Bandsaw box technique to save wood

[W1ngnu7_1628]

I was wondering if anyone had ever tried this technique or had thoughts about it:

When turning a bowl from a large blank, I always hate turning 80% of the stock into shavings.  I thought maybe I could use the technique for bandsaw boxes, to hollow out the middle with the bandsaw so that I could use that smaller blank later.  I'm a bit concerned though how that glued up, hollowed, blank would turn.  You'd obviously want to glue and close up that gap from the bandsaw blade incredibly well to keep the chisel from catching.

Has anyone tried this?

[Jfitz]

I haven't done a lot of bowl turning - yet.  I've been reading up on it and watching a lot of videos.

There are probably a few things you should look into.

- The first is segmented turning.  This is gluing up different pieces of wood and then turning (a bowl, for instance.).

- There is a technique to turn a bowl from a single board by cutting concentric rings and gluing them into a rough shape, and then turning.  Check out this video (I'm sure there are more out there)

 

[W1ngnu7_1628]

Thanks.  I'm aware of segmented ring.  In this case I want continuous grain from one block.

[Chet]

I know little (read nothing) about turning a bowl other then watching videos.  I think I would try it on a smaller piece first that you aren't concerned about.  

As far as the glue up goes even though a band saw has a smaller kerf then a regular saw blade it still has a kerf that you will have to squeeze shut.  So I would leave the outside of the blank as square as possible until you glue the kerf closed this will give you more purchase for your clamps.  After the glue is dry I would probably hit the seam with a rasp or something to kind of smooth it so your tool does have a chance to catch an edge when you first start turning.  I wonder if something like West Systems epoxy would be better then PVA glue for this.

[W1ngnu7_1628]

I was thinking the same for clamping and will give it a test.

[..Kev]

It is a great waste of material but, I certainly don't know of a way to get that material out without a seam of some sort. 

[Jfitz]

I saw a video where an automated lathe turned nested bowls from a single blank.  I can't find it that video, but there is a system that lets you carve out the inside of a blank as entire blanks which can then be turned by themselves

https://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/p/134/2414/Kelton-McNaughton-Center-Saver-System-Combo-Kit

Here is a video of it in use

 

[Chestnut]

This also made it's rounds a whole ago. Depending on the stock you have nested bowls could easily work looks like you have to be careful near the end. If you listen to wood talk show they talked about this video briefly.

 

[Marmotjr]

On 11/14/2016 at 1:07 PM, W1ngnu7_1628 said:

Thanks.  I'm aware of segmented ring.  In this case I want continuous grain from one block.

What that video is referencing is called "economy bowls", or a version of it.  It's taking one piece of flatish stock, cutting rings from it, then stacking those rings.  Where a traditional bowl is 95% waste (educated guess), an economy bowl wastes maybe 10%, depending on how you do your final cuts.  They aren't really a segmented bowl, as each ring is one piece.  If you are very careful in your glue up, you will get almost continuous grain.  

 

Here's a video by Stephen Ogle about the topic.  You can see the final glue up does have glue lines, they are very subtle and match the grain:

 

But the simple answer to your question is yes, you could easily do what you are asking.   Get a well rounded bowl blank, cut the base off, cut out the meat of the waste, back the blade out of the entry cut, reglue the gap, glue the base back on, and there's your blank.   I wouldn't even worry about catches on the seam, if your tools are sharp enough, and you take light touches, that seam will flatten out rather quickly.  Time wise though, it would take a lot longer than a traditional style bowl turning, but it would save the interior material for later use.