I am about to embark on my first real hollowing adventure. To this point, my only hollowing has been with small lidded boxes, perhaps 3" deep. My tool of choice has been a 3/8" spindle gouge.
Now, I intend to attempt a small vessel, perhaps 6" or 7" in diameter by 8" or 9" tall with a 3" diameter opening. I intend to use green wood, either maple or cherry. This just to "get my feet wet" in hollowing, so to speak.
Is this a viable project on a Jet Mini lathe? I do not own a hollowing tool. What is a good reasonably priced hollowing tool for a beginner? How about a Termite tool? Or one of those deals with a teardrop-shaped cutter on the end of a round shank? Any advice would be appreciated. Please keep my lack of experience with hollowing tools in mind. Thanks.
For your size lathe seems the perfect fit would be Kelton Mini Hollowing Set and Kelton Mini Hollower Handle. I use this and am very happy with it, should set you back $100, but it is a good quality product.
Barry It is likely no surprise but I would say to make the tools. For under ten bucks they are hard to beat. A three inch opening is large so almost anything will get in there. John Jordan has a great video on hollow turning as does David Ellsworth. Take a look at my website under hollow forms for a quick intro.
I am by no means a seasoned hollowing veteran but I've done 70+ this past year. Everything from miniature hollow-forms of 1/4" diameter x 3/4" long to larger 9" diameter x 12" long vases and most of that on the Jet Mini. No, Chuck, I've not gotten down to the 2mm hollowforms yet! If YOU have, keep it to yourself.
The size of the project you are intending to start seems a bit too ambitious. However, I hate to see ambition quashed so I'll let you know my opinion on what you might look at for such a project.
- Don't use very green wood. Depending on the species, it'll move and warp on you as you hollow. For a beginner, this is just another issue to deal with that you really don't need.
- Very dry wood just isn't fun to turn either. Quite dusty and heat is more of a problem. Dry to get something that's just a little green.
- Don't use a "bad" piece of wood with checks, cracks, voids or anything other kind of trouble area. Myself, I love these features and seek them out. You'll have other things to worry about so don't add this to the list right now.
- Maple or Cherry is good. It's not stringy like Elm. Nasty stuff, Elm, for hollowing and getting a good surface in there.
- Form and completely finish the outside first. You don't want to come back after hollowing and do some touchups... even sanding.
- Are you going to do an endgrain hollowing? You'll need different tools (or tips ... see below) and technique.
- This is a very do-able project on the Jet Mini. You'll want to keep your tailstock on the piece as long as possible as you're doing the outside. Check and keep rechecking your scroll chuck tightness throughout the entire process.
- Hollowing tools are like women .... It's nice to have one when you need it but nobody can agree on what's the best.
- Hollowing tools are UNlike women ... You can have more than one hollowing tool around for different purposes and moods.
- I've used several (but certainly not all) hollowing tools and make my own for the small hollowforms I make. I think the best Bang-For-The-Buck especially for a beginner is the Sorby Multi-tip Hollowing tool or one like it. You've got one tool with interchangeable tips for different types of hollowing (and the outsides too BTW). Just put a different tip in there when your need changes and adjust the tip that you've got in there as you work around the inside. There are certainly better hollowing tools out there for different and specialized situations as well as the experience of the 'turner but you're wanting to "get your feet wet" so this tool (or, again, one like it) would be the best.
- These interchangeable tip tools usually have a tip that's good for endgrain hollowing and a tip that's good for other. You can always grind and reshape these tips to suit your style or type of turning later. I do all the time. Oh, by the way, don't send these through the US Postal Service mail. For some reason, they like 'em and keep 'em. (Hey, Chuck, have you used yours yet? )
- "Or one of those deals with a teardrop-shaped cutter on the end of a round shank?" this tip can be used at the end of the process when you're cleaning up and smoothing out the bumps made by the other tips. Don't start hollowing with this tip if you decide to go with this kind of tool.
- The termite and hook tools are for more advanced turners I feel. It takes lots of technique and they are not as forgiving. Quite agressive.
- By ALL MEANS watch someone who's experienced with hollowing do it. There is absolutely NO substitute.
- If you're planning to hollow that full 9" (or maybe 8.5" considering bottom thickness) then you're going to need a long tool or maybe an armbrace. Beyond 4-5", the forces pulling that hollowing tip down become quite strong and you're going to need either that longer tool and/or handle sticking out there to give you leverage. This is another reason why I feel that this is a bit ambitious for a beginner. You've got enough things to think about without the issue of deep hollowing.
- Don't go nuts thinking that you need to get a uniform 1/8" wall thickness like the experts out there. Concentrate on simply getting an even, smooth and consistent wall of ANY thickness.
- Have some way of sucking, blowing, or otherwise getting the shavings/DUST out of your hollowform because you're going to be doing a LOT of it. Especially on the size of project you're considering.
- For such a large opening, consider drilling a hole with a forstner bit (2.5" diameter for example) down to almost the bottom of where you want the bottom to be. This will remove a LOT of material to start out with and give you some room in there to work. This helps with the shavings/dust accumulation.... it has to have somewhere to go before you get it out of there.
- In general, start your hollowing at the top and work down about an inch at a time. Get that area you're working on to final thickness and fairly smooth before continuing on down. Why? Because you need the mass and stability of the area below (if the hollowed item was standing up) to support the hollowing forces you're subjecting it to above.
- Measure Measure Measure your depth. And then do it again before parting off. Don't ask ... (mumble mumble)
That's all I can think of at the moment. There's LOTS more, I'm sure, but I have to replace a water heater now. Good luck and let us see how it comes out.
For vessels up to about 6-7" in diameter, the Kelton small hollowers (1/2" shank) or the smaller Jordan hollowers (1/2" shank) will work well. The Kelto mini hollowers (5/16" shanks) are too small for this size of vessel. they will flex too much.
Check out the boring bars from Don Pencil at donpencil.com he has a combination of tools that will cover the small to the very large hollowing work at very reasonable prices
Nice system, thanks for the information. Denis in Sprucewood "L. Peter Stacey" wrote in message news:boreg3$fnr$ snipped-for-privacy@possum.melbpc.org.au... Go to this address:
good advise. I should have suggested the small and not the mini Hollowers, did not pay enough attention to your size requirements. For some reason with the Jet Mini I had "mini" on my mind.
InspirePoint website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here.
All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.