Closing in on the yarn bowl

And I thought this was going to be a simple project!  On the other hand, it's coming out really well, but with a lot more work than I expected.

First, since the feedback from my testers was that the prototype bowls needed more weight, I had to come up with a practical and attractive way to do that. Thank goodness I saved some old lead sinkers--they were just the thing, but they're not sold in NY, so I need to go to CT for a fresh supply.

Then I needed to make a cutting pattern that could be attached to the inside of the bowl, since that's the way it has to be cut to use the scroll saw.  My prototypes were marked on the outside, then I drilled little holes to outline the pattern, but that was far too messy to impose on others. Fortunately, that was easier than I expected, since I had one of my prototype bowls to copy.  And I had some small spiral blades standing at the ready, in case the regular blades didn't reach all the areas to be cut. They did--but barely.

Last, I had to work out a systematic way of smoothing and sanding the cutout areas.  That's the challenge when you're writing instructions.  You can't simply say, "Sand until it looks right". My little Dremel sanders, and the little carbide burrs did a good job, and I'm starting to get the hang of using them.

Now I'm waiting for the new supply of weights to arrive so I can finish up.  Just hope the weather stays warm enough so I can heat my garage.  I'll post pictures when I'm done--I think you'll like it.

Sanding shortcut for bowls

You need to be careful not to take off too much wood, but sanding the exterior of curved-sided bowls with this technique can be a big time-saver.

Yarn bowl experiment

I had never heard of a yarn bowl until I attended a recent crafts fair and saw one made of ceramic.

It's a bowl meant to hold a ball of yarn and keep it from rolling about while you're knitting.  I located lots of pictures online, and created three prototypes.  Since I wasn't sure if they would really work, I brought them to a local yarn shop today and asked if their knitters could test them out and give me feedback.

I'm eager to see what they can tell me, and what suggestions they have.  Once I know what changes, if any, I need to make, I can work on plans for one to submit for publication.  I'll post pictures of my prototypes when I get them back, along with the feedback I received.

If something is going out under my name, it had better deliver what it promises!

New use for bowl cutoffs

I try to limit the number of cutoffs that I keep, and usually can stay on top of things so that my wood storage remains manageable. However, Joe always goes through my trash bin before he empties it, and a lot of my discards end up in his section of the shop.

Take a careful look at the shelf supports, and you'll recognize the pair as half the wood left over after making the first cut of a bowl.  Gotta admit that it's pretty clever, but now I'll never be able to get rid of anything!

Tile top table--the video

Just in case you missed it, here's some info about how the table was made. If you're planning one of your own, feel free to contact me if you have any questions. It was a lot of work, but we just love it!

A different type of project

Although my primary tool is the scroll saw, I'm also involved with more typical woodworking projects, primarily as a planner and helper. I'm the one who makes the second and third measurements before cutting, and double checks plans and dimensions. With two woodworkers on board, everything goes a little more smoothly, and two pair of eyes and hands are usually better than just one.

This tile-topped table is the first major project from our woodshop, custom made to fill the need for a table big enough for four, but not too large for two, made of cherry, with a top that's not subject to damage. It took months for all the planning, shopping, wood prep cutting and finishing, not to mention figuring out how to support the heavy tile. Now that it's done, with only minor problems that were easily corrected, it's a real pleasure to use.

Flexible Pad Sanders: some new thoughts for bowl makers

Here's some information that can help you choose the most appropriate flexible pad sander and accessories for your bowls.

Bow boxes go mainstream!

This summer, I was asked by Woodworker's Journal to design a holiday-themed project for their December issue.  I decided on a bow box with holiday colors, using red and green dyed veneer for the ribbon lamination.

To my surprise and delight, they decided to feature it on the cover. Since it's unusual for "mainstream" woodworking magazines to feature scrolled projects at all, I was especially pleased to see my box receiving such nice recognition.  Great way to start the day!

Sanding sleeve tip

I've had a hard time distinguishing between the different grit sleeves for the inflatable round sander once they get used.  The coarsest and finest are pretty easy to tell apart, but the fine and medium look pretty much alike once I've used them a few times.  So, I've started marking them on the inside before the first use, and find that it really helps to tell them apart.

My new Dremel set-up

I decided that some carving tools would help speed the process of wood removal for shaped bowls.  After asking around, I figured that my best bet, for starters, was to get some carbide burrs for my Dremel.  I bought three different shapes with 1/8" shanks, dusted off my flex shaft and holder, bought a leather glove to protect the "holding" hand and gave it a try.  I also positioned myself by the drill press, where I have a pretty efficient dust collection system, and also could sit at a comfortable height.

The results seemed good enough to order another Dremel (reconditioned, without accessories) so I could have it ready to go without having to change over parts.  Here's a picture of my set-up:

If all goes as planned, I should have some interesting projects to post down the road!