Actually, it is kind of easy to use a chain saw to round off a bowl blank
10" or better in diameter. The wieight is enough to stabilize it in the saw
buck I use with the round side down. I draw a circle on the top and knock
the corners off with the chian saw, leaving an octagon. then I use the saw
to make a flat on the rounded side. Finally I cut a couple of wedges off the
rounded side to make the roughing go faster and leave a couple of small bits
for scrap or kindling. For smaller blanks I either leave then rectangular
and knock off the corners on the lathe or put them on the band saw table,
flat down. Then a circle cutout is nailed to the top and I band saw round
it. I like your idea but it seems like a lot of work since I already have
the buck and need one. It is on the tips page at
ttp://aroundthewoods.com/tips.shtml and in use at
http://aroundthewoods.com/firewood.shtml about half way doen in each case.

--

God bless and safe turning
Darrell Feltmate
Truro, NS Canada
www.aroundthewoods.com


"robo hippy" wrote in message
ups.com...
On Feb 15, 6:05 am, "twwt" wrote:
Prometheus:

Thanks for the feedback. I forgot to mention in the previous posts
that the next version of the contraption will have mirrors at the
bottom of the stand to show you what you have just cut off relative to
the marked circle plus electric fans to blow the chips away from the
mirrors I had thought about hanging something from the ceiling or
attaching it to the walls but those ideas did not seem workable so
went with something to sit on the floor. Thanks for pointing out I
was working harder rather than smarter. Chiseling or shaving a flat
spot on the round side of the log is obvious in hindsight.

When I used to use the chainsaw for prepping blanks, I would mark
vertical lines on the round, one or two down the center (depending on
how much of the pith had to be removed), and ones on the outside of
the round, parallel to the center lines. This last cut would give a
flat spot for the blank to sit on while I trimmed off the corners.
Trimming off the corners while the bottom of the blank is round is
very difficult and dangerous. I had considered a jig of some sort to
help stabilize the blank, but decided that it would be too much
hastle.
robo hippy