Cutting circles on band saw

[R Henrickson]

I simply don't worry about cutting it nicely round. I get reasonably close freehand, but it's going to be trued up once on the lathe anyway, so why worry? And with much of the work I do, especially with 4/4 material, a drilled hole would simply complicate what I need to do. I don't do many bowls anymore.

 

[robo hippy]

Well, one thing I tend to do differently, when cutting up a log for bowls, I always cut a flat spot on the bark side so there is a flat spot for the blank to sit on and then I can scribe the circle with a compass on the top side. To me, this is still faster than using a jig. Having the circle perfect is not necessary because you never can get a chuck perfectly centered and the outside of the bowl blank still needs to be trued up. This does not work for natural edge bowls, and I turn very few of them.

robo hippy

 

[hockenbery]

I start my blank prep by finding the center of the opening .
For a NE hollowform or NE bowl this will consider the bark contours that will form the rim.
Also takes into account the sapwood that will show at the rim.

For a bowl from a half log the center point will balance the grain and control the sapwood that will show .

When driven by a spur in the opening center. The grain orientation will be maintained unless the tail center is moved a large amount causing a big change in the angle of the grain from it original plane. It is rare that I don’t foresee this.
Can always choose another center if needed - really rare

 

[Marvin Jones]

I split the log down the middle cut to bowl width or a little more, draw a circle on the flat side to get max bowl size, draw a circle for the faceplate on the same flat side. I measure from middle point to bowl edge then set the bandsaw pin distance. Drill a hole at the compass middle point and mount it on the bandsaw jig and cut a perfect circle, flip it over and mount the faceplate at the circle drawn for it and mount it on the lathe. It is within an 1/4" or less of running true. I haven't tried a NE bowl yet, may when I get down to the bottom of the black walnut stack...

 

[Marvin Jones]

Does anyone have experience using the Carter Accu Right circle jig? I am looking for a jig to make circles and possibly my own bowl blanks. Not sure if I should spend $100+ on this jig? Or for smaller circles buy a less expensive jig for router?
Thank you.

I have owned my bandsaw for 15 plus years, and cut freehand until I joined this forum, a club, then the AAW at the first of this year. I don't know how many blades I've ruined, still have several hanging on the wall. Got to a point I sawed the corners off with the chainsaw and started turning...

I built a sled using tips from the guys here and bought new blades at the same time. There is nothing complicated about the design, pictures are above. Just some furniture plywood I found on the side of the road for trash pickup, a couple strips of oak I had, couple washers and a bolt. I had a piece of 1/4" slick rod left over from something for the pin.

The reason for this post is more of an update than anything. I have cut about 140 bowl blanks since building this, still using the same 3/8" 2tpi carbon blade, just had to clean the gunk off of it a couple times. The jig is still in great shape.

If you are a little handy, you can build a good sled that cuts almost perfect circles, get the most out of your wood, save yourself a bunch on ruined blades if you are like me, freehand not working that great....Everyone is different and there are so many variations that can be had. I suggest looking them over, one might just fit for you.

 

[GRJensen]

Built my circle-cutting jig out of plywood scraps, a piece of aluminum t-track, a t-bolt and knob. The center pin is a 1/4-20 bolt, threaded through the t-track. The t-track slides in a groove routed into the plywood.

I realize I could turn my blanks to round on the lathe, but trimming them on the bandsaw makes for a lot less shavings to clean up!

 

[Rusty Nesmith]

Nice jig GR.