Holiday Spheres

Looking for a unique gift or special decoration this holiday season? Consider using your scroll saw’s versatility to create hollow spheres that are eye-catching, yet easy to make. The options are almost limitless: use standard hardwoods for year-round decorations; add colored exotics or dyed veneer for a holiday theme; or go for maximum impact with unusual laminations and color schemes. Each sphere is made from five pieces of 1/2"-thick wood: a straight center ring, two angled rings and two solid end pieces, all glued together then sanded to shape.

I never thought of using stacked rings to create a sphere until a friend asked for help creating a hollow blank he could turn on his lathe to make a round holiday ornament. As I worked up the specs, I thought it likely that the blank could also be shaped with bowl sanders. My first attempts were rather crude, as seen