Need Input On Using A Jig Or Scroll Saw To Remove The Center Of Wood Pieces

[Dom Garafalo]

I'm thinking of making some 8"-10" diameter bowls out of some laminated pieces of different species of hardwood and trying to determine the best way to cut out the centers (without a coring system) before gluing the pieces together to avoid removing most of the centers with a bowl gouge.

I have a band saw to cut out the outside diameter of each piece. The pieces to be laminated will probably each be 1" to 1 1/4" thick.

Just wondering whether a hand held Jig Saw or possibly a Scroll saw could work?

Anyone with any experience doing what I'm thinking of trying?

Would appreciate your comments.

Thank you

[Alan Schwabacher]

I have not made such laminated bowls, but as long as the depth of cut is appropriate both jigsaw and scrollsaw should work fine. If you tilt as you cut, the disk you cut out can be used lower in the stack as a smaller ring with less waste.

I would comment however, that if you are gluing up layers anyway, cutting open and regluing rings should not be ab big deal. It would let you use a bandsaw, which should speed up the process compared to either scrollsaw or jigsaw.

[Van Huskey]

A scroll saw would take FOREVER. A jigsaw is the right tool unless as mentioned you are willing to cut into the interior with a bandsaw which would be the fastest. I would just do it with a jigsaw and coarse blade since the finish isn't important.

[Bill Dufour]

This is why bandsaws have blade welders. Drill hole, insert blade, weld blade, cut wood, cut blade, repeat.

[Larry Frank]

A scroll saw with the right side would be quick. I would use a #7 or #9 skip tooth blade and would take a minute or two.

[Dom Garafalo]

Based on the responses so far, I'm still wondering whether a scroll saw or jig saw would work better.

Please give me more feedback.

[Bernie May]

forget the scroll saw as it will take too long. I am making a similar, but bigger bowl as you describe. I marked the rings, cut the boards in half across the rings with a bandsaw to limit amount of wood lost, cut the half rings on a bandsaw, and then glued them back together. Then stacked and glued the different rings to make up the bowl. we'll see how it "turns" out.

[David M Peters]

Dom, it sounds like you're making a "Bowl from a Board" - that search term will yield a bunch of tutorials and different techniques for making the rings. Bernie's approach of creating split rings on the bandsaw seems to be the most popular.

[Grant Wilkinson]

I've tried all three methods: cut half rings and use a jig on my bandsaw; use a Bosch jig saw; and use my Dewalt scroll saw. I much prefer the results from my band saw, since the jig gives me a perfect half circle cuts, but I've had good luck with my scroll saw, too. I simply drill a small hole on the cut line with the drill tilted to the angle that I set the scroll saw table to. Then, I fasten the scroll saw blade to the bottom clamp, thread the blade through the hole and attach the blade to the top clamp. I've used my jig saw, too, but I'm too klutzy to get smooth circles.

[John K Jordan]

I'm thinking of making some 8"-10" diameter bowls out of some laminated pieces of different species of hardwood and trying to determine the best way to cut out the centers (without a coring system) before gluing the pieces together to avoid removing most of the centers with a bowl gouge. ...The pieces to be laminated will probably each be 1" to 1 1/4" thick.

Dom,

I can tell you how I do it. I generally use a little thicker stock, maybe 1.5" to 2" thick, but the principle is the same if you want to go this route. This is the method I use for these Beads of Courage boxes:

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I chuck up each layer and pre-hollow, leaving just a relatively thin "web" on the top of each layer. At this time I flatten the gluing surfaces with a sanding stick. I chuck the glue-up and cut through the webs with a parting tool (or something) and the piece is mostly hollowed only needed the sides smoothed. For demos, I even sand and put finish on the bottom-most layer, cut away the webs in just a few minutes, then pass around the hollowed piece.

I made these diagrams a while back. I use the same method now except I make less of a bowl inside shape for the upper layers and more of a flat sided and flat bottom "dog dish" to leave a thinner web. (perhaps visible in the photos below) If the layers are too thin to chuck twice, I would chuck once then only hollow a trough to cut through. (I need to update my drawings before the next demo.) Very thin layers are simply glued in, such as when I used thin resawn layers of walnut on the second one above.

The layers, ready to mount on the lathe and after hollowing:
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The layers after glue up and after turning:
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After hollowing, a view of the top of each piece and the bottom view of each:
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Before I cut anything I make a sketch with dimensions and carefully hollow each layer to minimize the work on the insides. The drawing is full scale so I can get dimensions directly with dividers.
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I don't know if this will work for you, but I find it fast and easy. Otherwise, hollowing a deep piece from dry wood is a lot of work!

JKJ

[Lee Schierer]

A circle cutter attachment and a router can do this easily.

[Dom Garafalo]

Thank you everyone for your input and great suggestions.

Being a relatively new and inexperienced woodworker I received some suggestions I had not identified or thought of which is why this forum is a valuable resource to us. As a result I am going to be a contributor.

Lee's suggestion to use a circle cutter attachment on my router is an interesting idea and something I'm probably going to try first.

Many thanks

[Pat Barry]

Based on the responses so far, I'm still wondering whether a scroll saw or jig saw would work better.

Please give me more feedback.
Drill hole, insert jig saw blade, cut out a rough circle, repeat as needed.

[Charles Lent]

A circle cutter attachment for your jig saw, or router would be a quick way to do this. It might be easier if you use circle templates and a router bushing rather than a circle jig and router. Are you planing to cut end grain or make circles out of cross grain wood? If cross grain, segmented circles comes to mind. Many turners have perfected segmented turning and make bowls and vases of thousands of small segments, all glued together in circles and layers.

Charley