How To Center Work In A 4 Jaw Chuck

[ogberi]

I pretty much stick with the 4 jaw. I have dialed in workpieces so many times it only takes a minute, and i can generally stop my ocd from causing me to chase zeroes too much. I generally go for barely a wiggle on a .001 indicator, thumping longer workpieces to run true down their length.

 

[British Steel]

Same as Ogberi, usually with a tenth DTI (finger clock, not plunger), or for small stuff it's collet time. For long workpieces the easiest is to dial in at the chuck, then adjust the fixed steady to size right at the chuck, slide it back to the far end and clamp down - a final check's a good idea, as if the work's off-centre in the steady it'll walk it out of the chuck jaws...