Richard Raffan turns & ebonises a hollow form for 4-Ways Project No.6

This hollow form is the sixth 4-Ways project. You see shapes developed then abandoned or refined. I hollow enclosed forms using traditional gouges and scrapers. The set of beads turned using a detail gouge are later removed when they don’t look so good. You see the base refined between centres, then with that done I decide to ebonise the piece. As always in my videos, you see all the turning in real time.
4-WAYS comprises Sam Angelo, Mike Peace, Richard Raffan, and Tomislav Tomašić who suggested that having a few turners publish their approach to one project on KZbin at the same time should be interesting. 4-WAYS publish after noon on the first of each month, US time, which is evening in Europe. For Australasians it’ll be the 2nd. morning of each month. Each video has links to the others.
Sam - • Small Hollow Form----F...
Tomislav - • Enclosed form _____4Wa...
Mike - • Cherry Burl Hollow For...

[@kenvasko2285]

I learned more than I expected in this video today. I knew about using a sock to improve finishing. I knew about using a tattered beanie to improve my comfort level while turning. I knew about the advantages of having a homemade knock-down dust collection system. What I did learn in this video is how to open a window to improve tool handle angles. I learned to use an old soup can light shade to improve my view of the inside of a hollow form. And most importantly, I learned about Richard Raffan, the man. Even though his skills, his processes and outcomes are better than most, he is one of us. Thank-you Richard. Please keep putting out these video gems!

[@RichardRaffanwoodturning]

Thanks Ken. The lathe was carefully positioned in relation to the window for those rare occasions I use long tools across the lathe bed, and I'm glad you enjoy my efforts at recycling - I don't think it's parsimony.

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

Opening the window made me smile.

[@kenvasko2285]

I do have a question for you. When you make hollow forms, is it better to get the final shape of the outside from the finished form on the inside? Or is it preferred to get a final shape on the outside then match the inside to that shape? I was taught to turn the final shape the outside first like on a bowl. The outside is what attracts us to the piece.

[@RichardRaffanwoodturning]

@@kenvasko2285 I usually have the outside shaped before completing the inside, but typically have the inside roughed before the final cuts. That's on crossgrain. On endgrain I like to get the inside finished before completing the outside so there's as much support as possible surrounding the internal shaping.

[@kenvasko2285]

@@MikePeaceWoodturning Now I am considering doing some remodeling to put in another window!

[@colinchalmers1099]

Very nice Richard,I remember you teaching my wife the beading on the cruise,she called them the humps and bumps 😂….love the form btw.cheers Colin. Bagpiper.

[@RichardRaffanwoodturning]

And I remember your piping MS Gann through the narrow fjord, and also playing Happy Birthday for one of your fellow students at Craft Supplies.

[@colinchalmers1099]

I met Fog a couple years ago at SWAT in Waco Tx,who was the happy birthday guy,never changed a bit ,we had fond memories talking about our time there on or class 👍

[@josephpotterf9459]

Thanks got a chuckle when you opened the window for more room. Very well done and looked good with and without the beads

[@danielmetzler307]

Thank you for showing the beading and then taking them off. I liked the beading concept but sometimes concept becomes problem and your solution was inspiring. I also liked your “ I’m having an eye problem” comment because at 74 I often do as well. I am very glad you are doing these videos for us.

[@clydeschuyler]

Beautiful piece fine sir!

[@gaisimpson5716]

I love your very scientifically engineered shavings remover Richard

[@Timber2Toothpicks]

Pure enjoyment watching him work. I love the spirit of the entire video. The advertisement at the end was the best EVER!

[@paulplager9498]

You have to love the grain of a cedar family log. Again you have done a great job on your project Mike. Keep it up

[@kajaffrey]

It was great to see a much more experienced turner still have to make design modifications as a piece takes shape. Your skill and vision for the piece is inspirational as always. Thanks for sharing.

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

I love the way it warped. The slightly green tint I think is better than jet black.

[@crackerjack3359]

Thanks. That's a different approach to hollowing I have not seen before. Take care of your back. a sliding headstock positioned on the RHS of the bed would help a lot.

[@RichardRaffanwoodturning]

I've taught this way of hollowing for 40 years, starting well before most of the specialist hollowing tools came along. I haven't a clue what you're suggesting regards the headstock, so wondering what I'm missing or could be doing.

[@jackthompson5092]

I love the hollow form Richard.

[@johnnyb95678]

I really like the way this turned out and appreciate you taking us on this journey with you. You are an excellent teacher and I always learn a lot from your videos. Thank you!

[@randyscorner9434]

I love both the shavings remover and the reflector on the studio light at the beginning. Always great to make do with what is available.

[@gregchapman729]

You need to do more 4 ways, it is great to see the 4 of you approach each challenge.

[@mariosperanza9050]

You are alaways a master😊

[@RobbieBolog]

That was a fun ride. Thanks for taking us along!

[@valeriehenschel1590]

Liking the magnet on the tool blade trick. Have not seen that before. Thank you.

[@glencrandall7051]

Very well done Richard. Lovely little shape. The ebonizing really sets it off. I love the warping. Gives it a bit of character. Thank you for sharing. Have a great day and stay safe.🙂🙂

[@tomislavtomasicwoodturning]

Awsome enclosed form Richard, love it....

[@pjseiber2774]

Great work and as always learning from a great teacher.

[@isaacfisher5615]

Fun watching this one evolve!

[@tonywatson5551]

excellent as always. I haven't summoned the courage to take hollow forms yet but you give great tips so I am emboldened to give it a go.

[@dtork47]

Very nicely done Richard, love the ebonizing. Stay well.

[@fredericrg2984]

Très belle pièce Richard . Merci pour le partage de ton savoir . Bonjour de Savoie Fred.

[@oldgeezer1746]

Very nice bowl, love the ebony look.

[@jorisdemoel3821]

As always I stand in awe of your technique. Many thanks on another great video and especially for the tips on ebonizing. I was afraid the lovely grain would be rather obscured, but I should have more faith. I too had to smile at the opened window (and also at the forethought positioning the lathe there so it could be opened on those rare occasions that you do turn these hollow forms.) Splendid to see you each turn something so different from the same basic theme.

[@user-hd9tz7ij6z]

Perfeito 👏

[@garthkeck2003]

I do like the design.

[@TheRealCAPerry]

Thanks Richard, incredibly informative, especially on the finishing technique.

[@stevenhansen8641]

Very nice Richard,thanks for sharing.

[@SilverBack.]

Richard the piece is really nice, thank you for sharing how you use scrapers to hollow

[@borisfurlan9792]

Thank you again for the highly resourceful demonstration. Been struggling to decide if I needed to invest in "proper" hollowing tool...my work is not (yet 😅) at a level that might justify it, so I can carry on with your way of dealing with it! Thank you!

[@petergledhill7380]

Another great video. Thank you again Richard. Really like this four ways process. Found myself taking notes from the video and the comments section which is a bonus. I like the concept of the Lee Valley callipers. I sometimes wear two pairs of glasses for up close work. I have enough old pairs to find the right focal length for the job in hand. Don’t know if that’s hoarding or recycling but it works.

[@noelgreen9381]

Nice job Richard. I think if you steep black tea and paint some on the bowl a couple hours before you ebonize it, it will turn blacker faster, as the tea adds tannin to the wood increasing the chemical reaction. Cheers!

[@RichardRaffanwoodturning]

I'll try that, and as a regular drinker of oolong I think I'll also add some tea leaves in the ebonizing mix rather than the compost.

[@gregdownunderinOz]

Nice small hollow form, wasn’t keen on beads, glad you removed them. Great skills shown though to apply the beads. Warped bowl looked fantastic before ebonising, not a fan on this bowl, perhaps just the inside ebonising would have been my choice. But hey we all like different things and finishes. Thanks for sharing and please continue with this 4 ways project. Could you do a challenge using piece of wood say 200 x 200 mm and about 30 mm thick. Trying to use as much as possible of the timber. Can be cut and glued not segmented bowl. Turned object or objects no additional timber allowed, finish of your choice. Try and be creative as possible. This was similar to a recent club challenge we had.

[@RichardRaffanwoodturning]

If 'being creative' means making something different just for the sake of being different, I'm really not interested. I'm not very good at gluing bits of wood together and rarely enjoy seeing gluelines or laminations. I feel my time is better spent passing on the techniques I've developed since 1970 as a professional turner in the hope this helps people to make whatever bizarre object they want more effeciently. I'd probably turn the 200 x 200 mm x 30 mm blank into another square dish...kzbin.info/www/bejne/rITGholoqJKqi5I. I didn't see this as particularly creative because I've made several hundred, whereas I'm sure some people regard it as highly creative and a stroke of genius.

[@patdavis1468]

Very pretty👍🏻❤️

[@jakegevorgian]

That's a beautiful pot. Have you tried boiling up some oak tree bark in a water as a tannin enrichment applied to the wood before the iron acetate? It turns most wood species to pitch black (purplish black)

[@geraldguyette470]

Shes a beauty !

[@nickjan67]

I especially appreciated being witness to the design changes underway, adding and then deleting the beads. I also appreciated seeing the use of a tool I have (the Kelton Undercutter) but have never known how to employ. About tools, have you ever used various models of hook tools for hollowing or those with small carbide cutting tips? It doesn't seem as if you have these tools in your current assortment..

[@RichardRaffanwoodturning]

The Kelton Undercutters are the only specialist hollwing tools I use. I have a set of Kelton Hollowers but never use them because I never turn hollow vessels with very small openings - I never found anywhere to sell them. I've never got on with hook tools, which might have been lack of perseverance. I've always felt the tools I have let me do what I want to achieve with a high degree of efficiency. Whenever I've seen a better way of doing something I've taken it on.

[@debbiecoull6957]

I can't be doing with the constant start stop of hollow forms either. Including the sore back, but that's prob my poor technique.

[@robertcornelius3514]

Nice project. I bet you had to take a long nap after editing this longer video.

[@RichardRaffanwoodturning]

There's very little editing in my videos. I'm happy for you to see everything, glitches and all.

[@terrysharp908]

Excellent as always, thanks

[@marcusfairly2688]

I am really enjoying the 4 ways videos. Qn: is there a rule of thumb for how deep a screw chuck needs to go into the wood relative to the size of blank? Thank you!

[@danielspain7231]

Small round bottle brush about 1-2” wide might help getting those shavings out

[@timofeyzhukov-khovanskiy9173]

That's a beautiful hollow form Richard. When you sharpen the hook nose scraper, do you mostly just hone it?

[@MarklTucson]

Very cool approach to this month's project. The ebonizing and warping are very interesting details. So many things learned from this video. I really appreciated seeing the way you changed the design and "erased" the beads. This kind of thing has been a really valuable part of these 4 ways videos -- that was also demonstrated last month when Sam changed the approach to decorating his bowl. One question, what is the minimum length of screw engagement from a screw chuck with which you would be comfortable. I know this is dependent on the size of the blank, but is there a minimum for even a small blank that one would not want to fall below?

[@RichardRaffanwoodturning]

I've had 8x1-in /200x25mm on ¼-in / 5mm. The face against the chuck needs to be flat on a screw that short. These days when lack of depth is an issue, I prefer drilling a hole to go over some chuck jaws.

[@MarklTucson]

@@RichardRaffanwoodturning Thanks!

[@janw1948]

I really enjoy following your work, thank you for sharing/educating. Can I ask about the glasses you Wear while working? It looks like some sort of ski glasses. What are they called, and do they help your eyesight?(have they Got the same “grade” as your “normal” glasses?)

[@lacoutardes]

Thanks for this demonstration. Question for you. Why you didn't use the clock wise rotation when you make hollow form specialy when you have to go over the lathe and make some gymnastic to make your hollowing? (specialy when you have to open the window to make some space). It's not simple to rotate CW?

[@RichardRaffanwoodturning]

Several reasons I don't turn in reverse. 1. The chuck will likely unscrew unless locked to the spindle. 2. Turning in reverse is like turning outboard, which I never found easy as turning inboard either right or left handed. 3. Turning in reverse right handed (I always turn right handed) I'd be directly in line if the bowl came off. 4. Because of 1,2 & 3, all my tools are ground so I can work effectively with the lathe running anti-clockwise. Added to which I very rarely turn hollow forms anyway. The lathe was placed where it is so I could open the window when required, likewise with my dropsaw. It's a very cramped workshop.

[@lacoutardes]

Goods reasons... 😉 Except for #3 the piece will go on other side of the lathe. A+

[@ArchEdge]

Thank you Richard - Great Video. Im currently having a go at ebonising wood, and i like your method - ill have to give that a go. To prepare the mix - are you just soaking steel wool and other ferros metals in plain white vinegar? or is there other ingredients?

[@TheRealCAPerry]

That’s exactly what I was wondering too.

[@RichardRaffanwoodturning]

No steel wool in my mix. There's an old bandsaw blade, a handful of steel nails, nuts and bolts, and the steel kerf I collect around the grinder with a magnet. kzbin.info/www/bejne/qn22lq2Vpt-frK8

[@RichardRaffanwoodturning]

@@TheRealCAPerry No steel wool in my mix. There's an old bandsaw blade, a handful of steel nails, nuts and bolts, and the steel kerf I collect around the grinder with a magnet. kzbin.info/www/bejne/qn22lq2Vpt-frK8

[@ArchEdge]

@@RichardRaffanwoodturning Thanks Richard - in that video you said the bottle was "Malt Vinegar" - and in this video it says "White Vinegar" .... is there a difference? And - if im making a new mix, do i just leave it till its black, or is there a certain amount of time to create the mix...?

[@RichardRaffanwoodturning]

@@ArchEdge I'm sure that's not the original bottle. Initially I used malt vinegar, then discovered a stronger 8% cleaning vinegar. This mix has been going about three years and gets another cup of vinegar every few months. When the mix stops rattling I'll add another old bandsaw blade. I like to recycle whenever possible. I think originally it was ready to go after a few days. It would depend on the form of the ferrous metals.