# hollowing tools



## Spa City Woodworks (Jan 15, 2012)

Ok all you turners out there. What's the best hollowing tool that I need to get started turning hollow stock. I've been turning flat stock and bowls for a few years. After seeing bigcougar's great lookin stuff, I want to give it a shot. I've got a collection of bowl gouges, roughing gouges, scrapers, etc... I'm looking at adding a fingernail gouge and curved neck cs gouge. Anybody have any recomendations?

I also need to upgrade my chuck as well. I'm looking for a Oneway or Vicmarc chuck although I'm not committed to those brands, What chucks are you guys using - and do you like them?


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## gwisdom (Jan 15, 2012)

i use sorby 1/2" bowl gouges and scrapers. i dont have much time on the set of swan neck scrapers. and i should have bought a oneway chuck insted of the junk that i have.:diablo::dash2:


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## woodtickgreg (Jan 16, 2012)

I have a technatool super nova chuck, for the price it has served me well, lots of jaws, and cole jaws, available at woodcraft for it. I have turned 14" diameter turnings with it no problem, holds well. Jaws function smoothly and it came with a nice ball nose T handle hex tool instead of a chuck type key, the advantage to that is if you have a large platter or flat bowl on the chuck you can angle the T handle away slightly and still operate the chuck. My lathe is only 3/4 hp so I didn't need the larger vicmarc or oneway chucks, but I looked at them, Maybe if I had 2 hp or more I could justify the larger chucks. But I wouldn't hesitate to use the supernova on a larger lathe when I upgrade, It holds well and runs true.


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## woodtickgreg (Jan 19, 2012)

Bigcougar, A powermatic 3520! I want one so bad:yes:


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## DKMD (Feb 26, 2012)

I'm quite late to this thread, but I'll give you my two cents on chucks and hollowing…

I think all the big brands are reasonable, so pick a company and stick with it. I went with Vicmarc, and I'm quite happy with them. As a plus, Grizzly makes a Vicmarc clone that can be used to hold their cole jaws and other accessories… For $109, the Grizzly chuck preforms pretty well, and I bought one just to keep my Vicmarc cole jaws mounted on.

For hollowing, you've got to decide if you want to do the whole thing by hand or use some kind of system. I use the monster articulated system for 90% of my hollowforms, and I'm quite happy with it. JT turnings makes a Gizmo and Kobra makes an articulated system as well… Both of them are beefier than the Monster, but they're also more expensive. 

Lots of folks use a D bar type system with great success… I own the Monster version, but I've never used it. Many people make their own. I've used the Carter hollow roller just a little bit, and it's a very nice captured system. With any of the hollowing systems, the size of the bar is the main determinant of the depth and width you can hollow.

For hand held hollowing, their are a number of options. I use my Monster tools in a handle at times, but I generally prefer to use them in the articulated system. I've made a number of homemade hollowing tools with 1/2" cold rolled steel and HSS cutter from Enco… They work fine, and you can't beat the price. There are tutorials on a number of sites with instructions for making your own. The one purchased tool that I use a lot is the Sorby midi swan neck hollower… Even for pieces that I hollow with the Monster rig, I find this little tool is great for smoothing the area under the shoulder of forms with small openings. Lots of folks use the Easy tools, but I've held off on them secondary to the expense of the replacement cutters… The carbide tools are great, but I get choked up thinking about the ongoing costs. Lots of folks with metal working capabilities have made knock offs of the carbide tools, but I haven't made that leap yet.

If you're just starting out, I'd recommend making a few tools in the Ellsworth style from some cold rolled steel and HSS cutters. For less than $50, you can make several of those tools with varying configurations and do a whole lot of small hollow forms. Once you get a feel for how you like to work, you'll be able to make the step to purchased hollowing tools… Just don't be surprised if you find yourself reaching back for those homemade tools every now and then even after you've got one of the hollowing systems.

BTW, I used to buy pen blanks from you on Ebay several years ago… I've still got some very pretty curly Narra blanks that I got from you then. You were always one of my favorite sources for pen blanks!


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## DKMD (Feb 26, 2012)

bigcouger said:


> :morning2: Do you have any pictures of the monster articulated system, I do mine by hand I havent used a system yet but I doing larger an was thing about a system, inwhich Mike Refelt has down the street from me an only seen him use it once, oother than that it still hangs on his wall:morning1:
> Thanks Roy



I hope this is OK to post a link here, Roy… I have no affiliation with Monster tools other than the fact that I gave them some of my money!

http://monster-lathe-tools.com/cart.php?target=product&product_id=262


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