# first hollowform using "poor man's visualizer"



## duncsuss (Jul 14, 2020)

I mentioned in the thread about the AAW Symposium that I'd cobbled together a cheap version of Trent Bosch's Visualizer system. Today I took it for it's first test drive, it performed exactly as I'd hoped. I probably didn't live up to its expectations of me - the inside walls are a bit uneven and rough, and I with the tools I have, I wasn't able to undercut the top surface very well so that's a deal thicker than the side walls.

Please offer any critique you have on the form, etc. And if you can tell what kind of wood it is just by looking at the pix, I'd love to know (I think somebody forced it on me at a club meeting sometime last year.) No finish on it yet - I quite like it au naturelle, but I'm open to suggestions.

(Edit: I forget to measure it before posting - 5" diameter at the widest, 4.5" tall.)

Reactions: Like 3 | EyeCandy! 5 | Way Cool 3


----------



## djg (Jul 14, 2020)

Nice! I too like it natural. It looks like it has the rays of Sycamore but I'm pretty other woods have them also. I'll wait for the experts. I don't turn yet, but I always thought it was a no-no to turn down the center of a log leaving in the pith. Any cracking on the bottom?

Can we see the version of the tool?


----------



## duncsuss (Jul 14, 2020)

Thanks!



djg said:


> ...I always thought it was a no-no to turn down the center of a log leaving in the pith. Any cracking on the bottom?


It's done fairly regularly when turning end-grain vessels like this - I've even done hollowforms with the pith going in one side and out the other (those have a hint of cracking). You can get away with it sometimes, and this wood was fairly dry so I don't expect much movement.


> Can we see the version of the tool?


Yes - I haven't taken any pix of it yet, when I do I'll post it in the "general turning" forum and try to remember to tag you.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


----------



## T. Ben (Jul 14, 2020)

Looks good the way it is. Nice job.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


----------



## trc65 (Jul 14, 2020)

Good looking shape and pretty wood (Whatever it is).

Not a critique, but a thought... wonder how it would look if the transition between the body and neck was more of a cove, instead of the angular shape?

As to finish, agree it looks good as is, but if it will ever be handled much, or be where it can collect dust, you may want something on it. How about an acrylic matte top coat. Should give a clear finish that won't yellow or change the color of the wood, and no gloss. As always, test first!

Reactions: Informative 1


----------



## Tom Smart (Jul 14, 2020)

Very nice, Duncan. Would love to see your version of the “visualizer”.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


----------



## duncsuss (Jul 14, 2020)

Thanks, Tim!


trc65 said:


> Not a critique, but a thought... wonder how it would look if the transition between the body and neck was more of a cove, instead of the angular shape?


That's an interesting idea - I have seen some forms with that curve, I'll try to remember next time I'm making one. There's a voice in my head screaming "you have enough trouble getting one curve transition smooth, you wanna try a second one????"


> As to finish, agree it looks good as is, but if it will ever be handled much, or be where it can collect dust, you may want something on it. How about an acrylic matte top coat. Should give a clear finish that won't yellow or change the color of the wood, and no gloss. As always, test first!


Good point about dust & finger marks. I've used MinWax water-based acrylic on flatwork, can't remember if I ever tried it on turnings. As you say, I should test that first - there's a small lump left in the chuck jaws that I used as a jam chuck to reverse it and finish the foot, I could test finishes on that piece.

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## Tony (Jul 14, 2020)

I think it's great Duncan! I agree with putting a protective coat on it but no color or gloss, just enough to protect it. Like I said on FB, I love the form, you nailed it!

Reactions: Thank You! 1


----------



## barry richardson (Jul 14, 2020)

I think the form is excellent! And I think the wood is ash. Does your rig gauge thickness? Or just let's you get a good look inside....

Reactions: Agree 1


----------



## duncsuss (Jul 14, 2020)

barry richardson said:


> I think the form is excellent! And I think the wood is ash. Does your rig gauge thickness? Or just let's you get a good look inside....


Thanks, Barry. Some variety of ash is quite possible - I also wondered if it might be a type of elm, mostly because it's a bit more yellow than the ash I've worked with before.

The Visualizer uses a camera in a fixed position above the cutter head (just like a laser pointer, if you are familiar with that way of keeping track of the cutter tip). On the screen (or on an acetate overlay on the screen) you simply draw an outline of the cutter with a marker pen. When the tool itself vanishes inside the piece of wood, the outline you drew is still visible and is in the exact same place as the actual cutter.

Here's Trent's video of how it works ...

Reactions: Thank You! 1


----------



## ripjack13 (Jul 14, 2020)

That is a great looking shape. 
I like that visualizer too. Very cool idea.


----------



## duncsuss (Jul 15, 2020)

ripjack13 said:


> That is a great looking shape.
> I like that visualizer too. Very cool idea.


Thanks, Marc!


----------



## Brandon Sloan (Jul 15, 2020)

Very nice form, I do think the mouth is a little tall. It would have been nice to keep the growth rings as the focus and just a small mouth or no mouth. That would have given you easier access to the undercut as well. You did a very nice job with the orientation of the piece, the form reminds me of some Native American pottery. Well done


----------



## DKMD (Jul 15, 2020)

That’s a beauty! I’m don’t know that I’d change a thing.

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | Agree 1


----------



## duncsuss (Jul 15, 2020)

Thanks, Brandon 


Brandon Sloan said:


> I do think the mouth is a little tall. It would have been nice to keep the growth rings as the focus and just a small mouth or no mouth. That would have given you easier access to the undercut as well.


Good point, I was totally pre-occupied with the curve from the mouth to the base and didn't think very much about the mouth itself. I'll pay closer attention to that next time. (One concern I have with the "no mouth" form is that it feels too much like copying David Ellsworth - not that anyone would mistake my turnings for his!)


> You did a very nice job with the orientation of the piece, the form reminds me of some Native American pottery. Well done


I'm more familiar (from museum and gallery visits) with Chinese and Japanese ceramic forms than Native American, and that's what I've derived most of my ideas of "good form" (it's true of my bowls as well as hollowforms). I often miss the target, but sometimes I'm able to see the shape inside the blank before I start turning and don't lose the plot.

Thanks again!


----------



## TimR (Jul 15, 2020)

Nice work Duncan!


----------



## duncsuss (Jul 15, 2020)

TimR said:


> Nice work Duncan!


Thanks Tim!


----------



## Maverick (Jul 15, 2020)

Nicely done. I like it.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


----------



## duncsuss (Jul 15, 2020)

duncsuss said:


> Thanks Tim!


Thanks, John!


----------



## William Tanner (Jul 15, 2020)

I agree with Tim on the sharp transition from the body to the neck. Nice flowing curves and then that abrupt angle. Congratulations on a nice piece.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


----------



## Nubsnstubs (Jul 15, 2020)

Duncan, you can fix that neck real easy by remounting and turning off the neck leaving about 1/8" rise. Otherwise, it's a beautiful piece. 

What is the ID of the opening? .............. Jerry (in Tucson)

Reactions: Sincere 1


----------



## duncsuss (Jul 15, 2020)

William Tanner said:


> I agree with Tim on the sharp transition from the body to the neck. Nice flowing curves and then that abrupt angle. Congratulations on a nice piece.


Thanks!

In my defense, exhibit A, metal glazed ceramic vase ...

Reactions: Like 2


----------



## trc65 (Jul 15, 2020)

No defense needed, in fact, I like yours a lot better than the ceramic. The smaller (relative) diameter of your mouth works very well with your form. 

Really a matter of six of one and half a dozen of another, if you had made a curved transition on the neck, I could have just as easily asked how it might have looked with a sharper transition to give a counterpoint to the flowing curves of the form.

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1 | Funny 1 | +Karma 1


----------



## Brandon Sloan (Jul 15, 2020)

I agree, no defense needed. It’s an awesome piece

Reactions: Thank You! 1


----------



## Don Van Dyne (Jul 15, 2020)

I love it!

Reactions: Thank You! 1


----------



## duncsuss (Jul 17, 2020)

Nubsnstubs said:


> Duncan, you can fix that neck real easy by remounting and turning off the neck leaving about 1/8" rise. Otherwise, it's a beautiful piece.


Thanks Jerry! I just put calipers on it, the current height of the neck is 13/64" - while I could shave a sixteenth off it, this isn't going back on the lathe, I've made that mistake too many times 


> What is the ID of the opening? .............. Jerry (in Tucson)


It's 1+1/4" (the bar of the hollowing tool I used is 3/4")


----------



## Barb (Jul 21, 2020)

I like it a lot!

Reactions: Thank You! 1


----------

