Second test run of the Kobra system!

[Jack Mincey]

I started to put this in Roger's thread, but put it on it's own since it is more about the Kobra system than a project. I went ahead and included pic's of the major steps in turning it. I have turned a few forms this large free hand and found that it took all I had to hollow out a project that was this large and deep. The Vase is 13 1/2" tall with the inside being hollowed out to just over 12 1/2" deep. It is another piece of maple with very nice grain. Using the Kobra to hollow this vase was very easy and smooth as well as much faster than I'm able to achieve free hand. I'm able to get a fairly smooth cut using the cutter in the Kobra but still used a large free hand bar with a scraper to smooth the inside after I finished hollowing with the Kobra. It only took one light pass to smooth it up with my large home made scraper bar. I'm going to make a scraper head to attach to the Kobra in the future. The boring bar is drilled to accept what looks to be 1/2" dia stock for holding the bits. It will be easy to make a short scraper attachment to mount in it. Again I had zero flex or chatter with the unit even down to 12 1/2" deep. I was hollowing fairly aggressively with the cutter down in the bottom of the vase and dug the bit in one time and stopped my 2 HP lathe in it's tracks. The bar didn't flex or even move. If I had done this free hand I would have felt it under my arm for a week. The system is solid as a rock. This is the size projects I wanted to be able to do with out being beat up doing them free hand and all I can say is WOW this unit makes it so easy. Here are some pic's of todays project. From start to finish it took under 2 hours to finish this project up including cutting the blank out.
Turn Safe Everyone,
Jack
Blank ready to be cut:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v727/flyrod444/DSC00246.jpg
Blank cut:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v727/flyrod444/DSC00247.jpg
Blank Mounted and ready to be roughed out:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v727/flyrod444/DSC00248.jpg
Roughed out to shape:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v727/flyrod444/DSC00249.jpg
Kobra used to hollow:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v727/flyrod444/DSC00252.jpg
My ugly face with the vase ready to put in a bag for drying:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v727/flyrod444/DSC00256.jpg
One of the Kobra hollowing tips:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v727/flyrod444/DSC00251.jpg

[Mark Hazelden]

I think you are what is called a "Happy Camper"!

Nice looking vase. Hollowing to 12 1/2 inches is impressive.

Can I give my wife your phone number so that you can explain why I "NEED" one too? :)

Mark

[David E Keller]

Wow! You've got a great setup, and I'm impressed with your description of the Kobra... It's pretty tough to bog down that Mayo, and the fact that the Kobra didn't flinch is quite impressive. It's too bad that you don't have any decent wood to try it on...

[Roger Chandler]

Jack,

That is very impressive.........the vase and your Kobra system..........I like to do something big once in a while, but there are those limits as we all know when it comes to the size boring bar we have.

Thanks for showing us this.........look forward to your finished piece with this one.....great piece of spalted maple there!

[John Keeton]

Jack, aside from the great second review - I like that vase! Very nice form and great wood! I look forward to seeing this one finish turned.

[Michael James]

Dang..... you da man! :cool:

[Jeff Moffett]

Jack, great review and beautiful vase! I look forward to seeing the final result. I'm glad to hear you didn't have any chatter at 12 1/2". It's my understanding that the Kobra can go about 15" or 16" deep. Please let us know if you max out the depth on another project and when you begin to experience chatter.

[Jack Mincey]

Thanks everyone. I have had this blank waiting for the Kobra to hollow it. The first try was with a small plan piece of maple, but after using the system one time I could tell it had a very short learning curve and felt I could try this blank. I hope to turn many larger forms in the future using the system.
Thanks again,
Jack

[charlie knighton]

thanks for sharing, impressive wood and tooling

[Steve Schlumpf]

Glad to hear that your new hollowing system is working out for you! Beautiful vase! Looking forward to seeing it finished!

[Baxter Smith]

Great hollowing system and beautiful vase to be!