The Tool Desk
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Make a snug jig for the sphere
WOOD Magazine’s August 14, 2017 method uses a length of 2×4 to cradle the ball and guide the cut. The fit matters: the sphere should be held firmly rather than rocking or turning in the jig.
- Measure the sphere’s diameter.
- In the end of the 2×4, bore a hole about 1/16 inch smaller than that diameter and about three-quarters of the sphere’s diameter deep.
- Cut a kerf centered on the hole. The kerf should align the saw blade with the sphere’s midpoint when the ball is seated.
- Press the sphere into the hole so it fits snugly. If it moves or spins, do not make the cut until the workpiece is securely constrained.
The dimensions come from the published recipe; WOOD Magazine does not specify a maximum ball size or a numerical accuracy tolerance. See WOOD Magazine’s jig method.
Make the cut and remove the halves safely
With the sphere seated securely and the kerf centered, make the cut using the bandsaw. Keep hands clear of the blade and follow the saw manufacturer’s operating and guarding instructions. A woodworking safety handout warns against cutting a sphere on a bandsaw unless it is correctly and securely attached to a jig; it also discusses push sticks for guiding work and wooden clamps for holding small pieces during trimming. Read Woodworkers Guild of America’s bandsaw safety guidance.
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- 2.8-amp motor rotates the blade up to 2500 feet per minute
- Create cuts up to 3-1/2 inches deep and 9 inches wide
- Uses 59-1/2-inch blades anywhere from 1/8 to 3/8 inches in size
- Spacious 12-1/4 x 11-7/8-inch work table bevels up to 45 degrees
- Includes a 1/4-inch-wide blade, a 2-1/2-inch dust port, a rip fence, a miter gauge, an adjustable blade guard with ball-bearing supports, and a 2-year warranty
- Check that the sphere is snug in the jig and that the kerf is centered before starting the saw.
- Guide the jig and sphere through the cut without trying to steady a loose ball by hand.
- When the cut is complete, switch off the saw and wait for the blade to stop fully.
- Only then remove the two halves from the jig.
Choose the method for the job
The jig-and-bandsaw approach is intended to split an existing wooden sphere through its center. A separate Woodworkers Institute article recommends a hand saw when removing waste from a sphere being made on a lathe, warning that a bandsaw could grab and spin the sphere. That is a different operation, not a direct comparison of hand-sawing and the fitted jig method. For that turning context, see Woodworkers Institute’s sphere-turning article.
What accuracy to expect
A centered kerf and a sphere that cannot shift are the key conditions for splitting the ball at its midpoint. WOOD Magazine describes the snug fit as necessary for a “safe, accurate cut,” but reports no measured deviation, blade specification, or tested size range. Treat the jig dimensions as a starting recipe and avoid assuming a particular tolerance or a perfect result.
Quick Recap
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