When I was turning all those lighthouse ornaments I was using pieces of dowel rods.  When I chucked them up sometimes they didn't run true.  I remembered a trick and used it to get the blank the straightest and therefore using less material.  Here is a clip from a video I ran across that shows how it is done. 

 

 

 

Thanks Dan, I watched the whole video. 

I've got kind of an odd ball chuck that was made for round stock. It was only available for a few years.

 

 

I have the modern version.

 

@HandyDan,

Didn't know somebody still makes one, but I don't buy many new tools.

54 minutes ago, Larry Buskirk said:

@HandyDan,

Didn't know somebody still makes one, but I don't buy many new tools.

 I didn't even think about using it.  I just straightened them up in my scroll chuck.