smooth bowl radius *LINK*

Re: smooth bowl radius

George Balock

Ouch ! $175 is a lot of cash. And what about catenary curves?

Maybe we can find a gold chain   

Re: smooth bowl radius

Mike Stafford

Terry Scott, a turner from New Zealand, uses long glue sticks to determine if he has a fair curve. The glue sticks are flexible enough to bend around the bowl shape but stiff enough so that they will ride over any bumps or divots in the form.

I have found this idea to be useful...not that I ever have any bumps or divots in my turned forms.

Re: smooth bowl radius

john lucas

I've used the glue stick. Works great. What I find that works almost as well is to close your eyes and run your hand from the lip to the foot. You can easily feel uneveness. Not so good on the inside but still pretty good.

Re: smooth bowl radius

William Rogers

Since I don't know, what/how is a glue used?

Re: smooth bowl radius

john lucas

You take a long piece of hot glue stick. Mine are about 8" long or so. They will not bend in a tight radius so you simply lay the glue on the bowl and look for high or low spots. The glue will only bend in a fair curve. Works well on the inside or outside. I'll try to take a photo later if anyone needs it.

Re: smooth bowl radius

Dick Hines

I bought a flexible ruler from an art store. It 12 in long. It will wrap around a turning.

If you can't find one close your eyes and you rub your hand over the piece seems to help locate the highs and lows

Re: smooth bowl radius

Mike Stafford

You can get glue sticks in about any length you want. I have some 8", 10", 12" and some 15". I like the black ones when I am checking for a fair curve.

Of course I seldom need one much longer than 8" as I don't turn many large bowls these days but I like the long ones for cremain urns.

Re: smooth bowl radius

Jim Barbour

Let's see, a 15" glue stick for $0.48 or a radius gauge for $175 ... I guess the extra $174.52 buys you the ability to not only fair the curve, but to check to see that it is EXACTLY 8.9476" radius - until the weather changes.

Seriously, the ability to check a particular radius has its place - I just keep coming back to the price tag and thinking how many half-circles of particular radius I can cut in poster board or foam core to do the same thing for my $175.

It is an interesting bit of kit though, and if one showed up in the annual gift exchange I would not object.