Monster trial run.......

[charlie knighton]

looks good, Roger

question, did you use a rag and keep the outside wet where the wood cracked???

i have had some cracking problems or opportunties and plan to try this

[Roger Chandler]

looks good, Roger

question, did you use a rag and keep the outside wet where the wood cracked???

i have had some cracking problems or opportunties and plan to try this

Charlie,

I applied a good coat of dewaxed shellac with a rag, and did the same on the inside while on the lathe. After it dried a half hour or so, I put 2 coats of WOP on it while on the lathe, let it dry and then parted off the tenon and wiped on some WOP on the bottom. I did put some CA glue in the crack before the shellac.

[charlie knighton]

where was the crack

[Roger Chandler]

where was the crack

It was on the rim.

[charlie knighton]

mine are usually in the top 1/3 of form, usually it cracks before i can finish hollowing.....going to try keeping it wet til i finish hollowing.....not positive it will work.....just another thing to check off to see if it works......someone posted it somewhere, just got to check it out, the more round or more lift i have the more cracks i get

[Mark Hubl]

Congrats on the new tool. It looks like your are getting the hang of it.

[Roger Chandler]

Congrats on the new tool. It looks like your are getting the hang of it.

Thanks, Mark!

[Roger Chandler]

Nice job Roger. But I'll have to agree with Steve in that if you are in a hurry, then don't bother. Just wait til you have the time to commit to the piece and to the learning of a new tool.

Tony........I really hear you and Steve as well.........and I agree with you! That being said, if I waited until I have time to turn or do any other wood working, then I would hardly ever do it. My life is a very busy one.

Now, I take a couple of hours sometimes in the afternoon when I have most of my other things at a point where I can stop, and resume them the next day. I also place the highest value on safety........if I cannot do it safely, then I won't even try to get something going. I really like having 10 fingers on my hands and two eyes that can see, and safety is always number 1 with me, no exceptions.

I think a lot of times my work has cyclical times when it is more than I can get done, and then it will cycle to a time where I have a little time here and there..............sometimes I wish I had all day long to devote to a turning, but that usually does not happen.........usually an hour here and one there, but that makes the process less than desirable, but every once in a while, I will carve out a day just for me, when I see one of those cycles coming where I can do it without leaving higher priorities undone.

[Steve Vaughan]

I certainly understand that time thing Roger. I think you've done a good job here, and I'm glad to see and hear from folks on this thread, about going by hand, then getting a monster. Between these comments and comments on similar threads, I'm seriously feeling like this has got to be the next tool purchase for me whether I like it or not!

[Roger Chandler]

I certainly understand that time thing Roger. I think you've done a good job here, and I'm glad to see and hear from folks on this thread, about going by hand, then getting a monster. Between these comments and comments on similar threads, I'm seriously feeling like this has got to be the next tool purchase for me whether I like it or not!

Steve........

If you have your heart set on doing hollow forms, then it can be done and done well by hand tools. It is work for sure, as the torque and such make it a bit tedious. As you know, I have only one form under my belt with the Monster..............I am so glad I got this rig! For some, they might enjoy the punishment, er, uh, I mean process of hollowing using hand tools, and it can be a very accomplished result.

When you consider the different tools needed for the hollowing, then the smoothing [like hunter carbide tools] if one goes ahead and gets the Monster rig, then all the tips are included, and the price is not all that much different in the long run, and you get a much more pleasurable and predictable result with the monster system.

I can see why you would want to make this one a priority..........looking forward to pics in the near future of your Monster rig!