Woodcut Bowlsaver Original

With this system you can produce multiple bowls from a single wooden blank. Making full use of material that would otherwise go to waste, it yields sets of nesting bowls with matching grain patterns, a consistent curvature and an often strikingly unified appearance.

The cutters travel on a sturdy steel turntable base, guiding them on a precisely controlled path through the wood. The base mounts onto the banjo’s tool post mount and seats into the tailstock. The two-point mount provides good stability, reducing vibration and improving safety in use.

For use with variable-speed (400 to 600 rpm) lathes with a 12" to 16" swing (minimum 1.5 hp for dry, dense hardwoods; minimum 0.75 hp for green wood), the system comes with a 1" diameter tool post and two fixed-radius curved cutters that produce bowls 3" to 12" in diameter. The cutters are made from a highly wear-resistant cobalt-chromium alloy to stay sharp through extended use.

To ensure predictable results, paper layout templates are included to help plot out both the diameter and depth of the concentric cuts on your chosen bowl blank. To help visualize your layout, we offer a laser pointer (sold separately) that mounts on the turntable, casting a clear beam that traces the cutter's path, so you can see exactly how your cuts will travel through the blank before you turn.

We also offer the Bowlsaver Max4 system for use with lathes with a 16" to 25" swing.