Woodturning: Hollowing Basics - Turning a simple hollowform

[@kylewo0]

Probably the best video and commentary on how to hollow. .. and i have been researching … Wow 🍻🙏🏼🙌🏼. Thank you sir . What gauge is that wire ? 6?

[@ScottsMiniWoodshop]

Hi Kyle. Glad you found the video useful. I believe the wire for the thickness gauge I made is 9 gauge wire. I found it at my local Lowes.

[@angelaburt3266]

Wow. I've learned so much watching this. I had my tool rest way to close and was catching all the time. Only have the basic carbide tools but loving the learning. Thanks for this lesson.

[@ScottsMiniWoodshop]

My first set of hollowing tools was the medium size 3 tool carbide set from easy wood tools. They were great to get started on. I'm not sure which set of carbide hollowers you have, but the easy wood tools had a minimum and maximum line marked on the side. The idea was to keep the tool rest somewhere between the lines. Unfortunately they were just stickers and could fall off easily. For the hook tools, I put a sharpie mark on the top of the tool as a visual reminder to keep the entire hook past the rest. Happy turning, and thanks for watching!

[@billstanley5317]

Never thought to use my hook knife! I also like to make the occasional spoon. Just bought a couple of hollowing tools from Simon Hope, so this was a great tutorial - the setup for removing the spigot is very clever - I'll definitely be making something along those lines. Made a wall thickness gauge from some thick bendy gardening wire, so saved me buying one. Great video.

[@ScottsMiniWoodshop]

So many wins! I'm glad you found the info useful. There are a bunch of ways to remove the nub left after turning the tenon away. I actually find using the hook knife quick, efficient, and enjoyable. Thanks for watching!!

[@johnwoods9995]

Excellent tutorial, thanks Scott. Clear and concise, very instructive and helpful.

[@ScottsMiniWoodshop]

I'm glad you found the information useful. Thanks for watching!

[@jolilley3760]

Excellent presentation. Looking forward to more.

[@ScottsMiniWoodshop]

Thank you, much appreciated. I'm hoping to get a few more videos up soon. Thanks for watching!

[@Tinker_man]

Excellent video, great explanations and use of your models to show inside the forms. 👍🏻

[@ScottsMiniWoodshop]

Thanks, much appreciated. Thanks for watching!

[@davidwinch7997]

G'Day Scott. Thanks for sharing Hollowing Basics. Very educational and also so well presented. The cutouts were awesome and also the home-made "calipers" are really good and so much common sense. Thanks again Scott. Kind regards, Dave, Beachmere, Brisbane, Australia

[@ScottsMiniWoodshop]

Hi Dave! Thanks for the kind words. I'm happy you found the video useful. Happy turning, and thanks for watching!

[@yindiartz]

thanks so much, so informative...and by someone who didn't learn to turn in the prehistoric age 😂...I just bought a swan neck hollower, so looking forward to getting into it. Your cut aways were awesome as a visual aid as well.

[@ScottsMiniWoodshop]

Thanks for the kind words. I'm glad you found the video helpful. Thanks for watching!

[@theangrywoodturner9972]

Very nice that you went to the trouble to make the models so people can visualize what you are describing. Great job thank you.

[@ScottsMiniWoodshop]

I'm glad you found the video and the props helpful. Thanks for watching!

[@charliejennifer3874]

Love the profile cut outs as a teaching tool! Your videos are great…always quality sound and multiple video angles

[@ScottsMiniWoodshop]

Thank you very much for the kind words. Most videos I've seen and most live demos I've attended have used drawings to show the hollowing progression. Drawings are great but I thought it would be a helpful visual aid to do the cut aways. It took a bit of time but I think it was worth the effort. Thanks for watching!

[@robertmcewen9231]

Thank you for your time in making this video, your cut--away pieces were a nice aid for visualization. A job well done and very helpful to me! Thanks again!

[@ScottsMiniWoodshop]

I'm happy you found the information useful. Thanks for watching!

[@rroberts8501]

Best explanation I've found. I see now where I was going wrong in trying small hollow forms and now excited to give this a go again, thanks! Subbed.

[@ScottsMiniWoodshop]

I'm glad you found the video helpful. Thanks for watching!

[@timpower3190]

Great hollow form instruction this guy is a great communicator

[@ScottsMiniWoodshop]

Thanks for the kind words, and thanks for watching!

[@izgood2bking702]

This was a good presentation. Having the pieces at different stages was definitely worthwhile. I would suggest that if you ever did this video again, that you get some camera angles from additional locations and zoom out a bit at times. This would give the audience a better perspective of what needs to be done as far as positioning themselves when they do this type of work. Thanks for the presentation, i very much appreciated it.

[@ScottsMiniWoodshop]

Thanks so much for the feedback. It's always great to get perspective from another set of eyes. I'm a one man operation here. It's difficult to keep the flow of the video going when I'm constantly stopping to mess with the cameras. I have to agree, I sometimes get so caught up in getting in close enough so people can see what I'm doing that I fail to shoot some footage wide enough so people can see body position. I think when I shot this video I didn't have a wide angle lens. My shop is pretty small so, small shop plus no wide angle, probably not the best combo. Definitely something to work on. Thanks for the comment and thanks for watching.

[@SpyderSavino]

Exactly what I am trying to learn. Super helpful. Thanks Scott

[@ScottsMiniWoodshop]

Glad to help and thanks for watching!

[@mikew2468]

Great tutorial Scott, thanks

[@ScottsMiniWoodshop]

You're very welcome and thanks for watching!

[@mikefoulkes9510]

Great and well explained, love the measuring tool.

[@ScottsMiniWoodshop]

Thanks! And thanks for watching!

[@sharkbyte2681]

Thanks sir! Perfectly explained

[@ScottsMiniWoodshop]

I'm glad you found the info useful. Thanks for watching!

[@ValentinaFaussone]

The hook knife trick is really smart. I have one hook knife doing nothing, so I will put it in use.

[@ScottsMiniWoodshop]

So many ways to remove that pesky nub. I just find it relaxing to sit down and finish it by hand. I do the final sanding of the foot area by hand as well. It's therapeutic

[@boblevey]

Great info! Thank you!!!

[@ScottsMiniWoodshop]

Thanks for watching!

[@jimbrock8928]

Good demo thanks

[@ScottsMiniWoodshop]

Thanks for watching!

[@charlesreece1704]

Very good video. However, I was curious how you sand inside the hollowform.

[@ScottsMiniWoodshop]

There are exceptions to every rule, but generally I only sand into the hollowform as far as I can reach with my finger. The only people who will check to see if the interior is sanded will be other Woodturners 😆 If the piece is larger with a large opening I'll do my best to sand the interior since it will be more visible. If the opening is large enough I'll just hold the sandpaper in my hand. If the opening is large but too small to sand safely by hand, I'll use an inertial sander. Sometimes a combination of both.

[@derekweidman9373]

Great hollowing primer

[@ScottsMiniWoodshop]

Thanks Derek!!

[@michaelmoster1382]

Excellent Video! Thank you? My forstner bits all have a point at the bottom... yours does not...what brand is it...or would grinding it away work? Thanks again.

[@ScottsMiniWoodshop]

Thanks for the comment. In the video I mention measuring to the point of the forster bit. It may be slightly shorter than some, but there is definitely a point. The brand is Roman Carbide. I really beat up on these bits so the carbide cutting edges seem to hold up fairly well. I have a set of precision bits if I need an accurately sized hole, but these are great for hollowing. And if I hit a random nail in the wood it not a big deal since they're fairly inexpensive. Thanks for watching!

[@israelcharo1563]

Great video--Thank you! Do you find that the Jordan tool was less "grippy" than the swan neck Easy Wood Tool?

[@ScottsMiniWoodshop]

In my opinion, if used properly, the Jordan tools are more controllable. Let me explain. The EWT hollowers are designed to sit flat on your tool rest. This will prevent roll and should help you keep the cutter at the recommended angle while hollowing. The turner must still control the pitch of the tool. Handle parallel to the bed or slightly elevated should work OK. Handle lower than the cutter is just asking for grab/catch. The carbide cutter is very aggressive so a light touch is better. Hollowing should be slow and steady. Jordan tools use a HSS cutter. It's less aggressive. The tools are round so not only must you control pitch just like you would with the EWT, but you must also control roll. Roll the cutter up and you're asking for grab/catch. Roll the cutter down and it will be a bit more forgiving. Cutter down and handle slightly up, even more forgiving. Sounds great, but there is a downside. Learning curve on Jordan tools and any round bar hollower is going to be harder than EWT hollowers. If you're only going to be hollowing small vessels now and then and don't want to invest the time to learn round bar hollowers, perhaps EWT is the best choice. I do a bunch of hollow forms. I have purchased full sets of all three sizes of hollowers offered by Jordan. I also have purchased a full set of mid size EWT hollowers. I prefer the Jordan tools for 99% of all the hollowing I do. I feel as if I have more control, but perhaps it's just muscle memory. With that said, I do still use the EWT hollowers on occasion. I know this is more info than you asked for but either tool can be grabby if not used properly. I do feel that the Jordan tools (and similar) have a less aggressive cutter and once learned, do offer more control. I hope that helps.

[@fergusrb]

I have not turned in quit a while, so I was thinking learning the hollowing tools on a bowl so you can see what is happening. Do you have any videos showing that?

[@ScottsMiniWoodshop]

Hi Bruce, and thanks for the comment. Unfortunately, I don't have a video of turning a bowl with a hollowing tool. If it's been a while, just think of hollowing tools as tiny scrapers. In effect, that's what they are. Tool on center, handle slightly elevated. If you'd like to see inside a bit easier, why not just start with a small piece with a larger opening? My first pieces were small, something I could reach my fingers in to gauge the wall thickness. The pieces got gradually larger as I got better at hollowing.

[@fergusrb]

@@ScottsMiniWoodshop Thanks for the reply. Good information. I like your idea start with a large opening. Of course a bowl is a hollow form with a really, really large opening ha ha. Just need to get my shop set up as I just moved. I will give your advise a go. Liked your simple jar shape.

[@ScottsMiniWoodshop]

@@fergusrb for me, a good progression to build your skills is Bowl, Goblet, Cylindrical Box, Hollowform. Each step along the path builds on the previous one and helps with skills needed for the next. Best of luck setting your shop and happy turning!

[@fergusrb]

@@ScottsMiniWoodshop thanks

[@tonytomlinson-nz7pd]

Great video Scott, very helpful, great tips, In the hollowing process did you go from side to bottom or bottom to side? I'd appreciate your thoughts

[@ScottsMiniWoodshop]

Hi Tony. In all my hollowing pieces I always start from the hole and hollow towards the chuck. This leaves more wood mass near the chuck which helps keep the piece as stable as possible. So hollowed from the hole to the chuck to about 1/2 inch. Then hollowed the same way to final thickness

[@JoelElder2013]

Can I ask where you got the forstner bit extension that you used on the video?

[@ScottsMiniWoodshop]

Hi Joel. Thanks for watching the video. I hope you found it helpful. Check the below link for the forstner bit extender. It's available in different sizes www.woodturnerscatalog.com/p/76/4611/apprentice-Drill-Bit-Extender

[@kylewo0]

What jig for the larger forms are you mentioning . ??

[@ScottsMiniWoodshop]

I use the Elbo 2 hollowing jig for larger pieces. You can check out my video here kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z5yzqnV9mq5pgbs

[@jimromansr9971]

What kind of RPMs are you running at when you are Hollowing? It would also seem with that much of the tool pass the tool rest If you get a catch, it is going to jerk your arm, hit you in the mouth, or that project is going to come out of those jaws and become a missile.

[@ScottsMiniWoodshop]

Hi and thanks for the comment. First I should mention that any work done on the lathe is potentially dangerous. To minimize any potential danger, proper safety equipment and technique should be used. You should never attempt any operation on a lathe that you do not feel comfortable with. Best practice for the hook tool that I'm using is for the straight shank to sit on the tool rest. Placing the curved part on the rest would cause the tool to torque and spin out of control. As you can see in the video, I move the rest as needed to keep the straight shank on the rest. As you can also see in the video, the rest can be close to the opening since there's no hook to worry about. Having the tool extend past the rest isn't necessarily a problem. The deeper the piece needs to be hollowed, the more the tool will need to extend past the tool rest. Extending the tool too far, however, will cause vibration at the cutting tip. Each set of hollowing tools I own have a recommended hollowing depth. Exceeding this depth increases the chance if vibration. It's up to each individual turner to know and understand their own limitations and the limitations of their tools. As an example, if your hollowing tools are designed for vessels up to 6 inches deep, it's not advisable to hollow any deeper than 6 inches with those tools. Having the tool extending over the rest within the limits of the tool will not increase the chance of a catch. Going past those limits could cause unnecessary vibration which could cause a catch. It's my opinion that improper angle of the tool is much more likely to cause a catch than vibration. It's very important to keep the cutter level for most effective use. Pitching the cutter down will be somewhat less efficient, but will also reduce the chance of a catch. Pitching the cutter up will cause it to dig into the interior and will be very likely to cause a catch. Once again, it's up to the individual turner to know their own tools and skill level and to be as safe as possible. It's my opinion that someone new to hollowing should start with small vessels and gain experience with their lathe and tools before moving on to larger vessels You asked about RPM. The best answer I can give you is that I turn at an RPM that I believe is the safest speed for the project. This will change depending on size of the vessel, type of wood, depth of hollowing, and some other factors. As a general rule I usually turn vessels the size of those in this video at 600 to 1000 RPM. I generally don't recommend a specific RPM since I can't possibly know what tools you have, what wood you're trying to hollow, or your individual skill level. My suggestion would be for you to use an RPM that you feel comfortable with.

[@ScottsMiniWoodshop]

I'm sorry, I found a typo in my reply. It should say with the straight tool, the rest can be up near the opening since there is no hook to worry about

[@ronniestevens1265]

ρгό𝔪σŞｍ

[@ScottsMiniWoodshop]

Thanks for watching

[@JohnHoyt-h9d]

Boring far too basic,

[@ScottsMiniWoodshop]

Thanks for the comment. I'm sorry you found my video on hollowing basics for beginners "too basic". Perhaps your comment will encourage beginners to watch who are just learning about hollowing. For many beginners, hollowing can be intimidating. Although your comment is meant to be a negative critique of the video, pointing out how basic it is should get people watching who are brand new to hollowing. So thank you for that. It is definitely meant to be a video for people with little or no experience with hollowing

[@hswing11]

GREAT VIDEO VERY INFORNATIVE.

[@ScottsMiniWoodshop]

Thanks Howard, much appreciated! Thanks for watching