Making Halo's for the compound cut Angel Ornaments

[DWSudekum]

I have found an easy way to make the halo's for those compound cut Angel Ornaments that folks were doing a little while back. 

1) a piece of 3/4 inch in diameter ( 19mm ) dowel rod 4 inches long
2) a 1/2 inch ( 13mm) Forstner bit. 
3) a 3/4 inch ( 19mm) forstner bit.
4) an X Block
5) drill press
6) a piece of scrap wood to make the tool to find the center of the 3/4 inch dowel.

Chuck up the 3/4 in. forstner bit in the drill press drill 90% of the way through the scrap piece of wood.  Make sure that you do not go all the way through with the bit or you will have to start again. Using a smaller bit drill a hole in the very center of the hole you drilled with the forstner bit.  The insert the dowel into the hole and mark it with a pencil. It will look like this:







I made an X block a while back.  For those that are not familiar with what an X block is it is real simple.  Take two 3 inch by 3 inch boards that are 3/4 inch thick and find the centerline of each.  Cut a 3/4 inch wide slot 1/2 way across each of the blocks so that you have something that resembles a fat square C.  glue and fit the blocks together so that you have 90 degrees on each side and it looks like a big fat plus sign.  You will need this or something similar to ensure that your dowel is perfectly vertical when drilling it with the forstner bit.  It will look like this:



Take your 4 inch long 3/4 inch dowel and place it in the x block like this and clamp it in place then carefully locate the center of the dowel and drill it as deep as desired with the 1/2 in. ( 13mm ) forstner bit:







Then it is just a matter of cutting the halo's from the dowel at the thickness you wish to use.






Hope this helps folks


DW

[jscott2]

DW, that's a good way to make other rings as well, napkin rings, finger rings, or even "tires" where you glue a thinner rim or even spokes inside.

Great idea,
Jim

[KarlB]

Excellent idea DW! 

Karl

[pddesertrat]

Thanks for the nice tutorial.  Looks like a great process.

[Merlin]

Great tip and as Dw said great for other bits and pieces.

***Merlin***

[Bullfighter]

Thanks for the turtorial, i will make me a X block and try it, i looks very smart.
Peter.

[Rover2]

Great idea DW.  Thanks for the tutorial.  Many ideas are coming to mind and will be making an "X" block soon.
Thanks
 Al

[Pat W.]

I made my set up to make the Halo's today.  It works great.  :-)  Thanks again for the tutorial.