DIY CARVING JIG

[hughie]

Carving jigs for the most part were not quite what I wanted. So I came up with the idea of using a towing ball, they are readily available in hardware and auto shops. It's a fairly simple device that locks from underneath with a simple screw set up, fully rotatable, and can swing off the perpendicular about 130°, and the flat base is rotatable allowing the jig to be swung out in any direction, nothing really fancy but does all I need.

 

[RichColvin]

Nice!

 

[Doug Rasmussen]

Hughie,

Nice work. I have a similar type jig. Mine is a slight modification of yours. The slot cut into the top allows it to swivel more than 90 degrees. It might need a little stiffening on the side opposite the slot.

 

[Emiliano Achaval]

I just love my Vermec carving stand. It does everything I need to do.

 

[Lance Mirrer]

Carving jigs for the most part were not quite what I wanted. So I came up with the idea of using a towing ball, they are readily available in hardware and auto shops. Its a fairly simple device that locks from underneath with a simple screw set up, fully rotatable and can swing off the perpendicular about 130' and the flat base in rotatable allowing the jig to be swung out in any direction, nothing really fancy but does all I need.

How did you adapt the ball screw to your chuck threads? Thanks,

 

[Lance Mirrer]

I just love my Vermec carving stand. It does everything I need to do.

Hi Emiliano,
How does the Vermec compare to Trent Bosch's stand? Do you know if the Vermec has a bench attachment (their web site didn't mention) and is there a US distributor (WW Emporium doesn't appear to carry)?

Thanks!!!

 

[Fred Walters]

Has anyone tried the Panavise 300? Is it beefy enough? Price is right. Wouldn’t be too hard to adapt a chuck adapter to 1” rod.

(On Amazon)

PANAVISE 300 Standard Base​

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[Lance Mirrer]

Has anyone tried the Panavise 300? Is it beefy enough? Price is right. Wouldn’t be too hard to adapt a chuck adapter to 1” rod.

(On Amazon)

PANAVISE 300 Standard Base​

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Hi Fred,
Heard very good things about these. Obviously for smaller chucks and carvings. I have one but haven't attempted asking it to hold up a Vicmark.

 

[Tom Gall]

Master artist, woodworker, and woodturner Jerry Bennett shows an interesting carving jig made from a bowling ball. He made a shop tour video on YouTube and shows the bowling ball carving jig at about 15:45 of the video. I can see many adaptions for this including use of vacuum ... which may be over the top for this application.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGiD27q2iRc

 

[Lance Mirrer]

Master artist, woodworker, and woodturner Jerry Bennett shows an interesting carving jig made from a bowling ball. He made a shop tour video on YouTube and shows the bowling ball carving jig at about 15:45 of the video. I can see many adaptions for this including use of vacuum ... which may be over the top for this application.

Jerry Bennett tour.

Wow! Hadn't heard of Jerry Bennett before, but his shop tour was incredible. Going to look up the AAW story to read more about him.

 

[hughie]

Hughie,

Nice work. I have a similar type jig. Mine is a slight modification of yours. The slot cut into the top allows it to swivel more than 90 degrees. It might need a little stiffening on the side opposite the slot.

View attachment 45802

i have a slot in mine as well just didn't show it, my top plate is what they call gauge plate, high carbon steel. It's 10mm thick and this one has been in service for maybe 10 years no problems to date.

 

[hughie]

How did you adapt the ball screw to your chuck threads? Thanks,

turned the tow ball down to 20mm dia and welded a chuck adapter I had to it

 

[hughie]

Wow! Hadn't heard of Jerry Bennett before, but his shop tour was incredible. Going to look up the AAW story to read more about him.

A little big for me, but its essentially the same as a tow ball set up. All mine are mounted on either of my two lathes the mounting allows for height adjustment as well as the rest of the movement

 

[Emiliano Achaval]

Hi Emiliano,
How does the Vermec compare to Trent Bosch's stand? Do you know if the Vermec has a bench attachment (their web site didn't mention) and is there a US distributor (WW Emporium doesn't appear to carry)?

Thanks!!!

I'm not familiar with Trent's one. I should be able to find it on YouTube. I buy direct from Enzo Verrechia. His daughter Nadine provides great customer service. Even with the shipping, it is often cheaper than buying it here. I have also bought my last few chucks direct from Vicmarc; Victor is a super nice guy. I will ask Nadine if there is a bench attachment.

 

[Emiliano Achaval]

i have a slot in mine as well just didnt show it, my top plate is what they call gauge plate ,high carbon steel. Its 10mm thick and this one been in service maybe 10 years no problems to dat

Really good idea.

 

[Russ Braun]

Master artist, woodworker, and woodturner Jerry Bennett shows an interesting carving jig made from a bowling ball. He made a shop tour video on YouTube and shows the bowling ball carving jig at about 15:45 of the video. I can see many adaptions for this including use of vacuum ... which may be over the top for this application.

Jerry Bennett tour.

Not to hijack this thread but what an amazing artist Jerry Bennett is! Of course he would never say that; he’s as genuine as they come!! Nice share Tom!!

 

[hughie]

I'm not familiar with Trent's one. I should be able to find it on YouTube. I buy direct from Enzo Verrechia. His daughter Nadine provides great customer service. Even with the shipping, it is often cheaper than buying it here. I have also bought my last few chucks direct from Vicmarc; Victor is a super nice guy. I will ask Nadine if there is a bench attachment.

Emiliano, I find the more varied the mounting for your carving jig the better, if you can mount the jig in many places it gives much greater flexibility to the jig. Especially when doing small finely carved boxes, I find sitting down makes life much easier as they do take much longer to finish.

 

[Lance Mirrer]

Got lucky. While we were having this conversation a Trent Bosch Carving stand showed up on e-bay, at a very reasonable price. Should be here any day now.

 

[GRJensen]

Got lucky. While we were having this conversation a Trent Bosch Carving stand showed up on e-bay, at a very reasonable price. Should be here any day now.

I got one several years ago ... you're gonna love it!

 

[Lance Mirrer]

so close, yet so far. Received the jig and it has a 1-1/8" post. My Powermatic needs a 1" post.
My search continues...
Haven't searched yet, but anyone know what lathes use a 1-1/8" post?

 

[Mark Jundanian]

@taxman , I wonder if the post can be swamped out, and if Trent can sell you a 1"? Might still be cheaper in the long run.

Also, you could mount the carving on to a workbench, or make your own bed mount.

Lathe Mount for Carving Stand

Carving stands aren't in ever workshop, but they are somewhat popular, so I thought I would share this idea. I recently bought a Woodcut Pro-Mount carving stand, which I am pleased with. But like most of the other varieties of carving stand out there it suffers one flaw if you use it at the...

www.aawforum.org

 

[Lance Mirrer]

@taxman , I wonder if the post can be swamped out, and if Trent can sell you a 1"? Might still be cheaper in the long run.

Also, you could mount the carving on to a workbench, or make your own bed mount.

Lathe Mount for Carving Stand

Carving stands aren't in ever workshop, but they are somewhat popular, so I thought I would share this idea. I recently bought a Woodcut Pro-Mount carving stand, which I am pleased with. But like most of the other varieties of carving stand out there it suffers one flaw if you use it at the...

www.aawforum.org

The threaded head is interchangeable for others (I have the 1-1/4"x8) but the post is welded. Have the bench mount so I can use it, just not on the lathe banjo.

 

[Mark Jundanian]

Well, think about making your own bed mount for the carving stand that you can make the optimum height.

 

[Don Wattenhofer]

I have a Powermatic 90 that uses a 1 - 1/8" post but I made a sleeve to reduce it to 1"

 

[Lance Mirrer]

I have a Powermatic 90 that uses a 1 - 1/8" post but I made a sleeve to reduce it to 1"

Excellent! This is the first model I've confirmed uses this post side. I assumed it would be an easy search, but apparently not.
Good move making a sleeve so you can use 1" posts.

 

[Gerald Lawrence]

I mounted mine on a 2 x 4 frame which I hold in a bench vise. Wonder if you could make a cantilevered stand that would fit in your banjo to hold the larger bar.

 

[Lance Mirrer]

@taxman , I wonder if the post can be swamped out, and if Trent can sell you a 1"? Might still be cheaper in the long run.

Also, you could mount the carving on to a workbench, or make your own bed mount.

Lathe Mount for Carving Stand

Carving stands aren't in ever workshop, but they are somewhat popular, so I thought I would share this idea. I recently bought a Woodcut Pro-Mount carving stand, which I am pleased with. But like most of the other varieties of carving stand out there it suffers one flaw if you use it at the...

www.aawforum.org

Mark I missed your link to the prior thread. Love your adapter to the bed. Great work!

 

[Mark Jundanian]

Thanks.
BTW, if I were making another one, I wouldn't bother with drilling out a dowel. I would "replace" the dowel with a stack of small plywood pieces glued together and drill through that.

 

[Mark Jundanian]

Checking back I see the previous link takes you to a post in the middle of the thread. Maybe this link will work better (unfortunately I can no longer edit the previous link):

Lathe Mount for Carving Stand

Carving stands aren't in ever workshop, but they are somewhat popular, so I thought I would share this idea. I recently bought a Woodcut Pro-Mount carving stand, which I am pleased with. But like most of the other varieties of carving stand out there it suffers one flaw if you use it at the...

www.aawforum.org

Sorry for the confussion.

 

[hughie]

How did you adapt the ball screw to your chuck threads? Thanks,

sorry did see your question right up. I have welded a chuck adapter to the end of the tow ball

 

[Lance Mirrer]

sorry did see your question right up. I have welded a chuck adapter to the end of the tow ball

No worries. You did answer Jul 26. Thanks for the new answer, got me to reread a nice thread!