Elbo Tool

[Dale Stagg]

Anyone ever see one of these used? I am about to get hollower and looking at this but not sure how well it works other than the video. Pros or Cons?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TcuUzgbr6hs
http://www.elbotool.com/

[joe greiner]

An interesting concept. But I don't see any superiority over a captive D-handle rig, DIY or store-bought. I expect that torque could place a severe load on all those journals, to their detriment; longer journals would be less vulnerable to wear. Even so, the complexity doesn't bring added value to the party, IMHO. I like the idea of the magnetic switch to hold the laser arm, but you could add that to any such apparatus.

No offense to the inventors, and I admire their creativity. But I don't think they've made a case for their improvement.

Just my 1.5 cents' worth.

Joe

[ROY DICK]

Too many movin' parts fer me.

Roy:D

[Jason Christenson]

I used one of these during a demo at our club a couple of weeks ago. We used this and the Jamison system. When set up properly their performance was virtually identical.

I'm not in the market for a hollowing system right now, but when that time comes, the Elbo is probably the way I will go. I think it would be better than the standard D-Handle in the somewhat confined space of my basement shop.

Jason

[charlie knighton]

i have one and i like it, you do not have to have large lathe, it can even be used on mini lathe, it will be demo by nick cook at nc symposium in october

[JerHall]

I have one of the early ones. Don't use it much. With the tailstock fixing the tool you can run out of room to handle the tool when doing hollow forms. Unless you have a long bed. With other systems you don't need the tail stock. Also you are working from the side, instead of the end of the lathe.

[Jason Christenson]

Also you are working from the side, instead of the end of the lathe.

Can you explain what you mean by that?

[charlie knighton]

with the jammison system you turn from the end of the ways but with the elbo tool you turn with both hands on the tool in the normal position standing at the side of the lathe, you must have more room with the jamision symstem, but with the elbo system you must have 24 inches from the end of mounted hf to the tailstock (chuck, hf, 24'" folded tool, tail stock) for 10 to 12" vases need 39 to 42" bed

[Jason Christenson]

with the jammison system you turn from the end of the ways but with the elbo tool you turn with both hands on the tool in the normal position standing at the side of the lathe, you must have more room with the jamision symstem, but with the elbo system you must have 24 inches from the end of mounted hf to the tailstock (chuck, hf, 24'" folded tool, tail stock) for 10 to 12" vases need 39 to 42" bed

That's very interesting. At our club meeting, everybody who tried out the Jamison system, including the guy who owns it, turned with both hands on the tool standing in the normal position beside the lathe. Are you saying that you stand out beyond where the tailstock would be? Do you find that you have better control from out there? I don't suppose you have a picture of you working with it?

Jason

[charlie knighton]

i just assumed that what you did from looking at pictures of the system, i have only used the elbo tool,

the elbo tool does have an adapter so that one can use on mini lathe that is not as long as 42"

[charlie knighton]

the jamieson system requires 2 1/2" gap between the bed ways, i assume that is only found in large and more expensive lathes

my delta has 1 1/2" between the ways (i wood like to upgrade my delta but the feature i would like to improve is electronic variable speed)

the elbo tool adjusts to the tail stock or adapter, rotate cylinder 1" out or attach to shaft of adapter and brackets from elbo tool are screwed tight

[Travis Stinson]

the jamieson system requires 2 1/2" gap between the bed ways, i assume that is only found in large and more expensive lathes

Where did you get that bit of misinformation???:confused:

[charlie knighton]

spring summer issue of craft supplies catalog 2007 page 24

shortbed tool rest assembly
longbed tool rest assembly:D

[JerHall]

I think others have responded to my point. I most frequently like working from the end of the lathe rather than leaning over, peering in. For example watching the cutter as it enters and exits the hollow form is awkward and risky from the front side for me. I do most of my hollowing without a captured bar, and it is much easier for me and my back with that method to do it from the tailstock end. I believe if I got a Jamison type system I would be more comfortable that way as well, but don't know for sure. I have a sliding headstock so it makes it easy to get in position face on to the hollow form opening from the tailstock end. Hope this clarifies my perspective. Good discussion. Lots of ways will work.

[Travis Stinson]

spring summer issue of craft supplies catalog 2007 page 24

shortbed tool rest assembly
longbed tool rest assembly:D

Ahhh. Well, they left out some vital information.;)

http://www.lylejamieson.com/tools/tool_illustrations.asp

http://www.oneway.on.ca/coring/clamp_block.htm

[charlie knighton]

Ahhh. Well, they left out some vital information.;)

http://www.lylejamieson.com/tools/tool_illustrations.asp

http://www.oneway.on.ca/coring/clamp_block.htm

yes they did, craft supplies makes it seem that other sizes are not avaliable or not avaliable from them:confused: :D to order different sizes order direct i guess

[joe greiner]

yes they did, craft supplies makes it seem that other sizes are not avaliable or not avaliable from them:confused: :D to order different sizes order direct i guess

Yes, BUT: The short bed version has its own tool post, so you could borrow the receiving nut (under bed) from your unused banjo, whatever the bed gap. For the long bed version, you still need to use your existing banjo, so you might appear to be stuck. On the other hand, I've welded up some receiving nuts for a few accessories such as steady rests, and it's fairly easy to make one to suit.

Joe

[Bernie Weishapl]

Travis is right. Jamison's rig or the Monster rig will fit any lathe. The monster rig I have, you just call with your type of lathe and he will make it fit. I use it on my C-man that I leave it set up there most of the time but will move it to the Nova and he just made me a clamp piece that fits the gap for it so I can use it on either lathe by just removing the clamping bar. I tried the elbow tool and didn't like it. To many moving parts for me.

[Ron McKinley]

I bought the Elbo Tool last February at DWR in Mesa, AZ. I stayed in touch with the inventor and put together the instructions for it that you can download off the website: http://www.elbotool.com/assets/ElboToolInstructions.pdf
He's now got a really clever solution for using it on a mini lathe.

I haven't used it that much because I haven't been able to turn for several months now due to health problems. I used the Jamieson system when Jamieson was demonstrating it at the Packard booth in Louisville last year and from what I can tell both do the same thing equally well but the Elbo Tool is much cheaper. BTW, I think this is my first post after lurking for a year.........Ron

[Cam Lane]

I have used many hollowing systems but find the Elbo to be the easiest, simplest, and fastest setup of all. I, like some others don't understand standing at the end of the lathe to hollow. The Elbo is built like a tank and is pure simplicity in design and operation. Elbo makes a simple bed extension that allows the tool to be used on a shortbed lathe and that's hard to do with a d-handle type tool.

Even better, all of your current tools are adaptable to the Elbo. I especially like the Sorby Hooker.;)

[JerHall]

Dale Stagg said: "I, like some others don't understand standing at the end of the lathe to hollow. ...."

Rude Osolnik (1915 - 2001) Originator of the 3520:

"And I would turn the outside and then start on the inside. And that’s where I came up with the idea of having Powermatic design a moveable head that slides back and forth, because it used to be you had to lean over your machine to work on the inside. And I had that designed so that the head stock could move down, and I could stand directly in front of it and turn." (From an Oral History)

[Dick Strauss]

A pivoting headstock also comes in handy for deep hollowing. The pivot allows for viewing inside the piece without bending over the center of the lathe bed. It also helps keep the hollowing rig centered over the lathe bed (you swing the piece towards you rather than swinging the rig away from you to undercut the top rim).