# Hollowing Tool Info requested



## RexB (Jan 25, 2013)

Hi everyone and thanks for you experience in this.

I want to learn to do Urns that typically are about 8 to 10 inches tall and about 6 inches or so in diameter and with a lid opening of about two inches or so (unless urns are normally wider, again I don't know)

What hollowing tool or tools should I buy? 

I will be going to the Orlando symposium 1-3 Feb to try and learn firsthand, but I'd really appreciate any help as well as brand or who ever might make them. They might have some of the ones you recommend there on sale.

I did see where one person makes and sells them on this website.

But again I have no experience in this. Thank you for all your replies! Sorry if this subject has been covered but I wasn't able to find it on my search.

Thank you


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## TimR (Jan 25, 2013)

There are so many ways to approach this. I'll share my approach and let others chime in with theirs.

I use a captured bar in the Lyle Jamieson style. Mine is completely homemade, with exception of a couple Sorby Sovereign boring bars I've bought. You can get by with a single swan neck tool (I use Sorby Sovereign large swan neck) and the large Sorby Sovereign 3/4" boring bar.
I use the HSS cutters provided with the Sorby tool or my own 1/8" cutters bought from WT Tool for rough hollowing. When I get down to last few cuts, or earlier if wood/grit is dulling my HSS, I use a carbide tool on the end of my boring bars. It's a style like the Hunter tools, and shears the wood nice enough that little sanding typically needed afterwards. Let me know if you have interest in getting one regardless of the system you put together.

As to size of opening, I'd say 2" is probably a minimum to allow easy use by funeral home or crematory. You could contact them and ask if they have any specific sizes they'd prefer.


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## cabomhn (Jan 25, 2013)

I'll front this by saying I'm no pro at this stuff, but I will add my $0.02 from my experience with the tool that I own. I have the full sized sorby hollow master and from what I've used, I don't have any complaints. My favorite feature is the flat ground bottom so it sits square to the tool rest, and you really don't have to worry about it rolling on you and wrecking a form. It comes with a main carbide cutting and then a shear scraping round carbide cutter. The main cutter is pretty aggressive and you can hollow a large form, especially wet really fast. 

For the depths and sizes you have mentioned, this one tool will have no problem reaching the dimensions you need. Oh, here is a link...

Link

The only other experience I have with hollowing tools is the old style hollowers with the fixed cutter and I can say that the sorby one performs much better in terms of keeping the edge and making nice finished clean cuts. Good luck on getting into hollowing.


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## RexB (Jan 26, 2013)

cabomhn said:


> I'll front this by saying I'm no pro at this stuff, but I will add my $0.02 from my experience with the tool that I own. I have the full sized sorby hollow master and from what I've used, I don't have any complaints. My favorite feature is the flat ground bottom so it sits square to the tool rest, and you really don't have to worry about it rolling on you and wrecking a form. It comes with a main carbide cutting and then a shear scraping round carbide cutter. The main cutter is pretty aggressive and you can hollow a large form, especially wet really fast.
> 
> For the depths and sizes you have mentioned, this one tool will have no problem reaching the dimensions you need. Oh, here is a link...
> 
> ...




Thank you both for you help, information and experience. I will try to purchase one and learn to use one.


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