Wood Turning Blog
Making a Yarn Bowl
I started off with a 8x8x51/2 inch block of English walnut, I mounted it on my 3” faceplate, turned it round. I like to get a nice curve so the bowl is as round as I can get it.
Then I cut a 3”x 3/16 deep recess for my step jaw set of my Super Nova chuck
Remount with the chuck and then drill a depth hole.
Then hollow it out. I was able to get the inside as round as a ball. Used a combination of bowl gouges. Did the last finishing cut with a 1/2” gouge ground with a 60° Ellsworth grind or Irish grind. In order to cut the lip and the following 1 or 2 inches of depth, I used a deep “U” shaped gouge with a fingernail grind starting at about 40°.
I got it sanded and made sure the bottom was not flat, it has to be rounded as well. Not easy to show how rounded the bottom is.
Then I cut the Yarn slot.
I start off with a 3/8” hole and you can use any shape you like. I like this one because it keeps the yarn pulling though the hole. In order to cut this I had to modify my Air driven hacksaw. As you can see, I leave the bowl on the lathe with the index pin in place to hold the bowl, this makes it easy to cut.
I start out by mounting a Dremel saw blade and cutting a nice smooth line, then I change to a 3/32 carbide blade that is used normally for cutting ceramic tile. This blade will follow the saw cut and gives a cut that is just right for most yarns. Then sand this up with a strip of cloth backed 120 grit followed with 220 grit and a few coats of Tung oil and you are done.
You get a beautiful bowl like these ready for your favorite Knitter.
