Anyone have direct experience with this. Seems interesting but would like to know the ins and outs on it.
http://www.ringmasterlathe.com
http://www.ringmasterlathe.com
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RingMaster
- Thread starter Scott Brandstetter
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You need to go to the WOOD magazine forums at http://community.woodmagazine.com, then to the Wood Turning forum and look up William Young whose handle is bzy3. He has been using a Ring Master for a couple years to make simple bowls to sell at local craft shows. He also has his own forum for making bowls using a Ring Master. He has gotten very good at it. It doesn't require much wood and often cut offs can be obtained for little or nothing. The machine is nice, but it is not something that interests me. The main shortcomings are the limited shapes and the hole in the center that must be plugged. Basically the shape is a flat bottom and straight sloped sides. Strips of contrasting wood can be glued together to create bowls that have a somewhat checkered or plaid pattern. Apparently folks who go to craft shows love that kind of stuff.
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Scott,
Bowl from a board by cutting rings at and angle to stack an glue together is an old technique.
The ring can be cut with a parting tool held at an angle. You can use a block of wood with the angle you want as a guide on the tool rest.
With a parting tool the last ring is the bottom of the bowl
I have used this to make roofs for full size bird houses. It works great for them as the roof looks nice with a gentle cove curve.
Sort of trumpet shaped. With the roof the last part tapers down to a bout a 1/2 inch and becomes the top
Steven Marlow demonstrated this at the Tampa Symposium last year and at the Florida Symposium a couple years ago.
It is a great way to use scrap lumber.
The shapes are bit limited but the bowls look terrific.
There are AAW journal article on the bird house by Susan Ellison (May have be Shauer then)
Also there is at least one article on bowl from a board
Steve Gleasner takes the stacked rings to a whole other level. And he cuts them with a parting tool
He make gorgeous vase shapes from aircraft grade plywood.
If I get a chance later I'll look for the articles.
Al
Bowl from a board by cutting rings at and angle to stack an glue together is an old technique.
The ring can be cut with a parting tool held at an angle. You can use a block of wood with the angle you want as a guide on the tool rest.
With a parting tool the last ring is the bottom of the bowl
I have used this to make roofs for full size bird houses. It works great for them as the roof looks nice with a gentle cove curve.
Sort of trumpet shaped. With the roof the last part tapers down to a bout a 1/2 inch and becomes the top
Steven Marlow demonstrated this at the Tampa Symposium last year and at the Florida Symposium a couple years ago.
It is a great way to use scrap lumber.
The shapes are bit limited but the bowls look terrific.
There are AAW journal article on the bird house by Susan Ellison (May have be Shauer then)
Also there is at least one article on bowl from a board
Steve Gleasner takes the stacked rings to a whole other level. And he cuts them with a parting tool
He make gorgeous vase shapes from aircraft grade plywood.
If I get a chance later I'll look for the articles.
Al
odie
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Scott......the concept has been around for as long as I can remember. I suppose it's a fast way to make a bowl, and it could lead to some sales, if that's the point of interest. I've never used a Ring Master, and I've been told I can't have an opinion about things I haven't used myself, but the limitations in shapes that are possible would be something that would bore me pretty quick......and, the necessity for plugging the hole in the bottom is very unappealing.
That's only my opinion, so take it for what it's worth........I can certainly see how a few other turners might be thrilled with a Ring Master. Some of the projects in the video are very nice looking.......
ooc
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It makes more sense to focus on stacked ring lamination.
The ringmaster is just one tool to make rings.
Bandsaw and parting tool make rings quickly and accurately too.
Stacked ring construction is a fun thing to do. Anyone interest in segmented work might want to try a few of them.
Limitations of shapes can be overcome somewhat by using rings from 2 or 3 boards.
Can even make hollow forms with no hole.
I agree that it is something I would get tired of. I still use the technique to make birdhouse roofs and bottoms.
If you cut rings on a bandsaw or with a parting tool the center becomes the bottom of the bowl or the top of the roof
Check out some past journal articles
Stacked ring bowls - Dale Larson, September 92 page 10
Turned bird houses - Susan Schauer, March 97 page 14
Check out some of Steve Gleasner's work
There are quite a few journal references 16:3 p 28, 19:3 p32, ,October 2010 p 1 Steve has taken stacked rings to a higher level.
Al
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There was an article in AW several years ago on layered bowls and I have been wanting to make one for a long time. However, layered bowls use layers of wood of various thicknesses to create the desired design and that is something that wouldn't be suited for a Ring Master. The Ring Master requires all the rings to be cut from the same board or else there will be a lot of additional work to make the rings and a lot of sanding will be necessary.
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Most segmented pieces are constructed from rings glued together and then the surface is turned refining the shape.
In segmented work the rings are made from "segments glued together"
In the stacked lamination solid rings or rings cut from glued up strips of wood are glued together.
People wanting to get into segmented work should try a couple on bowls from a board as part of the learning curve.
In segmented work the rings are made from "segments glued together"
In the stacked lamination solid rings or rings cut from glued up strips of wood are glued together.
People wanting to get into segmented work should try a couple on bowls from a board as part of the learning curve.
William young who lives in Canada, has a forum at http://wmyoung.proboards.com
He has a ringmaster that he uses .
He has a ringmaster that he uses .
Scott,
I have one!
Bought it out of curiosity-- I used it occasionally with my Shopsmith--but since I started turning on bigger lathes it has fallen by the wayside.
I made a few bowls, but it got repetitious. Got to get practice with plugcutters for the bottoms and proficient at stacking/gluing rings.
If I get a plank with lots of figure I might use it again
I have one!
Bought it out of curiosity-- I used it occasionally with my Shopsmith--but since I started turning on bigger lathes it has fallen by the wayside.
I made a few bowls, but it got repetitious. Got to get practice with plugcutters for the bottoms and proficient at stacking/gluing rings.
If I get a plank with lots of figure I might use it again
Scott: I bought one used for a good price, made some bowls with it, then sold it. For anyone without a lathe, it's a method of making bowls.
You will see on that website and some groups dedicated to the ringmaster that, in fact, you do not have to cut all the rings for a bowl from the same board. You can use several boards, giving you much more flexibility in the shape you end up with, much like other methods using rings from boards to make bowls. You don't need to have a bowl with a hole in the bottom, either. None of the few bowls that I made with it had a plugged-hole bottom.
I'm not promoting or ragging on it, but you may as well get the facts on its limitations and abilities before going ahead with a purchase.
You will see on that website and some groups dedicated to the ringmaster that, in fact, you do not have to cut all the rings for a bowl from the same board. You can use several boards, giving you much more flexibility in the shape you end up with, much like other methods using rings from boards to make bowls. You don't need to have a bowl with a hole in the bottom, either. None of the few bowls that I made with it had a plugged-hole bottom.
I'm not promoting or ragging on it, but you may as well get the facts on its limitations and abilities before going ahead with a purchase.