This is a sure fired way to center your face plate every time. Take a piece of Ready Rod of the same thread size and diameter as your face plate requires. On a metal lathe turn a point on one end of the ready rod, long and narrow is good, not sharp. Cut the ready rod length so that it will extend 2 to 3 inches below the face plate and leave one 1 inch above the face plate. Screw a nut on the ready rod opposite the point and spot weld the nut to the ready rod.

Draw a circle with a compass noting the center point, use an awl and enlarge the hole so that it is easy to locate. Screw the ready rod through the face plate and locate the center hole with the pointed end. Retract the screw until the face plate is flush with the wood but extended enough that the point is still in the center hole, you can feel this by trying to move the face plate; if the alignment point is the center hole you won’t be able to move the face plate side to side. Attach the face plate to the wood and remove your alignment screw and check to see if the face plate is centered.

To finish this story; many of my bowls I attach the face plate to he front of the bowl and turn the sides and bottom. I then turn a spigot on the bottom with a recessed dove tail. This is used to attach a scroll chuck to finish the bowl. When the inside is turned out the screw holes are removed. Note the little black mark on the spigot; that mark aligns with jaw #1 and if I have to remove the bowl form the chuck I can return the bowl to the same position.

Hope this is a help; if you need any wood turning tools please browse the selection at http://www.yourwoodturningtools.com and check out Steve's Blog.