Drawing Big Circles for Marking Up Bowls

[Joe Scarfo]

When you need to draw a large circle for a bowl on a blank... what are you guys using to draw it?

I've tried looking for a compass that can draw a 24" circle adn I'm not finding it....

Thanks
Joe

[Sean Hughto]

http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.aspx?p=32625&cat=1,42936,42937

[Greg Ketell]

slightly cheaper version
http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/store/Measuring___Calipers___Wing_Compass___wing_compass ?Args=

http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/store/Measuring___Calipers___Compass_Divider___18_compas s?Args=

[David DeCristoforo]

Or:

http://woodworker.com/precision-adjustable-trammels-mssu-119-032.asp?utm_source=google&utm_medium=feed

[Tony Pridmore]

I keep a collection of cardboard templates that are sized in increments of 1/2" or 1". When marking a blank, I choose the size that works best with the blank, then trace around the template. The cardboard circles were layed out with either a large compass or using a marker tied to a pencil, then cut with scissors.

In one of the Bill Grumbine videos he uses a circular template screwed to a half log as a guide for rounding out the blank on a band saw. His template may have been a thin plastic.

-Tony

[Pete Jordan]

I use the measuring template.

http://www.woodturningvideosplus.com/measuring-tools.html

[Thomas Canfield]

I use cardboard templates like Tony also. The thinner cardboard from cereal and pizza boxes work well up to the 14" and above that you need to go to poster board or some other type cardboard. I have use the down-spray marking paint and cardboard template to mark some rough wood to round up with chainsaw and also use nail or screw to hold cardboard to wood to use the bandsaw. I have a set of point and pencil holder that use a yardstick or metal ruler to make diameters above the 8" compass range, but a string with nail and pencil would be accurate enough to mark cardboard or wood at that stage.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

You can make temporary compasses and draw the circles on plywood...cut them and use the newly created templates.

[Jerry Marcantel]

If you're in a hurry, and don't have a woodsupply store nearby, get a stick, cut it 13" long, put a small notch in one end, drill a small hole 12" from the notch, insert a nail in the hole, pencil at the notch, and you now have a 24" marking guage...... Jerry (the cheapster in Tucson)

[Ryan Baker]

Harbor Freight is a good place to pick up compasses (or wing dividers) that are large enough to handle that task easily (smaller ones too). They are decent quality and a fraction of the cost at the normal vendors. Round templates from plastic, plywood, cardboard, etc. are useful too...

[Christopher K. Hartley]

"For me" compasses are awkward and not field friendly. Disks of any material are troublesome to carry so I use a home brew implement. It is a 13" piece of metal about 1/2" wide with pre-drilled holes APPROXIMATELY EVERY 1/2", that I can snap the plastic tip of a felt tip marker into at any place for the size of the bowl you want. It is secured at the center of the blank with a few turns of a sheet rock screw. After secured I just draw the circle and the marker is easy to see for cutting. It is kept in my chain saw bag that I can carry into the field It is simple, accurate and easy to use. If Interested I can supply pics. Remember, I said <For Me>. Others use what is comfortable for them. This is just another option:)

[John Keeton]

I have a set of hardboard templates - shop made - ranging from 6-12".

[Bernie Weishapl]

I got a frig box from our local appliance dealer. I made heavy duty cardboard templates from 4" to 16" and they were free.

[John Beaver]

A piece of string with a nail and a marker.

[Don Alexander]

+1 on the string and nail method big advantages to it are its very easily portable and the only limiting factor is how big a ball of string you can lay your hands on :D:D:D

[neil mackay]

I use a trammel set up that holds a pencil along with a largish compass

[Harvey M. Taylor]

What Chris Hartley said. Max

[Leo Van Der Loo]

When you need to draw a large circle for a bowl on a blank... what are you guys using to draw it?

I've tried looking for a compass that can draw a 24" circle adn I'm not finding it....

Thanks
Joe

A 12" turners divider is what I use in the shop for marking up to 24", anything larger and I use a piece of wood, (board or slat) nail in one end another in, where needed to make the circle, even will go as far as drilling a hole for a pencil ;) :D
The divider is from Lee Valley, it has a a sliding speed nut, look for 05N20.05, Turning Calipers, about $30.--

[mike caruso]

This is what i use just tack them to bark side of blank and cut on bandsaw
Mike !!!!!!

[Josh Bowman]

This is what i use just tack them to bark side of blank and cut on bandsaw
Mike !!!!!!
+1, I loosely screw my template to the bark side, run it around the bandsaw, unscrew it and rescrew on the flat side and unscrew. Now I have both sides with centers marked.

[Jack Mincey]

A compass does not work very well if at all on a natural edge blank. As the line goes up and down it distorts the circle drawn. For this reason I have disk cut out of cheap sheathing and they work if the surface is flat or round. I use a nail to hold them where I want and they work either when using a bandsaw or even when I'm chainsawing a large blank. Ever try to hold a hundred pound plus blank up on a bandsaw and cut it. A chainsaw is a must for large blanks. If one wants a cheap compass look for an old chalk board compass and wrap some tape around a pencil to fit it into the chalk side. Works very good on flat blanks. You could even make a compass like a chalk board model with just a little work.
Jack

[Neil Strong]

Or:

http://woodworker.com/precision-adjustable-trammels-mssu-119-032.asp?utm_source=google&utm_medium=feed

Snap!

And, you can then go to any diameter you are ever likely to turn on a lathe.

.

[Joe Scarfo]

Thanks Guys...

After a little Yahoo Chat w/ Greg last night I ordered both the big compass and the big template.

Joe

[Reed Gray]

I use a compass (double pointy dividers) for bowls up to about 18 inches. For bigger, I use a screw in the center, a tape measure, and a magic marker. You can also use any ruler or plain stick with a center hole, and any number of holes/notches to pencil out a line.

robo hippy

[mike caruso]

Had to stop for lunch this is almost as addictive as turning

[Mike Davis NC]

I have made several compasses over the years. Here is the last one I made.

http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/682/medium/IMG_26881.JPG

[Leo Van Der Loo]

A compass does not work very well if at all on a natural edge blank. As the line goes up and down it distorts the circle drawn. For this reason I have disk cut out of cheap sheathing and they work if the surface is flat or round. I use a nail to hold them where I want and they work either when using a bandsaw or even when I'm chainsawing a large blank. Ever try to hold a hundred pound plus blank up on a bandsaw and cut it. A chainsaw is a must for large blanks. If one wants a cheap compass look for an old chalk board compass and wrap some tape around a pencil to fit it into the chalk side. Works very good on flat blanks. You could even make a compass like a chalk board model with just a little work.
Jack

I don't saw 24" blanks on my 14" bandsaw, the compass is used on the flat side, then the blanks is made kind of round like this ;)

163183

[Brian Morgan]

Look for a set of trammell points or a beam compass. They mount on a piece of wood or dowel. You decide the length.

[Ken Whitney]

Of course the lathe is pretty good at making things round, so you could just eyeball the size, knock the corners off with a chainsaw, and let the lathe take care of the rest.:)

[Jess Wetherhold]

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=5366&filter=compass
163212

[Kyle Iwamoto]

My local Lowe's had a beam compass. If you know what the name is, the workers may know where to find it. I make templates from manilla folder material. For the bigger templates, you could use cardboard boxes from a refer or TV. Or, I guess, plastic sheet material from the same Lowe's. That would be the best. Using a template screwed to the blank allows you to rough out the NE bowl blanks. AND it marks the center for your spur.