More Patterns From Carole's Book

[Pete_M]

Here's two more bowl patterns I've glued up from Carole's book. They are the Gingham Bowl and the Double Swag Bowl. Gingham on the left and Double Swag on the right.

Not sure when I'll get to them but thought you might like to see the lamination's needed for each.

Pete

[Jim McDonald]

Can't wait to see the finished product. Your glue ups look fantastic. Big admiration from this side.

[Pete_M]

Jim,

Thanks for the compliment but it's wonderful how standing back a little make things look good. Actually there will be some very thin joint cracks to fill in. I've only got a 6" disc sander so getting things perfectly flat is about impossible.... for me at least.

If you could see the ends of those multiple glue ups in the middle of the Gingham piece you'd see that the 9 pieces that comprise it instead of being square will be more like a rectangle. Had to plane down one side, so if you do that you have to do the other side. Wasn't much but I think it'll be noticeable if you've got the book to compare it with. Most will think.... I hope... that it was designed that way.

Pete

[handibunny]

Hey Pete, read the intros to the criss-cross bowl and the windowpane bowl. That should make you feel a whole lot better. As long as what you've done is symmetrical, it should be fine.

[Pete_M]

Carole,

Will have to look at those intro's again.

I think they'll be ok too or I'd have tossed them out and started over.

I'm kinda proud of how the Double Swag lamination turned out. I found the center of the board and when I drew the outer circle it intersected the four sides perfectly. Which kind of amazed me!! Looking the finished bowl over I think that has to be as perfect as you can get or else everything won't match up when glued together.

Pete

[handibunny]

Pete, if you're careful with your alignment on the glue-up you should be OK. I modified the plans so that the yellow swags just run through 2 rings depth. I still can't do a 3 ring swag consistently, but I'm getting better. If you transfer the guidelines carefully from ring to ring you'll find them useful for the alignment. By the way, the book "500 Wooden Bowls" has a bowl with swags in it that is not aligned perfectly--and that's a really high level book. So even the "pros" aren't perfect!

Good luck, and please post your progress.

[Pete_M]

Carole,

I think a lot of alignment problems come from the saw kerf. I notice on the Gingham bowl project the points of the checks line up corner to corner at the back of the bowl but are a little off in the front. I got to thinking maybe just offsetting all of them a little might work better. Your thoughts?

I notice also that the swag bowl really lines up good at the different layers.

Not sure I quite get why you can't seem to get a 3 layer swag to work well. How's that?

I'll keep you posted but might be a few days before I can get to them. I was gluing up the boards while doing two other projects in between. But now I need to finish the other projects before starting on the bowls. Also I've got to decide which one I want to do first. Decisions, decisions!!

Pete

[Forester21]

well Pete - get at those other projects!! I am really enjoying watching your progress pictures. I'm putting the book on my Christmas list - I won't have time to make any until then anyway...
T

[Pete_M]

Theresa,

Hey! See your from Michigan. Lived in Port Huron for 3 years.

I'm glad you like the progress reports. The bowl I did in the other thread is also the one in the latest issue of SSW&C magazine. Looking the article over I think you could make the same one with the instructions in the article if you're in a hurry to make one. Gonna give mine as Christmas presents.

I think Carole did a wonderful job with the book and should be within the capabilities of anyone that's done any scrollsaw work. The big thing is assembling the pieces...... can you imagine 20 pie slice shaped pieces glued together?

I've got one more Christmas card puzzle to make up then I should be able to get at the bowls. Guess I'll have to flip a coin to see which one I do first as I like them both. Actually I like them all!

Pete

[handibunny]

Hey Pete, glad you're having fun with your bowls. Keep on posting--we're all enjoying seeing your progress.

The alignment problems come from the fact that there are an almost infinite number of ways the rings can be glued up, and minute adjustments make all the difference. Cutting is never perfect, and the guidelines help, but not enough. Most of the time it doesn't matter if it's slightly off (talking about fractions of an inch), but when you have a demanding pattern, like swags, every inconsistency shows. When I planned out the projects for the book, I figured anything that was super demanding was not a good choice, and the 2-ring swag looks very good. I did well on the new project I posted (ribbons and bows box) and was able to align the ribbons both inside and out, which I attribute solely to experience--my eye is better at seeing how things will look once they are sanded even.

The size of designs is different on the inside and outside of the bowl, as a function of the thickness of the sides, so the swags will be bigger outside than inside. Also, when deciding how to put together the rings, play around with different degrees of rotation until you find one that you like. That also will hide irregularities. Some of my most interesting effects resulted from solving unexpected problems.