Bowl detailing

[Jeff Eckrich]

I have used a Dremel tool to put vertical detailing on my bowls.
The result has not been what I had hoped for.
i saw a add in a turning mag that used a smal laminate router.
Does anyone know where a jig that holds a router for vertical detailing can be purchased, a plan for same would be great too.
Thanks,
Jeff

 

[Mark Wollschlager]

There are several paths:
Premium would be Harvey Fein's system that can be found at
Incising.net.
A home built, pretty nice one from plans at laymar-crafts.
Another shop built unit from John Jucas Fluting_jig_for_the_lathe

Just a few. I have seen less and more complex models.
They are out there.

Mark

 

[MichaelMouse]

Seems there was one with a wheeled follower in FWW a number of years back, but I don't have on-line access. That could be added to the router base in any of the home builds, I suppose, making it possible to use the piece as its own template.

I have used a standard fluting jig like John's with just a V-type follower, and it was stable enough to get consistent depth. I would, however recommend one of the newer "soft-start" routers rather than the old non-variable types. Eliminates the pucker factor on startup.

 

[john lucas]

I built a table to fit in my lathe banjo and then built cradles to hold my Dremel, Air Die grinder, and a Dewalt laminate trimmer (small router). Then it's just a matter of clamping a fence or guide for the router cradle to ride against and I can cut any kind of grooves or slices.
You do have to be a little inventive to attach the tool post to the table to support the router. I have solid 1" bars welded to a metal plate and I have a piece of 1" all thread that I mounted in a floor flange (had to rethread the end of that one). The all thread has advantages and dissadvantages. The advantage is I can raise or lower the table in very small very exact increments. This is handy for some of the techniques I use. The downside is the banjo locking mechanism dents the threads which ca be a pain. Most of the time the table needs to be set to the cutter is dead center on the spindle height so I just made a PVC spacer to onto the solid bar tool post. I also have smaller and larger spacers to move the router up or down if necessary.

 

[john lucas]

I have a few photos that are easy to access where I used the fluting jig. Here they are.
I did find out when doing the inlay pieces that most 90 degree V router bits are not 90 degrees. Don't know why that is. It's not a major problem because you can tilt the table saw blade to compensate when cutting the inlay pieces but it's a pain to have to do that. I took my square with me to Woodcraft and looked at all their bits and found the Freud was 90.

 

[Jeff Eckrich]

John,
From the pics it appears that your get support from both the lathe bed and the banjo.Is that correct ?
The other question is do you prefer a Dremel or a small router?
Nice work in the pics by the way.
Thanks, Jeff

 

[john lucas]

Welll not sure exactly what your asking. The table is supported solely by the 1" steel bar that goes into the banjo, just like a tool rest. There is a plate on the bottom of the table that is welded or threaded into that 1" tool post. You raise and lower the table by loosening the tool rest lock just like your adjusting the height of the tool rest.
I don't use the Dremel very often. The extra horsepower and 1/4" shanks on the trim router make it much more stable and easier to get accurate cuts. I made the dolly for the Dremel because I occasionally have to demo on mini lathes and it's really hard to get the router low enough.
There is one downside to using the router or Dremel in this configuration. The center of the bit is not moving as fast (surface speed not rpm) and leaves rougher cuts right in the bottom of rounded or V cuts. Ornamental lathes have a cutter that spins horizontally through the cut so the bottom of curves or V's are very clean. I have looked at mounting an air die grinder vertically so you could use cutters that would spin horizontally and give the same cutting action as the Ornamental cutters. I just haven't invested the time and money into doing that yet.

You don't necessarily have to make a jig that fits in the banjo. My first one sat on the lathe bed and had adjustments that would allow it to slide in and out as well as swing in an arc. It rode on my lathe bed. I seldom use it anymore but it worked great.