Legs on Bowls

[Don Nethercott]

SWMBO just told me that my bowls would look nicer/ be more useful if they had small legs on the bottom of them.

Being the dutiful hubby - I'm now here asking how do you do this. I have no idea, apart from leaving a deep rim around the bottom then carving out the pieces between the legs with the Dremel!! God forbid! There must be a better way.

Any bright ideas folks.

Thanks
Don

[lubbing5cherubs]

I look forward to your replies. But what about a small like a wine glass base with stem and base ideas? Just a thought?
Toni

[Jim Carroll]

Don as you have already realised that is the only way to do the legs.
Make the rim deeper than normal and cut away the waste with a dremel . You have to blend the sides with the base to make it look like it was meant to go that way.

[rsser]

http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/showthread.php?p=344948#post344948

[DJ’s Timber]

G'day Don

I have carved legs on bowls like Ern has showed here
http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/showpost.php?p=344218&postcount=19
You can use the minicarver to do the carving and also fit a small sanding disc to shape as well

[DJ’s Timber]

Looks like Ern beat me to the draw

[rsser]

Hehe, won by a nose ;-}

Got some pics DJ?

[Edit: have to acknowledge Bernie Kiyabu from whom I learned this bit]

[DJ’s Timber]

Hehe, won by a nose ;-}

Got some pics DJ?

G'day Ern

Nah I haven't got any pictures here. Do have a bowl at my mum's place. Will be dropping in there tomorrow, so I will take some photos

[Don Nethercott]

Thanks guys, was afraid that was the way.

Was thinking I didn't have a mini grinder when a light bulb flickered - what was that the boss picked up at the specials table when the old Bunnies store closed down - had a look and guess what - an Arbortech mini-grinder extension for an angle grinder. All I have to do is learn how to use it. (Sometimes they - SWMBOs that is - are jewels aren't they. Pity they didn't want something more practical than jewels for their birthdays, etc)

Well here goes nothing, apart from a few bowls while learning.

Don

[dazzler]

SWMBO just told me that my bowls would look nicer/ be more useful if they had small legs on the bottom of them.

Being the dutiful hubby - I'm now here asking how do you do this. I have no idea, apart from leaving a deep rim around the bottom then carving out the pieces between the legs with the Dremel!! God forbid! There must be a better way.

Any bright ideas folks.

Thanks
Don

YEP

Theres the lathe baby....go for it ;)

Dazzler:D

[TTIT]

Don - you could give something like this a try! Just finished this Budgeroo crotch with Gidgee trimmings on the weekend.:D

[lubbing5cherubs]

TITT that is just gorgeous. that is something so nice
Toni

[Don Nethercott]

Hey TTIT thats great. Not showing that pic to the missus, she'll want one by tomorrow. Good idea with the legs.

Did you drill a hole in the base and glue legs in?? How did you line it up to drill at the correct and same angle for all three??

Don

[RETIRED]

http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/showthread.php?t=12680.

[TTIT]

Did you drill a hole in the base and glue legs in?? How did you line it up to drill at the correct and same angle for all three??

Don

Don - 's thread say's it all. This link (http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/showthread.php?t=33307&highlight=banjo) shows my own setup for the indexing and the drill jig.

[Don Nethercott]

Well I got the mini arbourtech going.

Boy did I make some sawdust. Had to redesign the legs a few times after some over zealous carving. Got the roughing done - now for the finishing off - that might take a few hours/weeks/months.

Figured out how to do it next time - flat bottom on the bowl, cut 3 short lengths of dowel and glue them on.

Don

[rsser]

Hehe, way to go.

Yep the mini-carver's got some bite alright. I think the carbide tipped wheel is a bit more civilized than the 'chain-saw' wheel.

[OGYT]

You carving blokes get my respect. I don't have the patience, or the steadiness of hand to do it. :o)

[Don Nethercott]

Well I got my first bowl with legs finished. Piece of Norfolk Island Pine.

Fortunately a little out of focus so the flaws in the legs don't show.

Finishing is a real pain, getting the bits between the legs as smoothly round as the turned part of the bowl. Polishing also a problem I haven't worked out fully. Bowl polished with Shallawax, which is a friction polish. So how do I get the friction to polish the bits between the legs, and the legs themselves.

Hey OGYT, give it a go - very frustrating and lots of hand sanding, but it's a challenge which is what I like. Not saying I am going to do many of these though. But a real sense of achievement when finished - just don't pick it up and dwell on the rough bits underneath.

Thanks for the help in this thread folks. Not sure about this indexing ring business though - especially as I don't have one. Don't even know what it is for.

Don

[rsser]

Well done Don.

They say that the first ten are the hardest ;-}

[ss_11000]

wow, nice work don.

[Touchwood]

Are you interested in mixed media - I really like wrought iron and wood and came up with this as a way of legs for bowls. The horse shoes (smallest size available) welded to metal band. The lip of the bowl sits on the top edge of the band. 3 feet makes it dead cert to sit flat!!

I continued the theme with horse shoe nails set in resin in the base.

Jenny

28363

28364:)

[TTIT]

Touchwood - Can't go past timber, brass and black-iron together:):). I like using steel with some projects too and a mate has bought a franchise for some iron-mongering gear so in the not too distant future I hope to be producing similar stuff. :D

So are you making the iron fit the wood or vice-versa?

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn, and caldron bubble...

Love it! :D


Thanks for the help in this thread folks. Not sure about this indexing ring business though - especially as I don't have one. Don't even know what it is for.

It's a ring that mounts behind the chuck and is used in conjunction with a locking pin to lock the chuck in position. So, it's used with the lathe turned off! That's an important bit to remember. ;)

The ring's divided into so many segments, so you can lock the chuck in one position, do some work (eg. carving), then unlock it, rotate to the next position, lock, do some more work, etc. etc.


Are you interested in mixed media - I really like wrought iron and wood and came up with this as a way of legs for bowls. The horse shoes (smallest size available) welded to metal band. The lip of the bowl sits on the top edge of the band. 3 feet makes it dead cert to sit flat!!

I like the idea of casting the resin in the base. Definitely different! The only time I do that is when I've gone a bit too deep and ended up with an 'ole that needs hiding. :o Never thought of doing it just for the sake of decoration.

Jenny... you do realise that, having posted that pic, your idea is going to be pinched? ;)

[Touchwood]

Jenny... you do realise that, having posted that pic, your idea is going to be pinched?

Isn't that suppose to be the greatest form of flattery in the woodies world - but don't worry, after it was made it was taken on a tour with TAFE stuff so I guess it's already been done!


So are you making the iron fit the wood or vice-versa?
The bowl was made first so the iron had to fit!

;)
JD

[Don Nethercott]

Thanks Skew.

So that's what an indexing ring does!

And I've been sitting here scratching my head trying to figure out how to stop the bowl turning while I did a bit of butchering.

Does the ring work with a faceplate. I usually turn on a faceplate first (turn the bottom right up to sand and polish), then take off and mount on Vicmarc chuck and do the inside. I'd like to be able to stop the faceplate turning so I can carve the legs. As it is I take the bowl and faceplate off the lathe, put it in a vice and carve, then back on the lathe.

Touchwood - that idea of metal and wood sounds good. Not sure of horseshoes though, too bulky for the size bowls I use. Have seen horseshoe nails used to effect many years ago in New Zealand. They made little metal "structures" to mount candles in. Suppose could do the same for wood.

Re copying our "masterpieces" - a couple of points. As Touchwood said, flattery etc etc.

Also, it's one thing to try and copy, its another to have the skills to do it.

Lastly, when I did the bandsaw boxes course with Alan Williams at Grafton Artsfest, he bought in some of his magnificient boxes and the plans for us to make them. His proviso was we could make for ourselves, but make and try to sell and he'd see us in court. Fair enough. I don't know if that is the view of all wood "artists"?

Don

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

So that's what an indexing ring does!

And I've been sitting here scratching my head trying to figure out how to stop the bowl turning while I did a bit of butchering.

Now you know. :)


Does the ring work with a faceplate. I usually turn on a faceplate first (turn the bottom right up to sand and polish), then take off and mount on Vicmarc chuck and do the inside. I'd like to be able to stop the faceplate turning so I can carve the legs. As it is I take the bowl and faceplate off the lathe, put it in a vice and carve, then back on the lathe.

There's a few different versions of "indexing rings." Some chucks (the SuperNova2 for example) have little square indexing marks or "dimples" on the back of the chuck. Some have a ring of holes. It takes a bit of ingenuity to add a locking mechanism, but that's what they're for. An "inbuilt" indexing ring, if you will.

A simpler incarnation is just to make an 8" or so round disk of ply to fit over the spindle before the chuck. Drill around the rim at the spacings you want and make a locking mechanism to suit. There's nothing to stop you from doing something similar to the edge of your faceplate... maybe add suitably spaced nocks with a triangular file?

I'd take some pix of mine to give you an idea, 'cept I'd have to go knock another together 'cos the last one got scrapped by accident. :o

Edit: OK, so I pulled the finger out. Check this thread for a "how-to..." (http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/showthread.php?t=35995)


Also, it's one thing to try and copy, its another to have the skills to do it.

Lastly, when I did the bandsaw boxes course with Alan Williams at Grafton Artsfest, he bought in some of his magnificient boxes and the plans for us to make them. His proviso was we could make for ourselves, but make and try to sell and he'd see us in court. Fair enough. I don't know if that is the view of all wood "artists"?

It's one thing to copy a method or technique in creating your own work. It's something completely different to be working from a set of plans or trying to duplicate someone else's work. Let's say I come up with a new idea and post a pic as an example of how it's done. I'm more than happy to share the method (particularly if it's a good one! :D ) but I'd be more than a bit tetchy if someone posted a pic of something that's the same as mine and mentioned they were selling 'em!

I'd say most of us here would agree. ;)

[Don Nethercott]

When I carved out the bits between the legs with the arbortech I did not find it easy to control. Firstly the wooden bowl has to be secured somehow (I left it attached to the faceplate and held the faceplate in the vice). Manouvering the angle grinder accurately was also difficult (for me anyway).

I saw an angle grinder stand in Supercheap and decided to try it. I set up the angle grinder with the mini-arbortech attached in the stand. I then held the wooden bowl in my hand and carved it by moving the bowl across the fixed arbortech.

This seems to work well, and is much easier to control.

Any comments on this method?? Am I asking for trouble? Anything I should be aware of??

I know it is dangerous to a point, with the blade spinning partially uncovered, but no more dangerous than using a bandsaw. The blade cuts so smoothly there doesn't appear to be any danger of catching and causing problems.

Your thoughts would be appreciated.

Don

[rsser]

Sounds like a creative solution Don.

I did the outside incl. the legs before hollowing the inside so it could be held on the lathe or still on the chuck held in a soft-jawed or wood vise - leaving a good size stub on the bowl bottom to hold it to hollow the inside.

Then reverse chucked with Cole jaws, carefully turning and sanding the stub off and blending the line in by hand.