CHAPTER 195

Garry Bowes potpourri signature lids

Garry Bowes explained the jigs and setup he uses to produce his unique wooden potpourri lids at our March 2001 meeting. Garry has since provided some additional photos which will be useful to anyone wishing to do similar work.

Setup for outer side of lid

The height of the metal base will vary according to the size of the lathe

Garry uses a high speed, tool steel cutter and holder mounted on a cross-slide table

(See close-up below)

Close-up view of cutter in action

Garry grinds the cutting tool to a dovetail shape - wider at the top than the bottom

This is the setup used to make the parallel straight cuts on the inner side of the lid.
A die grinder held in a pivoting bracket on a milling machine type rotary table.

The table / jig arrangement must be designed to put the cutter very precisely at the height of the lathe's main axis.

* * * * * * * *

IT IS IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER TO CUT PERPENDICULAR TO THE GRAIN OF THE WOOD
OTHERWISE THE PIECE IS WEAKENED

Close-up view

Note the wooden chuck Garry has made and the brackets used to secure the piece

Using a template to check the inside curvature

With the die grinder set up accordingly, a constant depth of cut can be maintained

Another setup using a smaller, air-powered die grinder

Different view of showing the pivoting action

The radius for cutting the grooves is on the same vertical centre as the rotary table΄s horizontal centre