Separating a Bowl Paper Glue Joint

Paper joints provide a great way to fasten sacrificial or dummy boards to the back of a bowl blank. There a number of benefits. The dummy board provides a place you can drive screws from the faceplate, without having to put the screws directly in the bowl. That means no screw holes in the bottom of your bowl, and you don’t have to worry about hitting screws as you hollow the bowl.

The technique

There are tricks and tips for separating paper glue joints. It’s a race that goes to the slow and steady, not the swift. You’ve got to be patient, and slowly work your way around the bowl. A wide bench chisel is the best choice of tool for convincing the bowl is should separate from the dummy board. The direction the bevel on the chisel faces is very important, as is the general approach you take to using the chisel. It’s all about wedging, not prying.