Yarn bowl

[joe marra]

Need help, to find a way to cut the groove in the side of a yarn bowl. Thanks

 

[hockenbery]

Need help, to find a way to cut the groove in the side of a yarn bowl. Thanks

Joe,
Never done a yarn bowl but have done lots of turnings with holes and some through spiral hollow forms.

I would take a roughed out dried bowl blank.
I would drill the hole in the right side of the side grain and mark the spiral up and to left.

Turn the bowl to finished thickness then mark and cut the spiral with a saw.
You could cut the spirals easily with a hand held electric jigsaw, or a fret saw, all or an air body saw.
Use a fine blade to reduce sanding.
You will also have to touch up any surface scratches you make with the saw.

It is important not to have any thin wood in the end grain as it will easily break off if dropped etc.
So plan the end of the spiral opening to be in the rim close to the center of the side grain.

Have fun

 

[Owen Lowe]

Need help, to find a way to cut the groove in the side of a yarn bowl. Thanks

To decide on the shape of the curve and to get some insight into problem areas, I cut about 5 different spirals into a “junk†bowl I had on the shelf. I used a selection of decreasingly sized burrs in a Foredom/Dremel/Microcarver type setup. Then followed that up with small rasps, files, emory boards, and sandpaper. The real bowl turned out quite nice and I’m glad I practiced first.

 

[hockenbery]

2x on the practice.

 

[Steve Drinkut]

jig saw with fine tooth blade worked for me, used forsner bit for holes

 

[Bill Weaver]

Yarn bowl dimensions

You guys got any dimension ideas. Sister-in-law wants one I need to figure out how big of a bowl they usually make them.

 

[Bill Boehme]

Need help, to find a way to cut the groove in the side of a yarn bowl. Thanks

You guys got any dimension ideas. Sister-in-law wants one I need to figure out how big of a bowl they usually make them.

If you check out the article on making yarn bowls starting on page 25 of the October 2014 issue of American Woodturner, it should answer your questions. If my memory isn't too faulty, I seem to recall that John Lucas has also made yarn bowls. If so, he should be around shortly to add his expertise.

 

[Gerald Lawrence]

I used a drill to drill many holes in the slot a then clean out on the first. did not like that . Called a friend and he suggested a tile bit in a dremel or any other motor. This worked great and not near as much sanding. This is the second.

 

[joe marra]

Thanks to all.

 

[Dean Center]

I used a coping saw to make one last year. It didn't follow my drawn lines in the 5/16" thick wall of the ash bowl, but I think the method itself was sound, just the operator doing a one off. Practice sounds like a good recommendation--I'll have to try that some time. As for size, I think I figured a full ball of yarn would be 4"-5", so I made a fairly deep bowl. The blank I had produced a 4 3/4" diameter bowl and was about right. Fun project.

 

[Brian Myers]

Ernie Conover has a vid on youtube . The vid is from Wood Workers Journal. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8LU7NeWSqk

 

[Raul McCai]

Need help, to find a way to cut the groove in the side of a yarn bowl. Thanks

The same tool that luthiers use to make the F holes in violins: a fret saw

cheap Middling and Expend-O-licious

 

[joe marra]

Thanks for all that idea's. Here's how it came out.

 

[Tim Passmore]

Looks very nice. What did you end up using to cut the slot?

 

[joe marra]

Looks very nice. What did you end up using to cut the slot?

Tim, I bought and used a new coping saw, it has a round blade that cuts in all directions.

 

[Douglas Ladendorf]

This is timely, I was just asked if I could make one of these. Thanks for the information. I would think a router jig could work as well if the bowl shape allowed.

Doug

 

[Lance Mirrer]

Raul, is there a difference in a fret saw and coping saw?

 

[Lance Mirrer]

Raul, is there a difference in a fret saw and coping saw?

Found Answers on Google:
https://www.google.com/search?q=dif....69i57j0l3.11991j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

 

[Pete Blair]

Thanks for all that idea's. Here's how it came out.

Joe, please correct me if I'm wrong but it seems to me that the 'wool' could easily just drop to the bottom of the slot and then pull out. I am no expert but when I made mine I continued the spiral a little further to try to ensure the wool when relaxed would stay in the hole . . .Unfortunately I can't seem to find a photo.

 

[john lucas]

I have made 2 yarn bowls. I'm simply don't turn bowls much but it's the perfect gift for my mother who knits every night. I make them about 12" which looks too small to me but my mother likes it that size. I have tried several methods of carving the slot. Patience and dremel is hard to beat if you have the right cutters. I prefer the kutzall carbide cutters that Dremel sells. Take shallow cuts and you will be OK. The it takes a lot of work hand sanding. I bought some of those plastick sticks that you wrap 1/4" piece of sandpaper around but simply gluing sandpaper to a stick sprayed with 3M adhesive works really well.
My favorite way to cut the slots (or any big slots in bowls) is to use an air powered saw used to cut sheet metal. Replace the blade with a wood cutting blade. The one that comes with it has too fine a tooth. You will have to custom grind the tang on a wood cutting blade to fit but it doesn't take long. These things cut wood like cutting butter. Of course you need an air compressor but you can buy the tools from Harbour Freight for less than $20.
there are all kinds of slots and shapes. If you do a google search for yarn bowls you will find a lot of ceramic ones. That should give you a good design.

 

[Vern Crandell]

To me, that curved slot is an accident waiting to happen. At some point, it is short grain and very likely to break. I have made several yarn bowls that are like a sugar bowl. I make a standard bowl and a lid to fit, then drill a hole in the lid an inch or so from the edge and cut a slot from the edge to the hole. My wife has several friends who knit and they think they are great. I have also done them in a southwest shape with the lid having a central hole. This way there is no slot but the knitters don't seem to think that is a problem.
With the lid, they can put their yarn, scissors, etc. inside the bowl, out of sight and away from cats and dust.

 

[Leonard Niemi]

I just put a single hole in the middle of the side and rounded over both sides of the hole very smooth. Finished the bowl with many coats of wiping poly. My sweetheart is very happy with it.

 

[odie]

Here is a link to over 300 wooden yarn bowls made by other woodworkers and turners.

https://www.etsy.com/search?q=wooden+yarn+bowl&ref=auto1

From what I can tell, the most popular accommodation for the yarn is a slot. I suppose this is to allow adding the ball of yarn without the need for the tip of the yarn. There are also examples with plain holes, and lidded bowls.

Quite a variety here......

-----odie-----

 

[Bill Boehme]

I've made just one yarn bowl. I call it a "Darn Yarnless Yarn Bowl" since it probably won't ever actually hold a ball of yarn for knitting. I was told that they need to be heavy and have a large base so that it won't move or turn over. I made it with a thick bottom and fairly heavy walls and I think it would stay put if it was actually used ... which probably won't ever happen. I cut the slot on a diagonal ... the left side extends out further than the right side slightly. If I ever make another one, I'll do a better job and have a bit more overlap. But, I sort of like how it turned out ... I was aiming to do something a little different than just a plain bowl with a J slot.