The “You Tube” Video from CMT is good for a start on making Router bowls. First buy the bit and extension from CMT, their quality is good and the extension nut is smaller then the bit. But now for the rest of the story. The first thing you will need to do is modify the router bit. Get two nice washers that have a ½” I.D. then sand them as flat as possible. Countersink one side of one washer; this will clear the radius on the shank of the router bit. If the O.D. is bigger then the bearing, clamp the washer in a ½” bolt and nut put it in your drill press and file the O.D. smaller then the bearing. Remove the bearing from the router bit. Replace the washer with the c’sink on bit shank then the bearing then the flat washer then the retainer. This mod will keep the chips from tearing out the seals in the bearing.
www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/500/medium/Router_bit.JPG
The next addition will be to recess the bottom of the bowl.
www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/500/medium/Bowl_bottom.JPG
Removing that much wood will cause the bowl to warp so I recessed the bottom. Make a template that is smaller then the O.D. of the bowl. I made mine a ¼” plus the ½” radius that I used on the bottom of the bowl ¾” or 1 ½” total or larger if you use a bigger radius. To align the bottom template with the top, drill at lease two dowel holes in the corner of the blank. Just make sure they are outside the bowl area and equal distant from the center in both directions.
www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/500/medium/Template.JPG
Another thing that I used was a flap wheel that I bought at ACE Hardware.
www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/500/medium/Flap_wheel.JPG
I hope this helps you to get started making Router Bowls. They are time consuming when you add in all the sanding but they make great gifts.
www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/500/medium/Router_bit.JPG
The next addition will be to recess the bottom of the bowl.
www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/500/medium/Bowl_bottom.JPG
Removing that much wood will cause the bowl to warp so I recessed the bottom. Make a template that is smaller then the O.D. of the bowl. I made mine a ¼” plus the ½” radius that I used on the bottom of the bowl ¾” or 1 ½” total or larger if you use a bigger radius. To align the bottom template with the top, drill at lease two dowel holes in the corner of the blank. Just make sure they are outside the bowl area and equal distant from the center in both directions.
www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/500/medium/Template.JPG
Another thing that I used was a flap wheel that I bought at ACE Hardware.
www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/500/medium/Flap_wheel.JPG
I hope this helps you to get started making Router Bowls. They are time consuming when you add in all the sanding but they make great gifts.
