Hollowing options

[Doug Ladendorf]

Since I will be at the symposium this year I thought I might check out the entry level hollowing options. (Hard to imagine going home empty handed.) I'd love to hear your experiences on these, where they excel and where they perform less well. Are there any that stand out? Thanks!

[Roger Chandler]

Doug.......by entry level, do you mean hand held? I would highly recommend a captive system of some sort. I have the Monster articulated system, and it really works well, and takes the torque out of the process that is normally transferred to the arms and hands.

Lyle Jamesion's system is very good and so are the Monster captive systems [both articulated and captive on the handle] I have heard of folks who like the new carter hybrid, which appears to be a handheld bar that slides between two rollers that keeps the side-torque at bay. I seem to remember Scott Hackler reporting on one of those not too long ago.

I started out with Ellsworth's hollowing tools.........bought them from David himself, after he demonstrated them for two days at our club a few years back........I graduated to the articulated system with laser from there. That is about the extent of my experience with different systems.........good luck at the symposium, and come back with an empty wallet! :D

[Brian Kent]

Every time I ask this question the answer by the people who have used hand-held and captive is always - go captive. So stick $1,000 in your wallet, go to the show, and if you get lucky you will return with half of it still in your wallet when you return. Or not. You could use all of it if you want.

[Brian Kent]

Oooooh. Aaaaaaaaah.

[Dennis Ford]

I may be the odd-ball on this but prefer hand held tools for "small" hollow forms. I was not able to use the Ellsworth type tools but like Jordan / Bosch type tools and use them on the first 6" depth of hollow forms. I have done 10+ inches deep with hand held but prefer a captured system for the deeper work.

[Reed Gray]

I don't do many hollow forms. I do have a Monster system, and it works great. It is slow for roughing out the inside because there is a tendency to chatter during any heavy cuts. They, and their laser system are excellent for finish cuts. I use my McNaughton tools for the roughing. Given a choice, I would replace them with some thing home made to get a better type and shape of cutter on the end, but they do work pretty nice. A captures system is pretty much a must for any hollowing over about 6 inches deep. It really simplifies things. There are a lot of good systems out there, and they aren't too difficult to make if you have metal skills.

robo hippy

[Tom Borener]

Trent Bosch has a new system that looks pretty nice.
If you are at all handy, you can make Lyle Jamieson's system at home, he provides the specs on his website. I bout the steel and had a friend weld it up, my cost was about $70, but I already had the John Jordan hollowing tools, and use them in the Jamieson holder. And John's tools will take the Hunter carbide tips