Balancing Natural Edge Bowls Questions and Answere The Pen ...

Questions andAnswers from theInternetCenter FinderQuestion: Do you have a favorite one? Recommendations?— ScottFred’s Response: I have had the Veritas CenterMarker since it first became available and use it regularlyto mark the centers on square or round stock thatwill fit in it. I also have the Gauge Master by Vicmarc.It is aluminum and very stable. I use both on a regularbasis.—Fred HolderLyle’s Response: I don’t do spindle work muchand when I do I just cross mark the corners. I do not usea center finder because I don’t start most of my work onthe geographical center point. I always start betweencenters but on the balance point so I can get the lathespeed up. Fast is better and easier. After I get it roughedout I can put it on the axis I want by repositioning thedrive and/or live centers.—Lyle JamiesonCircular CuttersQuestion: I’m planning to make some balls, andI’ve purchased a pipe to grind. I’m also interested inworking on a bowl with a spherical bottom. Yes, I knowI can just learn to cut it, but I like the idea in the latestissue of American Woodturner that uses a ground-downhole saw. My question is, when using the circular cutter,does one use only the bottom part right off the tool rest,or is it safe to apply the full circumference of the cutterto the wood. I’m a little nervous about full contact untilI hear that it’s safe.—GaryFred’s Response: I’ve been using a one inch holesaw with the teeth ground off and mounted on a threadedrod mounted in a handle to help in the rounding of aspherical object (i.e., a ball). Today, I normally use aswinging jig to round balls, but often use the tool tohelp round off the ends of the ball after turning awaythe tenons.One of my swinging jigs came from England’sCraft Supplies, one from Vermec in Australia, and onefrom Fred Lindsay, using a Lindsay/Hunter Tool Assembly,from Hendersonville, North Carolina.The hole saw needs a sharp cutting edge inside.I sharpen mine by thrusting it against a rotating disksander. I generally rotate the tool to make sure I have agood sharp edge inside. The full face of the cutter needsto be applied to the surface of the spherical surface.—Fred HolderLyle’s Response: Yes, keep the whole cuttingsurface against the ball. If you tilt it away it will dig inor cut a divot out of the surface. Another thing to stayaway from is using it on the tailstock side of the ball. Ifyou are holding the ball in a jam chuck to have accessto the entire surface on the tailstock side, be careful notto put the cutter exactly in the middle. Always workfrom the front of the ball and sneak up to the center.If you try to cut right at the middle the cutter will cuta nice little knife cut line around the end and you willhave to start all over to make a smaller ball.I don’t have either the cutter or the ball jigs Fredhas. I have used the Christian Bourchard methodof tilting the ball between centers, held by a cup oneach end, on all three axis’s and slowly removing the“ghost”. Makes a perfectly round ball but takes sometime to master.—Lyle JamiesonWolverine Vari GrindQuestion: If I were to get one should I get theoriginal with the updated clamp or the vari-grind 2?—ScottFred’s Response: I’ve been using the WolverineVari-grind system since 1989 and recently got the Varigrindupgrade kit. I find it an excellent system. I dorecommend that you also get the Raptor Set up Toolsfrom Craft Supplies in all five angles.—Fred HolderPage 6 More Woodturning June 2010