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woodturning hollow forms

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Turning hollow forms

Hollow forms are one of the most difficult types of woodturning. There is always risk involved when your turning hollow forms. The problem is you can't see where your hollowing.
Hollow just a little too deep and you can go right through.
If you go through near the top you can always remove the top and have a shallow open bowl. If you go through the side or bottom you've made some pretty fancy firewood.
I made every woodturning on this lens.
black cherryToday there are all kinds of tools made exclusively for hollowing. They usually consist of a bent shaft with a small piece of tool steel mounted at the end. The steel tips are either a hollowing tip or a scraper tip. The hollowing tip leaves a bit of a rough surface wher as a scraper tip is used to give a smoother surface.
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When hollowing you really need to hold on fairly firmly. It's much more common to get a catch while hollowing because you can't see the tool tip. After you have done a few hollow forms you get a feel for where the tool is cutting but even then disaster strikes occasionally.
When I first started doing hollow forms I said to myself. This is absolutely crazy! Today I enjoy doing hollow forms and rarely go thru BUT the threat is still there which makes it exciting.
For those who don't like the "thrill" of hollowing blindly they make tools with lasers attached to them. It's basically a tool that has a small laser that points toward the hollowing tip. The laser shines on the outside of the turning to show you where your tool is. Sorry I don't have a picture of one because I don't own one. I'm from the old school and prefer to hollow blindly.
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Spalted maple hollow form

Shallow spalted maple hollow form.

Box elder with bloodwood rim.

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Amboyna burl hollow form,

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Redwood burl hollow form

Ambrosia maple hollow form

Amboyna burl hollow form with finial

The finial is removable.

Redwood burl rhyton. 8" tall and hollowed

This is another type of hollow form

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Cedar hollow form

Cedar is so light this only weighs a couple ounces.

Kingwood hollow form

Amboyna burl hollow form

Dyed big leaf maple hollow form

Amboyna burl hollow form with finial

The finial is Gaboon ebony

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turner-bob

Hello world. My name is Bob. I live in the center of Connecticut where I have lived all my life. I've always made my living as a carpenter.
I spend most... more »

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