sphere jig

[jeff oldham]

I have been thinking about investing in a sphere cutting jig…the one by chefware kits or carters jig..can anyone tell me which is the better of the two and which one is the easiest to set up…I know carter is way more expensive than the chefware jig…any info would help

 

[Elmojo]

I have no personal experience with either, but the Chefware appears to be much more rigid. I'm concerned about that rather thin aluminum base plate on the Carter's. Also, the price difference is substantial.
Honestly, they both seem quite overpriced. Look at sphere jogs for metal lathes. Many of them work on a similar principle to the Carter's, and are often cheaper. For example, this.
Also, this as an option.

 

[Michael Mathews]

Jeff, just wondering if you plan to make a bunch and need a way to make them quickly and efficiently? or if you just want to make some spheres? I made a couple on my lathe without any jigs. It's not too difficult. You'll need to make a cup center for you head stock and tail stock. Then every time just before you're ready to turn the piece, turn on the lathe and make a centerline mark with a pencil. Then after turning, you don't want to remove the pencil lines! That's all I did and it took maybe 5 or 6 turns and it was round!

 

[Dash]

I've always been interested in these jigs since they appeared. A ways back I would try to turn spheres by eye and they were pretty bad. Considering larger runs of spheres I would definitely invest in a jig. But there's something about turning that compels me to learn the process and master the tool; the rolled edge skew was like that for me; I spent weeks running between the house to watch an instructional video and the shop to roll beads. I could probably stand to do this with a spindle gouge, come to think of it.

Seeing this post sent me looking at jigs and I came across this man who has a pretty good process and claims that after repeated attempts using marked out lines you will find yourself able to create the sphere by eye. That sounds about right. He also points out that the difference in accuracy which is to be expected.

So here's his link: http://aaw.hockenbery.net/Turning a ball basicsforweb.pdf

 

[Dave Richards]

A fellow I worked for back in the early 80s developed a jig for making spheres with a router. He used it to make jewelry boxes like this one.

There's a short video clip showing the jig in action here

 

[Stuart Kent]

I have a Clark Sphere Turning Jig and it is seriously well made. If you want to buy a well thought out tool from a guy and his son in Oklahoma, check him out.