Thread: Bowl Saver MAX

I second the photos and actual reviews as whilst I'm not in the making money from turning caper, I do hate seeing too many shavings on the floor. My main thought of a bowl saver is so I could save the smaller cores to cut pen blanks from.......I know I know.... 'you pen turning guys cutting up perfectly good timber' but heck.... If I play my cards right, save cores to get 10 pens from, then I could certainly justify the cost of any system. Whilst I do like the idea of the woodfast as its obviously more available here, the others are spoken quite highly of so I would love to make the right decision when push comes to shove....

Hi Gabriel
I too dislike seeing wood wasted.
While I dont turn a large number of bowls I think there is a problem with wasting 7/8 of the wood in a blank as shavings. From an ecological point of view all the CO2 locked up in the timber is released back into the atmosphere as the shavings are discarded and decay.

Originally Posted by Willy Nelson

Great video,
My comments, if I may, hopefully, I don't offend too much, in order of appearance.

1. I thought the use of the chainsaw was at times a little dangerous (IMHO), the plunge cut and cutting the wings off.

2. Brendan needs a haircut! . What speed was the lathe, would a little faster have cut better?

3. The kerf of the bowl saver was, in my opinion quite wide, I gave this a fair amount of thought and I still can't imagine why the OEM made it so wide.

4. Wasn't keen on the idea of having to shift the bowl saver sideways to open the cut, I thought that should be unnecessary, especially given the width of the kerf. Others I have used, I can't recall doing that

5. I am in the market for a bowl saver, have been for a couple of years and have used the old wood cut system. I do like the Oneway, but at $1,000+, I will seriously think about the Max.

6. Would love to have seen the Red gum burl and the bowl saver, I am sure that would test it. Was the coring of the burl recorded?

7. Lastly, random fact. Stellite is widely used in the manufacture of .50 cal gun barrels as a liner to improve wear resistance. The barrels are lined only as Stellite is very expensive

Great video overall, and timely as I have just scored a trailer load of very large Camphor Laurel and another of Cape Lilac.
Well Done
Sincerely
Willy
and Brendan, get a haircut

I am not going to enter into the discussion about the pros and cons of the MAX3 v Oneway or any other. I simply don't have the experience and think that those who have commented have brought much more to the discussion than I could. But Willy, I got a haircut one day before filming this. How short do you want it?
As for the use of the chainsaw...I think I use the chainsaw safely. It might not look like it but there are a few things I am doing that aren't obvious in the video that nuetralise many of the dangers. No I am not wearing chaps but to those that think I should then I suggest you need to wear a helmet every time you get in a car, driver or passenger.

Originally Posted by ronboult

I am afraid I have to agree with Willy regarding the chainsaw operation. Some of what was shown could be ( is ) quite dangerous and I have to question including it in a public video.
Ron

Such as...? I would genuinely like to know.

Originally Posted by ronboult

Hi Woodturnerjosh
thanks for the offer regarding the size of the base. I would normally just buy the base but shipping from the USA has become extremely expensive and the base appears to be made out of significant hunks of steel.
If I was going to buy just one coring set to try would you recommend the smallest or second smallest model?
Ron

There's heaps of weight in the base and if you can get everything made up (or make it yourself) then there is a huge saving (I was surprised by how heavy and well built the base was)! A Canadian company (not oneway) is also making tungsten carbide cutters for these as well (I didn't know it at the time) and I think these would work really well if you plan on coring some dry and abrasive timber.

The cutter size is dependant on the size of blanks you work with. If you do things around 350 - 400mm then go for the #2 (second smallest) which will give you a core around 300mm.
Once you build the base you can always add cutters if you need.

Next time I use it I'll take some photos and start as new thread as I think we've de-railed this one!

Cheers

Josh

Back to the OP, a massive thanks to Brendan for his instructional video. I understand a few things may be in contention as far as what some people regard as safety issues, but that aside, the amount of effort, time and insight you manage to fit into your videos Brendan, I for one am grateful. Seeing products in use, especially in high quality video, doesn't happen enough from a consumer prospective . There are always plenty of manufacturer how to videos (always sceptical as they're often a little too good to be true) and many USA and UK reviews on products but always in the back of my mind I'm wondering if they have tested it on any timbers that stack up to the hardness of our 'go to' woods. So seeing a local review on a somewhat local product (we can claim it...right?) I am thrilled.

Cheers
Gab

Here's a question - where do you get the large compass/ dividers ? would like a pair of those for roughing out blanks?

Chainsaw safety -I've seen much worse. Chaps are ok -my guys have to wear them, and regularly cut into them! - but I bet they wouldn't cut into their legs if they weren't wearing them - they seriously lead to complacency. I don't tend to wear them for this sort of work, you are keeping the saw well clear of your legs- chaps are good for lots of work in dense bush or thick foliage where you are liable to bump yourself.

The occasional "Tractor Steering wheel Grip" is the only problem - where you don't have your thumb looped under the chainsaw handle - (common chainsaw grip from farmers who didnt want to get their thumbs dislocated on old tractor steering wheels when they hit a stump.) This means if the saw kicks back, you are less likely to have the chain break come on as the saw jumps out of your grip. Brendan looks pretty competent to me. Raising the log up higher for less back strain would be the only other issue.

Great video

Originally Posted by Gabriel

Back to the OP, a massive thanks to Brendan for his instructional video. I understand a few things may be in contention as far as what some people regard as safety issues, but that aside, the amount of effort, time and insight you manage to fit into your videos Brendan, I for one am grateful. Seeing products in use, especially in high quality video, doesn't happen enough from a consumer prospective . There are always plenty of manufacturer how to videos (always sceptical as they're often a little too good to be true) and many USA and UK reviews on products but always in the back of my mind I'm wondering if they have tested it on any timbers that stack up to the hardness of our 'go to' woods. So seeing a local review on a somewhat local product (we can claim it...right?) I am thrilled.

Cheers
Gab

I agree.
Brendan's YouTube videos are very welcome and a great source of information for backyard turners like myself. An Australian turner who promotes Australian woods and great products of Australian and New Zealand manufacturers such as Vicmarc, Vermec and Woodcut.

Let Good afternoon Ladies and Gentlmen
I watched a few videos on the use of the Kel McNaughton system. I struggled earlier on the first bowl and went through the bum, bugger, wasted a good bowl blank.
Back to YouTube, realised my mistake and had more of an idea.

I deliberately cut some large blanks to have another go with the bowl saver, cut some very large and wet jarrah and jacaranda. Was able to achieve more success, not overly happy with the wastage as the kerf is quite large and the shape is not the best, but I will get additional bowls out of a blank, so less waste, the bowls will dry quicker, and lastly, I had forgotten how much fun turning wet timber is. I felt like a professional turner, streams of shavings flying everywhere and water like it was raining in the workshop.

A big lathe makes bowl saving a lot easier and safer as well, the Vicmarc is 3 horsepower.

I have sealed with saved bowls with wax after processing and cut and milled a heap of Jarrah, Jacaranda as well as a heap of York Gum burls.

I calculate that my storage racks are now 99.9 per cent full, need to turn and carve more.

Originally Posted by Willy Nelson

A big lathe makes bowl saving a lot easier and safer as well, the Vicmarc is 3 horsepower.

Coring is about the only time I feel the need for more than 1.5hp, although I can manage up to 18" blanks with that using the Reed Gray (aka Robo Hippy) pulse technique. e.g.

Cored bowl - m.jpg

I would take that into account if I was buying a new lathe, but not a sufficient reason for me to upgrade for just that 'nice to have' advantage.

Besides that, how many large blanks do you need in storage waiting to be returned at some stage?


Drying blank storage 1 - sm.jpg ... and there are about the same again elsewhere!


I have found that I only sell one large piece to every twenty smaller pieces, so at that rate I have to make and sell another two thousand smaller pieces before all that lot are gone...

Hi Brenden, can you explain to me why the largest bowl is cut out first. If you cut from small to large... then you wouldn't have to remount the blank each time, is that correct. Or am i missing something here. Thanks for the vid. Harry


Its ok, saw your next video explaining it,, thanks

Originally Posted by brendan stemp

I thought this might be of interest for some.
- YouTube

Hello. I’d like to watch this, but it tells me it’s private. Is there any way I can see it? Thanks.

Brendan does not have you tube any more.
Have a look here at the woodcut web site for more info.
Bowlsaver Coring System