Just a couple of Turning. First Lidded box and a bowl missing part of its bottom....

[Chris Burgess]

Here are just a couple of turnings. I have been spending some time trying to practice/learn the art of HF's. I tell you what, w/out the right tools it gets quite discouraging:mad::mad::mad:. So I decided to take a step back and make something fun and easy. I went into a bag of shavings and dug around until found a piece. Pulled out an old roughout of Black Walnut. Chucked it up and finished it up. Its a good feeling to finish something every once in a while. I remember the roughout and this guy had some tenants that were removed.....forcefully no doubt. Just a small neat bowl. Kind of wobbly because half of its foot is missing. 1.17"t x 4.5"w x 1/4"thick. Finish is 2 coats of Pure Tung Oil but it will see many more in its future. Usually apply 15-20 by the time everything is uniform. Then I will have some cereal out of it.......


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Like I said before. I have been practicing on my HF's w/out a lot of luck. I am using some old Elm and Pecan to practice before cutting into that Burl I aquired a while back. I dont really have the right tools and that results in some pretty nasty catches that rip the top open or shot out of the side. I lost more than one HF like this. This box was one of them. The lip had busted off and he found himself in the winter burn box. Some way or another it made it back to the top and I spotted it and decided to try to salvage it. The form is Elm 3" x 3" x 3/16" thick. The lid is Mohogany from an OOOOLD door jamb I salvage long long ago and the finial is some more Elm w/ heartwood. Lid w/ Finial is about 2.75"t. Finish is rattle can shellac sprayed on a paper towel and wiped on and 4 coats of WOP. Going to add a few more coats of WOP before I am done.

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Thanks for looking. C&C requested.

[Roger Chandler]

Learning to hollow out a piece is a good skill to learn...........if you can get the process down using hand tools, then when you are able to acquire a hollowing rig, the learning curve is almost intuitive. I hollowed several using Ellsworths tools, and a couple using the Sorby Hollowmaster [that was a pain in the arms and shoulders] but it did give me an idea of the proper way to make cuts.

You did not say which tools you were working with, but don't get discouraged.........just easy, light passes and try to keep the cutting edge just a little above center line............that will help with the catches. Good luck! Pretty nice little HF there, and not bad on the bowl either..........fill that void with epoxy and some turquoise inlace, and you will have a nice keepsake there!

[Tim Thiebaut]

Nice job on these Chris, and I think you did a great job on the lidded box. Roger has given good tips on hollowing, I can at times get discouraged to hollowing by hand, with my back issues leaning over the bench and lathe can take a toll on me...but that is going to be remedied very shortly!!!!

[Chris Burgess]

You did not say which tools you were working with, but don't get discouraged.........

fill that void with epoxy and some turquoise inlace, and you will have a nice keepsake there!

As for tools I have a 1/4" Oland I made. I then made another w/ the bit at a 45, that one is brutal. I just made a goose neck w/ a 3/8 rod but the only cutter I had that would fit is to small to mess with. Going to get a 3/8" round carbide tip to put on it.

For the Inlace. That is a great idea. Need to look into that. Never done it before. Do you just mix it w/ a 5 min Epoxy?

[David E Keller]

Nice work, Chris. I really like the little bowl, and the lidded form is well done. Pecan is pretty tough stuff when it's dry... If you can hollow dry pecan, that burl is gonna be a piece of cake.

[Roger Chandler]

For the Inlace. That is a great idea. Need to look into that. Never done it before. Do you just mix it w/ a 5 min Epoxy?

Use clear epoxy.....5 minute is okay...mix a good amount so you get good coverage and not much epoxy showing.....you want mostly inlace being held together with the epoxy. use tape on the outside to keep the mixture intact and formed to your bowl. I am not sure about the sanding or scraping after it is dry.........probably scraping with very light passes with a freshly sharpened edge, and a shear angle would be okay.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Nice work Chris on the bowl and box. Ellsworth has some pretty nice hollowing tools for a good price. I use them on lidded boxes, mini birdhouses, ornaments, etc. I like them better than the sorby hollowmaster and so I sold it.

[Michelle Rich]

Both look great to me...HF's only became super popular with the new hollowing tools. By hand, they beat the bejesus out of you. With the new captured/articulating type tools, anyone can, without threat, dig out a deep form. I use the Elbo unit. it's the least expensive on the market (that I am aware of) and worth the $$..look into it if you can't afford the monster or others

[Chris Burgess]

So I decided to get a little turning in on my lunch. threw up a small piece of Water Oak Burl and started turning. this stuff turns great....compared to Elm and Pecan. So I am going and get it hollowed out and decide to refine the shape a bit before I finish. Well this thing was singing to me on my final cut until suddenly it stopped and I was turning AIR.....AGAIN!!!!! :(:(:(:(:(:( Ohh well. Try try try again.

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[Lionel Mercier]

Hello Chris
Good job on the two pieces.
I especially like the bowl. With his crak, basically it is our story:
not stable at all, and unable to keep things ...
For the HF, no complain...you got two bowls :D

[Jim Burr]

Very welll done Chris! I really like your finish work.