How to turn a 5" deep mug without hollowing tools

[Brian Kent]

My son and daughter in law asked me to turn a couple of mugs to carry around at the renaissance fair. They will be about 2.5" wide and 5" deep on the inside (with a nice hefty handle attached with twisted rope.)

I turned the blank long enough to screw it onto a face plate. I am using nice dry straight grained white oak. So far, so good.

I used a 1.25" forstner bit to get the depth set and have used my 6" long scrapers to cut down to about 3" inside the mug. Everything is smooth, but I am just starting to get vibration. My current plan is to keep sharpening the scrapers and taking a really long slow time finishing. If I don't end up with a square bottom, no one will care. This is mostly for show at the fair.

Any recommendations to finish the inside without spending $100 to $infinite on hollowing tool(s)? I am a long way off from trying and buying hollowing tools.

I could get a 2" forstner bit and make the whole thing easy. Or I could keep on going with scrapers. I am a little hesitant to use the Thompson bowl gouge that deep because I do not want to catch on the inside wall.

Ideas?

PS. Why do so many manufacturers sel 2-1/8 or 2-1/4" forstners? Door handle holes?

[Richard Jones]

Don't know about 2 1/4", but lockset holes are generally 2 1/8".

[ted moore]

Try making an Oland style tool.
Cheap and effective

http://aroundthewoods.com/oland.shtml

[Brian Kent]

Hey, that looks very interesting, Ted.

[Bernie Weishapl]

A steady rest would help cut down on the viberation.

[Aric Krueger]

A steady rest to get rid of the vibration and perhaps a tool rest that extends into the opening might give you the extra reach you need to do the bottom. PSI carries these:
http://www.pennstateind.com/graphics/400px/CLTSGTR.jpghttp://www.pennstateind.com/graphics/400px/CLTPFSET.jpg

[Brian Kent]

So far I have kept the mug from vibrating. It's just the tool reaching its limit. I do look forward to making a steady rest though. Those extenders look good. The opening is just a bit small to use my tool rest inside the mug.

[Malcolm Tibbetts]

You could always chuck it and turn it from both ends and then insert a bottom plug.

[Brian Kent]

Good idea, Malcolm.

[Jamie Donaldson]

I assume that among your tool arsenal you now have a 1/2" spindle gouge, and that will do the job, but with some pucker factor going that deep. My preference would be my favorite Hunter tool #5, and that would hollow out that mug in 5 min. with no trouble at all! You don't need no stinkin' scraper!

[Brian Kent]

I'm wondering about this as a $25 buck learning tool?
http://www.grizzly.com/products/Lathe-Chisel-Hollowing-Chisel/D3810

This really is fascinating to me, learning the limits of the tool geometry. The 3/8" spindle gouge got me a little way, the tool rest fit a few inches in, the scraper tools did a little more. But bottom line the sides are 1/4" thick for several inches, thickening to 3/4" at the bottom (5" in).

So I will either take Malcolm's suggestion and turn it from both ends, drill it out with a $20 2" forstner, or get the $25 Fox hollowing tool to start my learning curve. I am just having fun and the Renaissance Fair is not for a couple of months.

I would also take suggestions for a basic hollower that I will want to use long-term and that I can buy whenever I have the extra bucks.

[Jamie Donaldson]

That configuration of bent hollowing tool is for hollow forms through a smaller opening, but if the shaft is less than 5/8" dia. forget it, because there will be too much flex and chatter. I don't find any specs mentioned for this specific tool shaft diameter on the site description.

[Brian Kent]

Thanks, Jamie. I have no use for a tool-shaped-object if it can't do its job.

[Faust M. Ruggiero]

Brian,
The Oland style home made tool will work fine of you use a decent diameter steel rod for the shaft. If you have a chuck for your tailstock you can drill a hole for a 3/16" square high speed steel cutter. As Jamie mentioned, use at least 5/8" stock or preferably 3/4". Great opportunity to practice your handle turning skills. You don't need a swan neck tool for this project since the opening is wide.
faust

[Greg Just]

"I would also take suggestions for a basic hollower that I will want to use long-term and that I can buy whenever I have the extra bucks"

Brian - I make a lot of the stainless steel lined travel mugs and my preferred tool to hollow with is the Oneway's Termite.

[Mike Cruz]

That is a great learning tool, Brian. You'll learn really quick with it...that you don't like it, that is... :D

Actually, I've made a couple of "mugs/steins". But this was before my turning days. I made segmented mugs, with long strips of wood with 22 1/2 degree angles on the long sides. Just lay down some masking or painters tape (say, 3 strips). Lay the wood strips with the angles already cut on them across the three strips of tape, making sure they abutt each other nicely. Put glue on each of the angled surfaces. "Roll" them up! The tape acts like your clamp, but also keeps them aligned. Once dry, remove excess glue. True up the bottom and top on a good sander or on a miter saw. Make a bottom that fits the outside shape of the mug. Glue it on!

NOTES: Do all your sanding beforehand. Finishing the strips can be done beforhand as well, but you'll likely have to do a little touch up if nothing else afterwards anyway. (I did all my finishing afterwards.) I finished mine with poly. Make sure you give it LOTS of time to dry before using it. You can use contrasting woods to make it look neat. I've walked around with mine at parties and Ren Fests, and the like. Gets lots of compliments. People tend to remember you from year to year by it. Make sure to bring it back the next year, or you'll get a hard time for NOT bringing it...

Whether you do it segmented or turned, enjoy!

[Brian Kent]

Mike, thanks for the ideas. I started some staved mugs today. I tried 8 staves and 12 and I like them both. This helped me with size since I did not have as big a blank as they wanted on a solid mug.

Just a good word for the Grizzly 1023 table saw. I have never calibrated since I got it 4-5 years ago. I set the degree markings by the scale and after 16 or 24 angles cut for each mug, the cumulative error was not noticeable.

I will turn the outsides and either leave the insides, turn from each end, or use my as yet non-existent hollowing tool :rolleyes:

I would like to plug the bottoms with a disk inside of a round opening. I am assuming the same grain direction (end-grain) and the same wood should be used.

[Lance kanaby]

The Wooden Nicol has plans using a 3/8" drill bit as a hollowing end grain tool. I just made on this weekend and it works great. It will cut on the pull cut or on a push cut. There a couple videos on YouTube showing this tool and how it works.

[Gary Herrmann]

Why not a 2" forstner in a bit extender?

[Mike Cruz]

Those look great! Not sure about grain direction for the bottom... Maybe someone else that is a "segmenter" can give you advice there.

[Brian Kent]

Lance - good idea on the 3/8" drill bit made into a hollower. I have an extra I could play with. Where did you get the steel to mount it in?

Also, I have this remnant of a 5/8" thick bowl gouge that could be re-purposed if I knew how to grind into a hollower? It is up against my 1/2 " thompson bowl gouge.

Gary, that is another good idea for the original project (not the staved ones since they are too big) and a local place has those for under $20 (Porter Cable 2" forstner).

[Jamie Donaldson]

Brian- I made several Oland style hollowing tools from 5/8"& 3/4" cold rolled rods from Lowes. The cutters are regular 3/16" metal cutting bits from any machine shop supplier, about $2 ea. for a 2" bit that will make 2 hollowing cutters. I round over the non-cutting end by holding them in a drill chuck and spinning against a grinder wheel until they can be CA glued into a hole drilled in the shaft, just the way that Ellsworth makes his tools. Piece of cake!!

[Brian Kent]

I think I'll go for the 3/4", Jamie.

I was reading about the noise inherent in hollowing, went ahead with my scrapers and got it done. But I like things that are smooth and steady, not that are chattering and amplifying the noise through the natural amplifier of the wooden tube.

Thick, heavy rod, small tip, big heavy wooden grip. Low vibration. That's what I am looking for!

[Brian Kent]

Jamie, I am starting a new thread about building the tool. I'll appreciate your input.