I use a round 3⁄8"-thick acrylic template with lines scribed on it at 1⁄2" intervals to lay out bowl blanks. It helps me see and avoid checks and knots while including areas of attractive grain. (The template’s diameter matches my lathe’s capacity.) To make the disc, I marked the center, the perimeter, and the 1⁄2" increments, and then cut the shape on the bandsaw. I drilled a pilot hole in the center and mounted the disc on a faceplate on my lathe, using the tailstock to center the piece. With the lathe running slowly, I lightly scribed the incremental circles with a parting tool.
To lay out a bowl blank, I position the template strategically on the stock, mark the center through the template, and note the desired diameter. After removing the template, I mark out the circle using a layout stick made for that purpose. The stick has a screw at the pivoting end and a row of holes spaced 1⁄2" apart, sized to accept the tip of a marker.
—Chris McKee, Landisville, Pennsylvania
