A Turners Carving Vise

[Marvin Hasenak]

I saw something similar on a jewelry making site so I adapted this for game calls. I plan on using this rotating vise to use to carve and checker the calls. While I was at it I added fixed it where I could attach a 4 jaw chuck. The base is a floor flange with a mouse pad on it. This could be a piece of wood with a large, 4" or 5" hole in it and used as a base. I will work on upgrades later. So far it has worked well with power carving, stays steady and still easy to move to get the piece in a better position.

It is a bowling ball cut in half, then a 2.5" drill press vise mounted on it. The bowling balls are made form some sort of plastic, easy to cut and drill and tap. My next one will be more of about 3/4 of the ball, but it will be for game calls only. This one will then be drilled and taped for a 1x8TPI stud to screw my chuck on.

[Alan Dick]

How did you cut the bowling ball in half? Bandsaw?

Alan

[Steve Vaughan]

What a great idea! My question too...how in the world did you cut that, and if on the BS, then how did you keep it in your hands without total lossing said BS? Heck, I think I'd just like to cut one in half now just to see if I can!

[Marvin Hasenak]

I used a hack saw, I marked it all the way around using masking tape. I then started cutting, I went all the way around the ball about 1/2", and then started around the second time cutting about an inch more. Going all the way around each time helped to keep it flat as the kerf acted as the saw guide. I kept doing this until I ran out of room with the hacksaw. Then I took a hacksaw blade and used a vise grip to cut the last 3/4".

I did it this way because on another forum, I always get the comment I don't have the tools to do that. This requires nothing special, just a little work. The only power tool I used was a drill to drill the holes before I tapped them.

[Alan Dick]

Maybe you could make some sort of a box to secure the ball in as you pushed it through the bandsaw. Or if you hollowed out half a sphere in a large block that the ball could sit in as you pushed it through??? Or maybe it is a crazy idea altogether and using a hacksaw is the sane way to go.

Alan

[Marvin Hasenak]

I did it with the hacksaw because I wanted to know if anyone could cut one. I had found 2 power methods to cut it, bandsaw with a sled and reciprocating saw. But I wanted to be sure the hacksaw would do it. Bowling balls are made of some sort of resin. It was easy cutting and time well spent, the surface as almost perfect, it took a few minutes of sanding to finish smoothing it.

Marvin

[Don Geiger]

That's pretty neat, but have you seen the stand Trent Bosch makes? It articulates and rotates and swivels and it already has 1-1/4" X 8 tpi threads on it so you can attach a face plate or chuck. It has a one inch post so it will fit into your banjo and it also comes with an adapter with four screw holes in it so you can attach it to a bench. I've got two of them and they work very well.

Don Geiger

[philip labre]

I like it!!! Simple, effective DIY. Thanks for sharing.

[Bob Bergstrom]

Tie this idea together with the addition of a vacuum pump hose connected below the bowling bowl and it would be a rock solid carving stand. Al Stirt used something similar hooked to a vacuum pump to carve on his bowls. Release the vacuum, rotate and apply the vacuum again.

[Baxter Smith]

Great idea! My thought was the addition of a vacuum pump as well though that wouldn't do much for the peace and quiet of handtool work.

[Marvin Hasenak]

That's pretty neat, but have you seen the stand Trent Bosch makes? It articulates and rotates and swivels and it already has 1-1/4" X 8 tpi threads on it so you can attach a face plate or chuck. It has a one inch post so it will fit into your banjo and it also comes with an adapter with four screw holes in it so you can attach it to a bench. I've got two of them and they work very well.

Don Geiger

This cost less around $20 a few dollars less than $500 and accomplishes basically the same thing.

I looked at the vacuum idea, and could adapt it, but unlikely since the noise would interfere with listening to my music.

Marvin

[Marvin Hasenak]

Version 2, I cut a piece of all thread and made a 3" long 1-8TPI stud, thne drilled and tapped the ball for the stud.

[Mark Hubl]

Nice. Love to see shop made jigs.