Bowl Blank Prep Station?

[Mike Goetzke]

I finally got some time to turn some logs into bowls blanks (first for me). I had fun but it was more physical labor than I anticipated. Much of the ware & tear on my body was bending down to mark and cut the blanks. I'm sure many have designed elevated prep stations to make this preparation easier. I would appreciate it if you share your designs.

Also, thanks to all that recommended the Makita corded chainsaw. It worked every bit as well as my gas powered Husky. Just need to learn how to tame all that spaghetti that comes flying off the chain.



Thanks,

Mike

[Reed Gray]

Mike,
This is a bit more involved than most people will want, but if a club gets a tree, and want to process it, this is handy. I was getting tired of lifting and bending over so far. I find the ramp to be very helpful getting it up so some sort of height. There are lots of other types of log holding set ups.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-JCwwCxkROw

robo hippy

[Greg Just]

Here is a design that the Minnesota Woodturners Association came up with.

http://mnwoodturners.com/mwa-chapter...-instructions/

[Grant Wilkinson]

I don't turn anywhere near as many bowls as Robo, so I use a Black and Decker workmate to hold my logs while I cut them with the Makita chainsaw. Between the gap that I can make in the workmate top and a couple of bungees, I've had not problems with stability.

[Reed Gray]

Lifting them up seems to take way more effort than it used to when I could throw the whole log up on one shoulder and jog around the block with it... Well, almost... This is where having friends helps, or for me, the ramp because bending over is almost as difficult now days. I do like to make a plumb line in the center, and at least cut off the round edge of the log on the outside so the blank has a flat spot to sit on for marking out the top of the bowl, and most of the time being able to cut the circle with the top side up so there is no need for circle templates. I do make marks on the side away from me now so hopefully the sides will be close to parallel, then just follow the front side down as I cut. Rocking puts more bumps in it than just a straight push.

robo hippy

[hu lowery]

I am playing with a cheap harbor freight engine stand on sale for $45 and a few nuts and bolts to mount a chainsaw on it. The motor mounting plate spins and has multiple holes around the shaft to hold it in place at maybe every thirty degrees or forty-five degrees, not sure.

Anyway, a little playing with various configurations and I got the saw mounted using the bar mounting studs and coupling nuts. I planned to modify the handle to move it to the left side of the saw but the saw turns out to balance nicely enough to be very easy to one hand the saw even with the 32" bar I have on it so having another handle on it may be just gilding the lily. A little testing seems to indicate it will work very well. I want a table and some cradles to handle the wood easier but I haven't go that far yet. May cut the wood into slabs using a cradle in the back of my truck to make unloading easier after slabbing and the shavings and scrap wood can go straight to the burn pile on my truck when the slabs are cut.

For under seventy-five dollars I am pleased. This should make cutting blanks both easier and safer. As expected the nice straight cut goes faster than my hand cuts that can get a little crooked sometimes. multiple cuts will be parallel too, also nice!

Hu

blanksaw1p.jpg blanksaw2p.jpg

[Jim Seyfried]

Here is a design that the Minnesota Woodturners Association came up with.

http://mnwoodturners.com/mwa-chapter...-instructions/

I made one per these instructions, have used it for a few years and like it a lot. Thanks again MWA!

[Ben Pierce]

I have a ultra-simple setup involving a "pyramid" of old log rounds, waist high. It's stable, adjustable, and comfortable.

[Prashun Patel]

Google saw buck. There are good designs for preventing having to bend over and to prevent the log from rolling or twisting.


You can also invest in a good bandsaw.


Last, you can do what I have been doing and learn to be happy with smaller work.

[Reed Gray]

Hu,
That is pretty slick... If you had a hydraulic up/down thing that would be perfect. Hmm, if the saw pivots, and the low point of the log is the same as the bottom of the chainsaw at 90 degrees, that works well also...

robo hippy

[Roger Chandler]

Hu....that is an impressive setup! Love that monster saw!

[robert baccus]

I use a 24" heart pine stump cut off and placed behind the shop. Also cut a shallow V notch in the top for stability. Heart pine is rot proof. On a long log I just put one end up to keep the saw out of the dirt. The stump must be about 24" in height. Cost 0.

[hu lowery]

Hu,
That is pretty slick... If you had a hydraulic up/down thing that would be perfect. Hmm, if the saw pivots, and the low point of the log is the same as the bottom of the chainsaw at 90 degrees, that works well also...

robo hippy

Reed,

There is a good bit of adjustment in those arms on the engine stand and the bottom of the log being the same height or floating in a cradle slightly above the 90 degree line of the bottom of the bar is exactly the plan. I would like a stop on the pivot at that point and will probably rig something if serious flaws don't show up. I just put that together this morning so it is very much a work in progress. I was thinking that I would need a handle on the left side of the saw to go along with the throttle grip but the saw is nose heavy enough with that bar that I think it will self feed with little or no added pressure and the saw still pivots up and down with one hand easily. Let it almost find it's own way through the wood, raise it back up, slide the pin in the pivot axle that was all set up from the factory to lock engines at different angles, and the wood is ready to be moved.

After trying the saw I don't think I gained much with the saw outboard so I'll move it inboard to make it easier to refuel the saw and so I don't need the counterweight. I had considered rotating the entire working head ninety degrees so it pivoted over the long center leg but I think I'll leave it as is, something else that isn't necessary. The entire stand and saw, wet, weighs about seventy-five pounds and is on factory wheels. Right now I have to pull two pins to refuel, only takes a few seconds, two bolts and the saw is back ready to work in the field. Most of my work was done when they built the engine stand so only a few hours in the project too.


Roger, I'm right fond of this saw with the 32" bar myself! Saves a lot of reaching and bending. Because of the amount lost to mounting and dogs the 32" bar is about 2/3 or 3/4 working length longer than the factory 20" bar that was on it.

Robert, I use a section of hardwood cut just like your block with a "V" in the top as can be seen if you look closely at one of my pictures. When I get tired of one it becomes firewood and I cut another. The one I'm using now is getting a little rough but I have some nice hickory to replace it with.

Hu

[Don Frank]

Great idea. I thought about making something similar but ended up making one like Reed made in the robohippy video. I had materials on had so it didn't cost anything other than a little time. I was able to fabricate the upright from metal u channel and make a sliding bracket that bolts to the chainsaw blade so I didn't have to purchase an alaskan mill style bracket. Got to use it on saturday at it worked great. It was so nice to have pieces with parallel sides for cutting rounds on the bandsaw.

[Mike Goetzke]

Wow - thanks for all the great ideas.


(I'm learning as I go. A while back I got some nice sycamore and I picked up some wood at a golf course that I believe was ash. The sycamore is still in excellent condition but the ash seems to be too soft to turn - all I get is rough tearout. Wonder if I can return it to the golf course . The sycamore has some tearing where you hit end grain but I'm hoping it cleans up better when I second turn it dry.)


Mike