anyone close to me?

[curtis rosche]

are any of you turners out there close to where i am? and if there are, does anyone with a real hollowing system or tool want to come help me on my urn project? the tool i normally use for hollowing is a bowl gouge, but that doesnt work quiet as well on bigger turnings like the urn, and i dont have the cash to get a hollowing system.

[Donny Lawson]

Hollowing systems are nice but I do not own one either. Sorry but no help here.

[John Spitters]

Curtis,
If the money is tight you should really look into making your own system.
When I built mine I think all in all I spent less than $75.00 and it works very well, all of the round stock is cold rolled 3/4" stock. When I had it welded up I used a single business card as a spacer for the captive part, before I start using the system I always apply a bit of wax to all the parts and it makes it slide / move very freely.

John

[Bill Walsh]

Curtis, I'm not close by but I have both a Munro and a Pro-Form swan neck that I would be happy to UPS to you to barrow. I'd say if shipped out Monday you'd have them in your hands by Wednesday. Just send me a PM with your address...
Option#2 I agree with John about building a Jamison style system. This is not a starter system but a system that you won't out grow!!

[Bill Walsh]

Curtis, another option would be a two piece style hollow form. You can turn your basic shape, use a parting tool to cut as deep as you can and finish the cut with a recip. saw. A bandsaw can be used but only if you support the form in a V-block style jig to keep the form from spinning as the blade cuts. (lots of ways to do this) Important thing is to try and match the grain as close as you can by not wasting too much wood in your cut. This seem can be placed on the top or bottom of a detail ring about two thirds of the way up so it fits the form. A small v groove on the top and bottom of the detail ring or maybe textured area will make it almost impossible to see to glue line. My advise would be the draw the form to size before getting started. This type of hollow form can be done with just a bowl gouge. You can check out Craft Supply's web site under DVD's Brian ??? has a video for sale and there is a short clip of the process right on Craft Supply's site.

[George Morris]

Curtis you are more then welcome to visit ,We have 3 empty bedrooms. I have a monster articulating arm system. I am located 2 hrs north of harrisburg Pa. phone is 570 673 3642.

[Dan Hintz]

Curtis,

I don't have the time to come up your way, but you're free to come down this way... I have a Carter Hollow roller with laser.

[Bill Walsh]

Curtis, one more option. Your welcome to my homemade articulating rig. Forgot about it until walking through the shop tonite. You'll need to build some sort of rear support and there is no laser but again take your pick if it works for you. The rear support is as simple as a pipe with a 1" ID welded to a flat plate with another flat plate to sandwich the support to the bed ways. 1/2" nut and bolt. There is a laser support but you'd have to build an arm. Its ours as long as you need it...

[David E Keller]

Depending on how deep you want to go, 5/8 or 3/4 cold rolled steel drilled for a 3/16 HSS cutter will let you hollow until you can't hold your arms up! You can make a handle out of anything. To secure the cutters, superglue works, or you can drill and tap for a small set screw. I'd suggest you make two... One with the cutter mounted straight out of the end of the tool and one with the cutter mounted at 45 degrees.

If you go the superglue route to secure the cutter, a little heat will soften the glue so you can remove the bits for sharpening.

[curtis rosche]

Dan, George, and Bill, and to any others, between college and everything else, i dont have much time to travel places right now. maybe some time will free up before Christmas break. i will make it worth your while in free oak and cherry and poplar and some other woods.

Bill, i was thinking about cutting it in half, but in a different way. i was thinking i could hollow it out and get a uniform thickness inside. then part in in half at the widest point. then use some threaded pvc to make a threaded joint. i have tried a few turning with mounting two halves and trying to get them to match up, but something always seems to come out just not right.

i also sent out a couple lines to my local woodturning club that i havent been to yet, i would go to their meeting, but they meet the first tuesday night of the month, and tuesday is the memorial service so thats a no go.

[Bill Walsh]

Curtis, Having gone through some of the same things you are with a family member just recently I'll give you my take... I didn't have the urn done until almost a year after, the ashes were given to his wife for safe keeping and until the urn was ready. I know you really want this all to happen quickly but these projects can take some time. Getting in touch with your local turning club is a great idea. I'm sure there will be someone there that specializes in hollowing and would really enjoy helping you out. I'm sure you'll make some friends with the same interests you have as an added bonus!!
If you decide on a two piece urn, there are a couple of reasons for roughing out the outside shape before cutting into two pieces. First by starting the cut with a parting tool (a narrow one) and going as deep as you can it will give you a guide to follow when finishing up the cut with a saw. The smaller the kerf the better your chances of keeping the grain lined up. Second reason is to keep both halfs aligned or on center, again to keep the grain as close as you can get it. If you add any detail in that area it will also help separate/mask any slight misalignment of the grain. Make sure to mark the two halfs so its easier when gluing back together. Take a piece of MDF Board thats good and flat and glue on a belt from a belt sander maybe 4" wide, support it on a curved tool rest then use it to flatten the glue joints, this is the best way to get a glue joint that won't show!
My offer on sending you some hollowing tools still stands. Good luck

[Hayes Rutherford]

Curtis, David Keller's suggestion to make your own hollowing tools should be considered. One straight and one with a bit at 45 deg. are enough to cover a lot of forms and could cost next to nothing. I made a straight tool from a free 25-06 barrel and another from a free round shafted pry bar in which I cut the angled ends off and drilled a 3/16" hole at 45 deg. In the straight tool I use a 1/4" HSS cutter, and the angled tool gets a 3/16" cutter as David suggested. Make some handles and you will have a couple of tools you will frequently use even if you get a more elaborate hollowing system.

[Peter Elliott]

Curtis,

I don't have the time to come up your way, but you're free to come down this way... I have a Carter Hollow roller with laser.

wait one minute... I go away for 4 days and You now have this! Does "everyone" else know?

[Dan Hintz]

wait one minute... I go away for 4 days and You now have this! Does "everyone" else know?
Uhmmmm, I've had it for several months, Peter... maybe the more appropriate question would have been "Is there anyone who didn't know about it?" ;)