HF bottoms...

[Steve Vaughan]

OK, I'm beginning to turn a few hollow forms, so it's new in a lot of ways to me. Loving the challenge of the additional creativity required. So, here's a question - and I may just be missing the obvious - What are the options on how to turn and finish the bottoms on these little boogers? On my recent first ones, I've just parted the form off the lathe at the bottom and then carved and sanded to finish it out. What are the different ways to do that?

[Steve Schlumpf]

Depending on the wood, I will use a vacuum chuck or a donut chuck, turn off the tenon and leave a slight indentation so the form will sit flat.

[robert baccus]

This is a cheap way to go. obtain a 12"(or longer) 3/8ID plumbing pipe. glue on a 2-3" wood flat bottomed knob and pad with tape ect. most chucks will grasp this and turn true. put it into the chuck and reverse your piece over it. bring up the tailstock to the bottom. you have a solid hold on the piece and it should turn true. i use a cone on the TS flattened to 1/4" and thats the only thing you have to clean up after cutting the bottom shape. a longer pipe does a great job on vases.-----------old forester

[Joe Watson]

Heres a simulare visual of what Old Fester describes (around the 7:20 marker)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqMt6iGYzeU&feature=related

_

[Kathy Marshall]

I usually use a jam chuck with the tailstock for support. I keep all my tenon leftovers (anything turned with a tenon and parted off, leaving the tenon and some extra wood of varying lengths), I have them in all shapes and sizes and if I can't find one that will work, I just grab some other piece of scrap wood and turn a tenon on it. I'll true up the end of the scrap and reshape if necessary. Mount the form and bring the tailstock up for support, all the pressure is against the bottom, none on the rim. I turn the bottom to shape until there is just a small nub, then sand the bottom. Then I usually remove the piece and use a small carving knive to remove the nub and then sand it smooth.

217071 217070

[Steve Vaughan]

OK, Thanks for all the info everyone. They're all great ideas and I'll give the various ones a try the next go round on a HF. Thanks again!

[Bernie Weishapl]

I use either a vacuum chuck or a donut chuck. Before I had the vacuum chuck I used the donut chuck all the time.

[David E Keller]

I used jam chucks for a while until I hit upon the reverse chucky from Rubber Chucky Products. Although it's more expensive than a homemade jam chuck, it allow me to center and gently support the opening while apply force to the bottom of the form. It's not a necessity, but I enjoy using mine. Full disclosure, I won mine in the WTA contest, but I have no other affiliation with the company.

[Steve Vaughan]

Thanks for the info everyone. I've got a vacuum set up, so I'll see how that works. And, the donut chuck will be next on my list of stuff to make up. And the jam chuck seems easy to do too. Sometimes I just so blind to the obvious, thanks again for all the help! SMC rocks!

[Faust M. Ruggiero]

Thanks Doc,
Another gadget to covet. I can see myself ordering one the first time a hollow form is too porous for the vacuum. Where was that thread about the cost of this activity?? Merry Christmas.
faust

[robert baccus]

That is it Joe. appreciate the back up.------------old flester

[Rick Markham]

I used jam chucks for a while until I hit upon the reverse chucky from Rubber Chucky Products. Although it's more expensive than a homemade jam chuck, it allow me to center and gently support the opening while apply force to the bottom of the form. It's not a necessity, but I enjoy using mine. Full disclosure, I won mine in the WTA contest, but I have no other affiliation with the company.

I've tried the donut chuck, etc. After I saw what you had one, I realized it was the answer to my problems, So I ordered the reverse chucky (and an extra long mandrel.) :) That thing is seriously the easiest way to finish turn a thin walled vessel, and so far every shape has worked well with mine, from tiny to big. Its a pretty slick jam chuck. I love mine. I am also not affilitated with rubber chucky, just a super happy customer!

[Thomas Canfield]

Don Pencil makes a jamb chuck, actually a 3/4"steel shaft with #2MT and I believe it is 1/4" hole other end with a set screw hole, and flat side to the shaft. A collar is furnished to add your wood block to fit the neck opening of the hollow form and then use a sanding disk or similar on the end to bottom out against the inside of the hollow form. You still have to use the live center and leave a nub or go with a donut chuck to hold and leave the total bottom exposed.

[robert baccus]

Looked up the rubber ducky and my homemade is exactly like it. earlier i did not add the part about the vase cone(soft aspen) as this started about a bowl shape. i secure my cone with a small hose clamp. total cost for materials is $1.29.--------old forester

[David E Keller]

I'd love to see some photos of your setup, Robert... It sounds very interesting!

[Rick Markham]

Looked up the rubber ducky and my homemade is exactly like it. earlier i did not add the part about the vase cone(soft aspen) as this started about a bowl shape. i secure my cone with a small hose clamp. total cost for materials is $1.29.--------old forester

Yes, I watched Sven's video, and saw his. Pretty clever. I think that design, with the cone at the bottom, and the nub at the end is the "winner, winner, chicken dinner!" makes it a snap to get the turning in alignment and supports a ultra thin walled vessel that likes to flex and change shape in a donut chuck (even with the lightest of cuts.) I honestly don't stress about turning the bottoms on my forms now, it has made it a fun process too! I've buggered up two forms trying to finish them in a donut chuck. There will not be a third ;)

[robert baccus]

I'd love to be smart enough to put photos on this da-- computer. any help welcome. me any my computer have come to a settlement. i hate it and it hates me.--------olf fortester

[Joe Watson]

In case you dont look, i sent you a PM old forester.

[robert baccus]

Thanks Joe for the feedback on pics. my bride is a computer guru and i think she can read and do that. thanks again.------------older forester

[robert baccus]

This contraption really does work well and easy. it was the result of two years of cajun engineering and i have been unable to improve the basic "thing" for 20 years. however there are few things that cannot be improved. ----------old forester

[charlie knighton]

Steve, i make a tendon and use a stronghold chuck with #3 jaws to hollow the hf, i hollow into the tendon area, reverse chuck using woodchucker mandrel from craft supplies
(item 9956-6000), and turn away the tendon, continuing the shape of the hf, leave nub and sand off nub

i liked John's Old World, noticed the base is smaller than his usual form, some hf benefit from a small base, especially if viewed from above, the view is not infinity....but how would you depict that