question on hollow form

[Charles Bruno]

Just completed my first hollow form, (post pict later). My question is what is the best/safest way to smoth out the inside of the piece? I used a carbide cutter on my homemade tools, and would like a smoother finish. The hole is about 1" and its hard to sand. Any help will be greatly appreciated.
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[Jim Burr]

Not hard to sand at all...find some hemostats and clamp up some sandpaper. DO NOT put your fingers in the hemostats handle holes...you can and probably will lose them. Start with an appropriate grit and move up. A well documented and published tuner uses this without fail.

[Roger Chandler]

I use hemostats as well..............just hold on to the outside and do not use the finger loops like Jim mentioned above......he sounds like a guy who knows what he is talking about.....I wonder if he used the DAMHIKT method? :eek::rolleyes::D

[Jim Burr]

I use hemostats as well..............just hold on to the outside and do not use the finger loops like Jim mentioned above......he sounds like a guy who knows what he is talking about.....I wonder if he used the DAMHIKT method? :eek::rolleyes::D

No...but assisting in fixing the people that do...we get very careful. I have had a moment of DAMHIKT...a tablesaw, 65 stitches and 3 surgeries. I walked into Trauma bay 1 bed C last week and saw a leg hanging off the bed from just below the knee, a bit of the inner calf tissue holding it on, tib/fib bones shatterd. I can do without that so I work to avoid it.

[Jamie Donaldson]

Charles, I use an old Stewart hooker tool with a teardrop scraper blade to level the interiors of my hollow forms. It can be used in a variety of handles, and I prefer to use the hand-held armbrace handle to allow better feel and control rather than mounted in a hollowing device.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Ditto what Jamie said. Sometimes I will use a hemostat to sand.

[Charles Bruno]

Thanks for the info I have some hemostats somewhere. I'll lookup the scraper tools.The round carbide cutters did an ok job.. I think my skill level has a lot to do the smoothness.

[Mark Levitski]

Don't quite trust the hemostats, so I fixed a thick, soft interface sanding pad to my hooker tool and use it as if I'm hollowing (but I'm just sanding). I used a bolt through the pad to attach to the same portion of the tool that the holder for the hollowing tip cutter attaches, then put another thin pad on top to cover up the bolt head. It gives to the contours and works quite well.

[Steve Schlumpf]

I agree with Jamie... a wide scraper will do a wonderful job at cleaning up the inside of a form.

[Reed Gray]

Okay, I am not a hollow form turner, but have done a few. My experiences with the wider tear drop type scrapers is that they seem to vibrate a lot, chatter, and even catch. I guess I am asking if I am being too heavy handed, or if some thing else is going on. The two tear drop scrapers I have are about 3/4 inch by 1 1/2 inch, and about 1/2 by 3/4 inch dimensions.

robo hippy

[Reid Strand]

Does anyone ever just leave their forms on the lathe, throw in some sand (concrete type rather than playsand type) and let the lathe run? Doesn't do anything for the bottom, but cleans up the walls.

[Wally Dickerman]

Don't quite trust the hemostats, so I fixed a thick, soft interface sanding pad to my hooker tool and use it as if I'm hollowing (but I'm just sanding). I used a bolt through the pad to attach to the same portion of the tool that the holder for the hollowing tip cutter attaches, then put another thin pad on top to cover up the bolt head. It gives to the contours and works quite well.

Hey Mark...A couple of pics of your sanding device would be appreciated. I too use hemostats but results could be better.
Thanks...

[Reed Gray]

I have heard about people using broken auto safety glass on the insides. Tends to be more pebble like rather than shards.

robo hippy

[Jamie Donaldson]

Reed, the smaller 1/2" teardrop shaped scraper will be more user friendly, and anything larger won't fit through my vessel openings. As when hollowing, be sure that you're working above centerline, and don't feed the tool through the opening while the lathe is running!

[Steve Schlumpf]

Reed - I use a scraper that is about 9/16" wide (on my Monster system) for clean-up and like Jamie mentioned, cut just above center and take very light cuts.