Using dovetail inserts to do repairs on bowls

[allen thunem]

Have seen them used many times but never seen or heard anyone give a tutorial or a step by step on how it is done.
Would love some instruction or explanation from those who use them.
Hate to see beautiful wood go to waste over a small crack.
And yes I understand the risks involved in turning cracked or less than perfectly sound turning stock so lets try not to go there.
Thanks in advance

[Jeffrey J Smith]

check youtube - I saw at least one tutorial there a while back. search for pewas, or bowtie bowl repair, etc. they should come up.

[Mike Nathal]

Also there are many Youtube videos on using bowties on flat work.

[Brice Rogers]

I had an 8 inch silver maple bowl that had structural problems. It wasn't safe to finish turn. I decided that if I burned it, I wouldn't learn anything. So - - since I had nothing to lose - - I proceeded to put in a bowtie. I had another defect that I sawed out and replaced with an insert. I used a chisel, file, coping saw and dremel tool. I learned that with a six sided bowtie going into a 6 sided pocket that there are twelve angles that have to be fairly exact. I had to do a lot of hand fitting.

On a flat piece, a bowtie would be much easier and could be done with a router and a template. But on a curved bowl, that is much more difficult.

When people look at the repaired piece I get a lot of positive comments. Frankly, I don't care for it much other than it being a reminder that I learned a bit from the exercise. Next time I would make the bowtie smaller and perhaps use a pair.
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[Pat Scott]

I use butterflies all the time.
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[Prashun Patel]

Pat, what is your technique. You use them so fluently I am sure you have a good process.

[Brice Rogers]

Pat, do your butterflies penetrate the bowls from the outside all the way to the inside or are they limited in depth to perhaps something around 1/8" ??

[Pat Scott]

Pat, do your butterflies penetrate the bowls from the outside all the way to the inside or are they limited in depth to perhaps something around 1/8" ??

They patches are limited in depth for strength. If they went all the way through the only glue surface would be around the edge of the patch which would be weak (ie: end grain to end grain). More strength is realized if the side grain of the patch can bottom out in a recess. The butterflies are 3/16" tall, so as long as you cut less than that you're good. I usually cut half of that (or a bit more) deep. 1/8" is fine.

[Steve Nix]

Do you make your bow ties or buy them premade

[Pat Scott]

Pat, what is your technique. You use them so fluently I am sure you have a good process.

Trim router, butterfly template, and router inlay kit (bushing and bit).

[Pat Scott]

Do you make your bow ties or buy them premade

Buy them online from Big Island Engraving.

[Brice Rogers]

Pat, how do you temporarily affix the butterfly template to the bowl?

Is there a minimum diameter where the curvature of the piece makes the inlay to feasible?

[allen thunem]

so pat would you share your methods with the rest of us??