:  mini wood lathe, whether for use in the home or in industry, are used to turn a piece of wood stock. The wood stock or work pieces must be held firmly and accurately in place for the machine to rotate the turning. This turning can be held to the motor drive by either a sharp drive point or a chuck. The wood lathe chuck, either a three jaw or four jaw can hold a work piece independently of the supporting tailstock. Significance wood lathe chucks allow the wood turner to completely support the wood piece to be turned on a lathe. The chuck is a mechanical device that closes a set of metal jaws around the work piece or wood. A chuck key is used to drive a set of internal gears in the chuck that closes the jaws. The chuck key is a simple T-handle tool with a square head that fits into the jaw closing mechanism. Function Small pieces of wood can be placed into a wood lathe chuck and be turned on a lathe. This allows the freedom from not having to use the tailstock to support the other end of the piece to be turned. With the tailstock out of the way and the work piece firmly supported in the chuck, small pieces or bowls can be turned on the wood lathe. Types The three-jaw chuck allows the user to automatically center a piece of wood in the lathe. The work piece will have to be somewhat symmetrical as the final product will be rounded to the center of the jaws. The four-jaw chuck allows the user to manipulate the work piece so it can be turned off center. The four-jaw chuck is still controlled by a chuck key. But each jaw in the four-jaw chuck is independently controlled. Where as in the operation of the three jawed chuck, all the jaws move in or out together, regardless of the drive key hole that is used. Size Wood lathe chucks come in a variety of sizes depending on the size of the lathe and the work piece to be turned. Very small chucks or jewelers chucks are utilized for turning small stock or delicate woodworking. These chucks may be as small as to hold only 1-inch or smaller stock. Large jaws may be capable of holding 24-inch diameter material for the turning of large bowls or intricate posts. Of course these lathes will also have long tables and be driven by high horsepower motors. Warning As with any tool that removes wood and rotates parts at high speed, precautions should be taken. Be sure to follow the owner’s manual on the proper operation of the lathe machine and any accessories that you may purchase.