Natural Edge Funnel?

peter blair

Member
Messages
42
Location
Ladner BC
Greetings.
Today I managed without much difficulty to make my first Natural Edge Funnel.
Hopefully this was the first and last. I won't embarrass myself further by posting a picture.
Admittedly I was rushing, trying to finish a small Cherry wet turned bowl and had first turned the outside and a foot while between centres. I next turned it around in my Oneway chuck to finish the inside. Everything was going along fine I managed a great finish on the inside and then turned it again on my small vacuum chuck, to complete the bottom. Things were going good the bowl was about 1/8" thick then disaster struck I managed to make the bottom so thin the chuck just (edited out)ed a chunk from the centre. Now I guess I need to find a market for NE funnels . . .

But really my question to all of you is, how do you measure or keep track of the bottom thickness when a bowl is reversed or is it a hit and miss proposition?

I think I heard or read somewhere that there is a fairly simple way to keep track of the bottom but can't remember where I read or heard it.

Pete
http://www.woodbowlsandthings.com
 
Bummer about the funnel. I've made a few myself. :doh:

I got this one a bit too thin, but managed to avoid sucking the bottom out of the bowl with the vacuum chuck:

Bowl 071 - 04 800.jpg

And this one never made it to the vacuum chuck in the first place:

Sycamore Donut 800.jpg

For a rough measurement, I typically check my bowl depth by holding a tool on the inside center in line with the spindle, then using one eye lined up parallel to the rim, I use my thumb on the tool to mark where the rim of the bowl is. Then I move the tool to the outside of the bowl and compare where the tip lines up on the outside. For a more precise check, I'll set up my hollowing rig (it just takes a couple of seconds), align the laser with the tool tip, then use the laser to spot the exact depth.
 
I do the same - I use a tool and stick it into the bowl center and using my hand I can rough check the measurement - or laser.
OR...................you can make one of these like I did. They are easy enough and they will quickly and accurately measure your depth. I use the wooden one most of the time.
The wire one comes in handy if you have a recess instead of a tenon. One end will fit between the chuck jaws and touch the bottom of the recess and the other end touching the bottom of the bowl. Notice there is a black mark on the sliding wire - This will show you the thickness when both points are touching so you know how close you are.

The cost to make is next to nothing - hardware store has pc's and both made for a few dollars - They work very well.
 

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I use the laser on hollow forms......stick and dowel on most everything else...........Wire gauge I use on anything made with a recess because it can fit between the jaws and I can get a exact depth.

If it helps -aluminum rod I got in steel section at the hardware store. Then the fastner is a cable wire nut I got out of the fastner section - little dowel rod I had laying around - Black marker and your done - make a large of an arc as you want (It will work on hollow forms to but the laser of course is best)......................Got the idea myself from someone one the web.....
Total cost is very very cheap for how good it works......;)
 
Peter, you have seen this on other forums. I am only posting it here for turners that may not be familiar with it.

I made a finder with at $2.50 keychain laser from the bay. I used threaded rod in order to adjust the beam easily but it is not necessary.
After you make the base, slide it to a drive spur to mark the center spot for lower rod. Make your upper rod an inch or so over your maximum height.
The white spot on the tape is really red, the camera would not pickup the color because it is so bright.
This will handle an item 12" deep; probably more than I will ever need.
Before you reverse it to finish the bottom, take a measurement and place a piece of tape on the exterior (must be sticky enough to survive the rotations when turning). You can then use it again to find how close you are to the tape edge.
 

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I add a different wood bottom to those and sell them as Boo-Boo Bowls... they seem to go over well...:D
 

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Thanks for the comments/suggestions. I did post this question on multiple boards and got lots of good ideas but as far as a wet turned natural edge bowl goes it looks as if the best solution is to do what I was doing. I just pick a spot on the edged and measure from there to the bottom before I turn it around on my vacuum chuck. The hard part is trying to remember where I take the original measurement. Of course, If I wasn't sanding with wax and mineral oil I could stick on a piece of tape and mark the depth on it as was suggested elsewhere.

I seem to recall something someone very wise once told me about 'haste' and 'waste'.

Pete
http://www.woodbowlsandthings.com
 
Thanks Dan and Mike for those two tips, filed them away so i dont do the same as what you have done Chuck;)

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Hi again everyone, and thanks for the suggestions, ideas.
I'm sure I will be using many of them as I find the need BUT I didn't actually see any that completely addressed my problem.
To that end I decided to try to come up with something that would work for me and have now completed my jig.
It can be seen on a blog I post at
http://woodbowlsandthings.wordpress.com/
I am already using the jig and find it VERY helpful.
Who knows it may help a few of you as well.
Pete
http://www.woodbowlsandthings.com
 
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