Small Hollowing Tool - Turning

[Scott Greaves]

Hi everybody!

I have been hollowing out a piece of boxelder burl, but my Sorby 2000 (Stewart) tool is too big to get inside the lip of the bowl properly. I wanted to keep the hole as small as possible, so it's an inch at most. I have done most of the hollowing with my Glaser 3/8" bowl gouge, just because it's the most stiff small gouge I have.

I was looking at Don Pencil's site, and he has his Stinger system that looks interesting. Has anybody used this? Do you have any other recommendation for smaller hollowing tools? Thanks!

Scott.

[Jim Becker]

Scott, for very small vessels, I use a tool from Bob Rosand that is simply a piece of square steel stock with an HHS "tip" braised on at about a 45º angle. Not including the handle, the tool is about six inches long and easily works with vessels as small as an inch and a half across. All of my small/miniature hollow vessels were turned with this tool. (For larger items, I prefer a captive system and use the Jamison product)

Making a tool like this should be very easy.

BTW, you can also use sharpened allen wrenches for very effective small hollowing tools. This is what David Ellsworth used for his miniatures.