Best tool for a yarn bowl volute

[Alex Zeller]

Since I'm new at turning I've been focusing on the simpler projects (it seams to learn how to sharpen more than turn). Most of the bowls I've made have been stolen by the wife for her tatting. So I figured I would make her a couple dedicated bowls just for her string. Mt plan was to drill the hole and then use a coping saw to make the volute cut. Then I figured I should ask as there might be a better way to make the cut. While her string is much thinner diameter than yarn I see no reason not to make the slot big enough to handle thicker material like yarn. That would require probably making two parallel cuts with the coping saw.

[Steve Eure]

I will be watching this thread with interest. I too am wanting to make a few bowls for gifts to relatives who knit, crotchet, etc. I actually had an elm bowl with a knot hole that also had a crack in it and it would have been perfect except it was not big enough for what I needed. It was only 5-6 inches in diameter and about 4 inches high.

[Rick Brantley]

This is the method use. I saw it a while ago and wish I could give credit where it's due. And for whomever, Thank-You it has been a lot easier. I use a 5" hole saw.389628

[Paul Williams]

I use a router with a long quarter inch bit and a guide bushing. The jig to hold the bowl and guide the router is just two pieces of wood in a right angle. I clamp the top of the bowl against one side of the right angle and the J shaped guide is in the other side. I add extra pieces of wood between the top of the bowl and the jig to adjust where the hole ends up on the bowl. I got the general idea from another turners post a few years ago. I thought I would only need a few cuts so I made a very simple jig. It works well enough that I am still using it.

Prior to making the jig I drilled the end hole and used a small Japanese push saw, similar to a sheetrock plunge saw except very small and fine teeth, to cut the slot. I also tried carving with a rotary tool but didn't like how that worked.

I think I will try Rick's hole saw technique. It looks simple and quick.

[Thomas Canfield]

I use my Bosch jig saw with a fine blade and then pull some emery cloth through kerf to smooth out edges. Vibration not that bad and saw cuts well on a curve surface.

[JohnC Lucas]

Buy a cheap Harbour Freight air saw. Then replace the blade that comes with it with a wood working jig saw blade. You will have to grind the tang to fit since they are larger and thicker. It cuts through wood like butter. You may have to play around a little to find what tooth count works for you. I haven't used that tool in a while but will go out and see if I still have the wood blade with it and get back on the tooth count. If you have a small compressor you will probably have to stop several times to let the air catch up, that sucker uses a lot of air. However on a small piece like yarn bowls it doesn't take much. Learned that from the late Frank Sudol.

[Vern Crandell]

I make my yarns bowls with a lid and then cut a slot into the lid like a sugar bowl. Some knitters will even ask for two slots so they can use two different yarns. I find this much simpler to do than the J slot. Also, I think the J slot is an accident waiting to happen. You will have short cross grain in it at some point, which is very weak. A small bump will break it off.

[David Gilbert]

I've made a lot of yarn bowls and have evolved to this process. I've considered jig saws, routers and such and the problem that I had was holding the bowl and the power tool while cutting the slot (volute). The most effective method that I have found is to use my vacuum chuck on my lathe. I can easily adjust the bowl's position to make cutting the slot easier. I started using a Japanese pull saw but found that the slot was too narrow for the yarn. I solved the problem by gluing two blades together with CA glue. This gives a wider cut that is easier to round over. I make most of my slots about 1 3/4"m in diameter. Any smaller and they are harder to cut. The key to rounding over the slot is to use cloth backed sandpaper that I cut to 1 x 11" and then fold it in half. If you don't have any cloth backed paper you can use regular paper and then back it with duct tape. Sanding back and forth will round both the inside of the slot and the outside of the other side. Don't get too rough with the sanding because the slots can be fragile. I start with 80 and go up to 400 grit. It takes me about 15' to cut and sand a slot.

Cheers,
David

[Clint Bach]

I have used the wood saw on my Swiss Army knife and followed up with chainsaw files. I've gotten good at using my Swiss Army knife. Then a little sanding and it's done. It just takes a few minutes.

[William C Rogers]

I haven't made an yarn bowls yet. I was thinking of using a roto-zip bit in my dremel to cut the slot. Has anyone tried this?

[Alex Zeller]

I made one using my coping saw and it's not perfect but worked pretty well for my first time. I thought about trying my Roto-zip but I only have drywall bits and in the past burn wood trying to use them. Dremel makes an 1/8" straight flute carbide bit but nobody had one in stock. My Dremel doesn't have a a flat base but my Roto-zip does. With the small base I think I could leave the bowl chucked on the lathe with the spindle locked to make the cut. I just don't know how easy it'll be to make a smooth shape cut without practice. The coping saw allowed me to go very slow but I'm thinking of ordering a couple bits so I can try it. With the coping saw I had to make two parallel cuts to get the slot wide enough. I think the 1/8" bit would be just about right.

[Marvin Hasenak]

I use a jeweler's saw with a big blade. First I pencil draw the scroll on the bowl, then start cutting, I clean it all up with a chainsaw file, then sandpaper.