Hollow

[Paul Douglass]

I got a question, if a person was pretty inexperienced, and if a person had a pretty limited budget, what would be a desent starter hollowing tool or system?

I'm asking for a friend, of coarse.....

[David Walser]

I got a question, if a person was pretty inexperienced, and if a person had a pretty limited budget, what would be a desent starter hollowing tool or system?

I'm asking to a friend, of coarse.....

Paul,

It really depends on what your friend wants to hollow. If I were making a recommendation to someone just starting out, and expecting to hollow nothing more than something 3" - 4" in diameter, I'd suggest one of Bob Rosand's bent angle tools. At $20 plus shipping, they're inexpensive and more than just decent quality. In addition to Bob's bent angle tool, your friend will need a small round nose or square nose scraper to hollow these small items.

http://www.rrosand.com/tools.shtml

If your friend wants to hollow larger items, then my next suggestion would be for him to contact Paul Porter. Paul might be able to supply him with one of his "outrigger" hollowing tools. These tools will handle hollow forms up to 9" in diameter and about 6" deep. A complete set (including laser) should run you about $175, plus shipping. The tools aren't pretty, but, as you can see from Paul's gallery, they can do beautiful work.

http://www.paulporterwoodturning.com/id25.htm

I'd recommend your friend stay away from the arm brace systems. Lots of turners use them with great success. However, a number of turners have severely injured their elbows or shoulders while using such systems. The arm brace makes it easier for you to control the torque stresses that comes with hollowing (just as does Paul's outrigger system). However, if you get a severe catch, all those stresses will be absorbed by your elbow and/or shoulder. Ouch! Note: This is a topic we've debated before on this forum. Others swear by their arm brace hollowers and believe they are absolutely safe (as long as they are used properly). If your friend wants to use such a system, I'd recommend he gets trained in its proper use.

Don Pencil's Scorpion is a good example of this type system. It costs about $250 dollars, depending on which options your friend buys.

http://donpencil.com/

I hope this helps.

[Art Kelly]

I can't speak to captive tools. Here are my hand-held choices:

1. Sorby Hollow Master. Running a series of Forstner bits to define the hollowed out area is a big help.

2. Woodcut Pro-Forme Power Head, and make your own holders out of 1/2" hot-rolled steel and an aluminum or steel handle. (Hint: Put a 4" handle at right angles to the main handle, like the handles on a scythe--see pic. If this thing hits the "sweet spot" in some wet wood, it can make shavings at about a bushel a minute, but only if you can hang on.:eek:) You will need a small-diameter diamond rod--not too fine--to sharpen this bit on the inside of the curved cutter.

3. Make some Oland-type cutters from 1/4" O-1 drill rod for the handle in item 2. You can get some 1/8" x 1/4" O-1 bar and make cutters for the HM also. (Cut to length, drill the hole, shape the cutting edge on the grinder, heat till a magnet won't stick, quickly dunk in cooking oil, sand off the black stuff, draw to light straw color using a paint remover gun.)

[Wally Dickerman]

When I turned my first HF's in the early 80's there weren't any hollowing tools on the market. David Ellsworth and a few others were the only people doing HF's and they made their own. So did I.

Just a simple boring bar which you can make for $20 or less. A square mild steel bar 5/8 or 3/4 in. and 12 in. long. Your local hardware store will have it for perhaps $10. You can buy a 3/16 inch cutter such as is used in many hollowing tools from places like Enco for about $5. Bore a hole in the end of the bar to accomodate the cutter. Just epoxy it in or bore a hole for a grub screw. You can do another with the hole bored at about 20 deg., or you can bore the angled hole in the same bar and make it removable by using the grub screw. Install the bar in a long handle, at least 18 in. long. Use it by tucking the handle under your arm and against your side. It's limited so you won't be able to do small opening vessels. But then those aren't for beginners anyway.

I've been using a Dennis Stewart armbrace hook tool since about 1987. Used properly, it's not dangerous as some will tell you. I recently acquired a Monster articulated tool. I've done a couple of HF's with it and I like it.

When I give HF beginners classes I always have the student do some turning with the shopmade bar. It's a very easy tool to use and it's good to know that inexpensive, shop made tools really work.

Wally

[David E Keller]

I don't have any experience with shop made hollowing tools because I'm not that crafty. They definitely work. Another option not yet mentioned would be for you to contact Jeff Nicol and see what he's got available.

I've use a swan neck Sorby midi hollowmaster for everything I've done so far. I would say that you can go 5" wide and 5" deep through a relatively small opening without too much trouble.

I've found that hand hollowing makes my shoulders pretty sore, so I'm expecting a monster rig sometime in the next week or so. I'll probably still use the Sorby for smaller forms and for the shoulder area of larger things.

[Bernie Weishapl]

I started with Bob Rosand's and now have David Ellsworth's.