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Thread: Ringmaster tool for bowls

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
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    Sarasota, Fl
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    Ringmaster tool for bowls

    Hi All, I went to a craft fair in Cary N.C. and saw a woodturner who did segmented bowls. Unlike a normal segmented design these bowls were segmented in the horizontal plane or rings glued together. I talked to him and he said he used a "Ringmaster" tool to make the rings which were then glued together. Anybody ever use one of these? I do some segmented work which is probably more flexible but uses more wood than the Ringmaster method. But it was an interesting concept. Here's a link:

    http://www.ringmastertool.com/PAGES/RINGMAST.HTM
    Alan T. Thank God for every pain free day you live.

  2. #2
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    Sep 2007
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    Lincoln, NE
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    I have one that will fit my ShopSmith. Have not had much experience with it since I have been finding enough wood to turn. However think I would like to use it with some lumber I have.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    May 2008
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    Kansas City, MO
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    Mmmmmmmm!

    My jig making juices are flowing. I am sure I can rig up something similar on the lathe.

    I wonder what kind of cutters they use, and if they sell replacement cutters. I can build the rest.

    I have a machinist's drill press travelling vise that ought to be able to be modified to work....

    Any ideas guys?

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    Raleigh,NC
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    525
    Alan, his bowls looked good, except for the hole in the center "ring." You can do this with same tecnique with a parting tool.

    http://www.fwcwt.org/images/bowl_fro...d_tutorial.htm
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    Last edited by Gary Conklin; 08-31-2010 at 10:09 PM. Reason: add link

  5. #5
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    Feb 2003
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    Yeah Gary, I noticed the plugs on the bowl bottoms and wondered at the time why. Now I know but it doesn't detract much from the bowls. It does seem like you could almost do this with a thin parting tool. But I'm not really sold on this technique. You don't even need a lathe for it! You only sand in the end with no bowl gouge needed. Now that's so wrong for a a turner!
    Alan T. Thank God for every pain free day you live.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    Olympia, WA
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    69

    Can use the band saw too

    You can do something similar to this on the band saw too.
    You have to cut your main circle in half - along the diameter.
    You have to angle the bandsaw table 40-50 degress I think
    Then cut the half rings out of the half circles and glue them back together to make rings.
    Then stack the rings on each other to make the bowl and you can true it up on the lathe.
    Hopefully that makes sense

    Tage Frid has it in his books
    Attached Images Attached Images

  7. #7
    As Gary said, angle cut rings can be cut on the lathe using a parting tool. It's a little tricky because as you cut deeper into the board, the straight blade wants to bind in the curved cut. The simple solution is to constantly wiggle the parting tool in order to slightly enlarge the kerf so that the balde does not bind. I've cut many rings this way up to about 1" in depth.

  8. #8
    here is another one for mounting on a lathe. A lot simpler and a lot less $$. They are not that difficult to make. I have made some time back as yet its not seen any use.


    http://members.ozemail.com.au/~kjeev...ingcutter.html
    neil
    _____________________________________

    The wooden Potter

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Location
    Green Valley, AZ, USA
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    433
    I have a RingMaster mounted on a ShopSmith lathe that I have used a number of times, so I'll try to answer some questions, address some misconceptions, and offer some other info:

    · The system uses two cutters of 3/16" HSS stock 2 1/2" long, and milled to 1/16" for an inch or so at the cutter end. They are held in a slot by set screws so can easily be replaced by HSS bar stock readily available on the web. You can use 1/8" HSS bar stock and simply end up with a slightly larger kerf.

    · There are two advantages to the Ringmaster over cutting with a parting tool: 1) It cuts brom both sides of the blank so the tearout is in the middle; 2) The angle of the cut can be cut precisely and locked down.

    · There is no need to cut a hole in the middle of the blank - it can be attached to the lathe with a faceplate or waste block. The hole is used on RingMaster systems which are independent of a lathe.

    · Once the rings are cut and glued, the assembly is mounted back on the lathe and turned just like any other piece. I use a bowl gouge to create the final form and thickness, and to get away from the "funnel" look these bowls can have.

    · The advantage over using the bandsaw is that you don't have to glue the rings back together and the surfaces are cut smoother than on the bandsaw. If you want to get away from gluing the rings together, use a scroll saw, threading the blade through a small hole to start and end the cut.

    Here's a "provenance" photo array of a redwood burl bowl made by cutting the rings with a RingMaster. You can see the "tearout" in the middle of each ring in the fourth photo. This piece was turned by mounting the board on a waste block. The piece is "slightly" ogee shaped, but not as much as I would like. If the rings are made thicker, then you have more design flexibility.


  10. #10
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    Frank,
    You took my suggest of using a faceplate or waste block. Much easier to keep all the same angles with the ringmaster but as many said, lots of ways to cut the rings. I guess use what ever works for you.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    Indianapolis
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    I would be interested in finding a used Ringmaster, either stand alone or for ShipSmith if you know of one.
    ________
    Ron

    "Individual commitment to a group effort--that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work."
    Vince Lombardi

  12. Ringmaster

    Quote Originally Posted by Ron Jones near Indy View Post
    I would be interested in finding a used Ringmaster, either stand alone or for ShipSmith if you know of one.

    I have a Ringmaster for sale, I purchased it to fit on my Shopsmith, but have used it very, very little.

  13. Quote Originally Posted by Chris Colman View Post
    Mmmmmmmm!

    My jig making juices are flowing. I am sure I can rig up something similar on the lathe.

    I wonder what kind of cutters they use, and if they sell replacement cutters. I can build the rest.

    I have a machinist's drill press travelling vise that ought to be able to be modified to work....

    Any ideas guys?

    Jig juices, LMAOFF!

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    Indianapolis
    Posts
    1,430

    David & Perry

    Check your PMs please.
    ________
    Ron

    "Individual commitment to a group effort--that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work."
    Vince Lombardi

  15. #15
    This may be a bit late for the thread but the bowls or vases can have curved sides and not just the funnel look. see the video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8_RQGcxQZw for an example. I think the fellow in NC was Jim Staley who has done quite a few very nice pieces with the Ring Master. I think a big advantage to the Ring Master is you use flat boards to start and the waste is minimal. After you cut the rings, you can turn them or sand them to get a smooth finish. There is an informative and entertaining video for using a Ring Master on a Shopsmith at http://www.shopsmithacademy.com/SS_A...ngmaster_3.htm. I have this attachment and I have used the stand-alone Ring Master.

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