How would you make this buscuit cutter?

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Here are a couple of pictures of a biscuit cutter I made the other day. I know with my great photographic skills it’s hard to believe but this one was a bust. I broke it around the rim, a nice 2 inch piece exploded. I was able to save it with some CA and sanding.

It has a diameter of 2 3/4 inches and is 1 1/4 deep. The rim goes down to form a knife edge so it can cut the dough. The next one I’ll shoot for a diameter of 3 inches. I’ve seen these several times at different craft shows and wanted to make a few for family members that still make homemade biscuits.

It’s made in two parts, the bottom and the knob. The hole in the bottom goes through and a small hole is drilled at the intersection of the handle and the bottom to prevent a vacuum with the dough. The knob has a tenon on the bottom that fits into the bottom.

For all you turning gurus how would you make one? I’ve blown up two. I'll jump in later with my "technique":huh:
 

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That's a cool idea, John. I've been brainstorming for a couple last-minute gifts...you have given me some ideas. ;)

My first thought was to make it in one piece like Don suggested, if you've got a large enough blank.

If I was making it in two pieces, I'd turn the cutter like a small bowl, mounting it to a chuck with the smallest tenon I could still grip. After finishing the inside, I'd drill the air hole through the bottom and all the way through the tenon. Then I'd reverse it into a friction chuck. (It could be another roughed-out bowl, or even just the 4-jaw chuck with a piece of foam over it. It doesn't have to be a "jam" fit.) Using the tailstock to hold the reversed piece in place, I'd turn the tenon down to where it's not a lot bigger than the hole running through it...maybe 3/8" in diameter. Then I'd use a fine-blade flush-cut saw to shorten the tenon to about 1/4" in length. So essentially I'd end up with a stubby little tenon on the cutter with a hole through it. Then I'd put a pen blank-sized piece in the chuck and drill a shallow 3/8" diameter recess into the end of the blank, deep enough to accept the tenon. Then, I'd drill the air hole an inch or two into the blank. After that, it's just shape the handle however you want and be ready to catch it as you part it off the blank. A little hand-sanding to clean up the parting cuts around the hole in the top, and it's ready to glue to the cutter.
 
I turned several of those for gifts and turn them in one piece. I also turn the biscut cutting area slightly thicker tapering down to the cutter portion or where cutting takes place.
 
I have made a few and have always made them from a single piece of wood. I would just hand sand the handle after parting off.
Dennis
 
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