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I have not made one of these collapsible bowl/basket patterns in several years. For those of you who may not be familiar with this project here is a quick explanation.
If you tilt your scroll saw just the right amount and cut a spiral, the spiral will open up and lock in place by friction. The spiral is suspended on a base with a pivoting foot. This allows the whole project to be folded up flat.
The trick is to get just the correct angle so the bowl opens as deep as you want and wedges in place. The angle of the cut depends on the thickness of the wood and the thickness of the blade you use.
The one in the photo above was 1/2" thick wood and a #5 blade. I ended up using about a 4-degree tilt. In the pattern, I include small test spirals so you can make test cuts to determine the angle you need.
If you have never tried one of these spiral cuts then give it a shot. It will give you good practice cutting curves. You will also have an interesting gift for someone.
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