Fasterners. They carry a 1-8 in the grade 5 section an common.

[@bobrutan4735]

Excellent!

[@jerryearle]

Good video. ???? can a 1500 hot glue gun w wood glue stick be used satisfactorily for the glue up?

[@ljbobb1]

great ideas, thank you

[@nevilleoelofse626]

Thanks love it

[@johndaniel1831]

What is the exact size of the large hex nut you use. 1 x 8 but I need some other dimension or something. What is full specification of the nut? Do you have a good source?

[@derekfixter9084]

The nut is 1"UNC thread

[@jorgecarcao1270]

Does the nylon have to be completely removed & aren't you going to damage your parting tool?

[@waltwager]

Jorge Carcao yes, you have to remove the nylon, it hasn’t damaged my tools.

[@jorgecarcao1270]

@@waltwager Completely to metal?

[@wayneblalock87]

I have a Rockwell ser.46-111 GD455 turning lathe There is a 4-way spur ctr in the lathe now. I want to put on a faceplate. How do I get the spur ctr out of the threaded shaft. thank you

[@waltwager]

The spur is most probably on a #2 Morse taper shaft that is inserted into the spindle on the headstock. Use a Knockout rod inserted in the hand wheel side of the spindle. Tap it gently with a mallet while holding onto the spur drive. It should come out.

[@dmaschy599]

Every idea helps.

[@jimbeaver27]

Always line up the grains, including the work piece you glue onto the glue blocks.

[@epdelisio]

Walter, I tried to purchase the 3" face plate at Harbor Fright but they don't handle the product. Any other suggestions for an inexpensive face place with tpi1-8?

[@shawnp8429]

how about Elmer's wood glue ? what's the best strongest wood glue? sorry I'm new to this

[@GIDO74]

Hi. Can you please tell me what you used for an accelerator when using the AC glue?

[@thomasreddick5908]

Thank you for the info.

[@drabusharr]

I've searched across the internet and I cannot find 1-1/4 inch by 8 TPI nuts. The ones that I find are $10 a piece stainless steel ones are much more. Anyone?

[@waltwager]

www.fastenal.com/product/details/36566 about $6.

[@waltwager]

Check out www.fmwfasteners.com/products/1-1-4-8-a194-2h-heavy-hex-nut-plain?variant=16419360645&Google+Shopping&currency=USD&gclid=Cj0KCQjwpc-oBhCGARIsAH6ote_PEDlepWDTPefx-PXVhRl0uG2cobcl_USy3h1cofmKNfE-Bk0mEIwaApgHEALw_wcB

[@ken4334]

Your a legend ,thank you

[@tvgbrowns2527]

do you consider using clamps to tighten the glue bond??

[@waltwager]

savaege God 2666 haven’t had to.

[@robertkutz9540]

great tip i will make some to day.

[@ernestrosenkranz7642]

Very good Thanks

[@waltwager]

I don't use hot melt, so I don't know how it would work.

[@jamesferguson1054]

I know you don’t trust paper, however I have been using paper for over 60 years and have never had a workpiece come loose.

[@waltwager]

Fmwfasteners carries a 1 1/4 nut that should work for larger lathes. It does not have the nylon lock ring. Item number 1698044

[@waltwager]

The link for the source of the nuts is in the comments.

[@jorgefernandez8774]

interesante el video gracias por compartirlo jorge de argentina

[@DavidChrouser-g7k]

Suprised that hot glue holds the project. Never found it to hold anything very well.

[@adriennew3152]

i like your website and i think it is cool and when you see me again i want you to make Calvin wager website with my dance tutorials

[@waltwager]

Adrienne W okay let’s do that

[@philipselman2564]

Say there went to local fastenal can’t buy those 1 x 8 nuts - ya have to have a account - there else can I get them - may be grangers

[@ugotit33x]

THANK YOU

[@Cancun771]

Yes but you could just chuck the waste block, why use a nut?!

[@waltwager]

I have never had a problem screwing the glue block off by hand. Probably because there is only a thin line of metal contacting the back of the headstock spindle. If anyone has ever had them stuck so that they had to use a wrench, please let me know. Otherwise it sounds like someone is worried about a non problem.

[@ChurchClown7]

Craft Supplies and Woodcraft sell nylon washers specifically made to prevent the nut (or whatever you are screwing on) from getting stuck on the spindle. Thanks for the ideas in this video.

[@rejanetremblay9772]

Walter Wager

[@clarencecaudill2616]

It help me

[@nickdispensa9762]

thank you i did it

[@stevefromlondon9175]

Hi just came across your video I'm just starting off & trying to pick things up I have a mini Jet lathe Model Number is.. JML-1014I .I want to buy that face plate would my lathe be 1inch 1/8 thread thank you for this video it was a

[@miamited69]

do you have a part number for the face plate from Harbor Freight? I don't see it on their website.

[@kodiham7532]

Ted Silverman I could not find it either.

[@spinzwood8290]

Ted and Kodi. I stopped by HF yesterday and asked about this. If you go to their website, I forget where, but there is a link to their parts department. You should be able to write/call them and ask about the part. I think there is a funky parts list (I didn't see part numbers.. just diagram numbers) for the face plate. Hope this helps.

[@rafaelrivera2317]

INCLUSO DESPUES DE 3 AÑOS ME GUSTA VERLO, FELICIDADES

[@waltwager]

I used a small 1/4 parting tool to cut the nylon out of the nut. You could probably burn it out with a propane tourch.

[@waltwager]

Link for the 1 x 8 tpi nuts www.fmwfasteners.com/products/1-8-nylon-insert-locknut-zinc-plated?gclid=CjwKCAjwu5CDBhB9EiwA0w6sLRzsZ31vAPLEJWOyxQLKfrJv2NCGCP3VKFmc4z53AekKuschHac5BhoC4ZQQAvD_BwE

[@SQLKC]

sorry I need 1 1/4

[@robira1313]

Your camera is zoomed in way too much. All I see is your hand and fingers most of the time. Other than that - good info.

[@sean26duffy]

Why not put the glue in the recess first, then put the but in.....less mess

[@ChurchClown7]

Exactly what I was thinking.

[@AffordBindEquipment]

with the hydraulic pressure under the nut, it would probably pop through the tape.

[@lstine77]

thank you

[@SQLKC]

Wow inflation on nuts 1 to 199 for $19.45

[@davidkenward2289]

Hello Daniel my friend >> I have bad news last March 2016 My workshop was destroyed by fire with it all my tools everything >>I was insured as you can imagine I was devastated I have a new machines and tools. But in the meantime I have suffered a dreadful breakdown and have been unable to go back to my beloved turning>>I am trying but it is slow nothing turned>> I have come back to KZbin and found you today it is whether to sell all or fight back to my turning the cost to the insurance was in pounds £70.000.00 that is seventy thousand pounds>> it took 10 months to rebuild and to get the tools in all are brand new never used as yet >>I have past my 72nd birthday they say I have PTSD and will take some time to recover if at all>> Firefighter all my life and this has made my world unbearable or so it seems>>not looking for sympathy encouragement words to kick start me again if there is such a thing at this late stage of my life>> Thank you for reading this Daniel and other turners I have almost all Robert Sorby and all of Simon Hopes tooling the big stuff came from Axminster and a massive workshop>> yes hard to understand but I did stop the fire from burning our bungalow down with the garden hose thanks guys feel free to reply have plenty of time to read >>>Kind regards to all David U/K

[@wonderwond]

where is mine ? mail it to me haha

[@dennisbuckner6957]

Mickey Mouse said if you dont have anything nice to say dont say anything so ill just shut the #&@& up

[@nickdispensa9762]

thank you