How to turn a 5" deep mug without hollowing tools

[Brian Kent]

My son and daughter in law asked me to turn a couple of mugs to carry around at the renaissance fair. They will be about 2.5" wide and 5" deep on the inside (with a nice hefty handle attached with twisted rope.)

I turned the blank long enough to screw it onto a face plate. I am using nice dry straight grained white oak. So far, so good.

I used a 1.25" forstner bit to get the depth set and have used my 6" long scrapers to cut down to about 3" inside the mug. Everything is smooth, but I am just starting to get vibration. My current plan is to keep sharpening the scrapers and taking a really long slow time finishing. If I don't end up with a square bottom, no one will care. This is mostly for show at the fair.

Any recommendations to finish the inside without spending $100 to $infinite on hollowing tool(s)? I am a long way off from trying and buying hollowing tools.

I could get a 2" forstner bit and make the whole thing easy. Or I could keep on going with scrapers. I am a little hesitant to use the Thompson bowl gouge that deep because I do not want to catch on the inside wall.

Ideas?

PS. Why do so many manufacturers sel 2-1/8 or 2-1/4" forstners? Door handle holes?

[Richard Jones]

Don't know about 2 1/4", but lockset holes are generally 2 1/8".

[ted moore]

Try making an Oland style tool.
Cheap and effective

http://aroundthewoods.com/oland.shtml

[Brian Kent]

Hey, that looks very interesting, Ted.

[Bernie Weishapl]

A steady rest would help cut down on the viberation.

[Aric Krueger]

A steady rest to get rid of the vibration and perhaps a tool rest that extends into the opening might give you the extra reach you need to do the bottom. PSI carries these:

[Brian Kent]

So far I have kept the mug from vibrating. It's just the tool reaching its limit. I do look forward to making a steady rest though. Those extenders look good. The opening is just a bit small to use my tool rest inside the mug.

[Malcolm Tibbetts]

You could always chuck it and turn it from both ends and then insert a bottom plug.

[Brian Kent]

Good idea, Malcolm.

[Jamie Donaldson]

I assume that among your tool arsenal you now have a 1/2" spindle gouge, and that will do the job, but with some pucker factor going that deep. My preference would be my favorite Hunter tool #5, and that would hollow out that mug in 5 min. with no trouble at all! You don't need no stinkin' scraper!

[Brian Kent]

I'm wondering about this as a $25 buck learning tool?
http://www.grizzly.com/products/Lath...g-Chisel/D3810

This really is fascinating to me, learning the limits of the tool geometry. The 3/8" spindle gouge got me a little way, the tool rest fit a few inches in, the scraper tools did a little more. But bottom line the sides are 1/4" thick for several inches, thickening to 3/4" at the bottom (5" in).

So I will either take Malcolm's suggestion and turn it from both ends, drill it out with a $20 2" forstner, or get the $25 Fox hollowing tool to start my learning curve. I am just having fun and the Renaissance Fair is not for a couple of months.

I would also take suggestions for a basic hollower that I will want to use long-term and that I can buy whenever I have the extra bucks.

[Jamie Donaldson]

That configuration of bent hollowing tool is for hollow forms through a smaller opening, but if the shaft is less than 5/8" dia. forget it, because there will be too much flex and chatter. I don't find any specs mentioned for this specific tool shaft diameter on the site description.

[Brian Kent]

Thanks, Jamie. I have no use for a tool-shaped-object if it can't do its job.

[Faust M. Ruggiero]

Brian,
The Oland style home made tool will work fine of you use a decent diameter steel rod for the shaft. If you have a chuck for your tailstock you can drill a hole for a 3/16" square high speed steel cutter. As Jamie mentioned, use at least 5/8" stock or preferably 3/4". Great opportunity to practice your handle turning skills. You don't need a swan neck tool for this project since the opening is wide.
faust

[Greg Just]

"I would also take suggestions for a basic hollower that I will want to use long-term and that I can buy whenever I have the extra bucks"

Brian - I make a lot of the stainless steel lined travel mugs and my preferred tool to hollow with is the Oneway's Termite.