First Hollow Form

[Marty Tippin]

This is my first effort at a hollow form - more of a vessel I suppose than a true hollow form since it has a footed base. My wife wants to use it for flowers or scent sticks or some such thing, so I think it'll work out fine. Turned from a piece of spalted flame box elder, but I lost most of the red flame coloration in turning and I'm really not too jazzed about the gray spalting - it's interesting I suppose but I don't really like the color.

Dimensions are about 10" tall by 5" wide. Sanded to 600 grit, a couple coats of danish oil and then buffed with the Beall buffing system.

Lots of firsts here:
* First time using the Monster articulated hollowing rig. I'm really happy with it, just need to learn how to use all the different cutters. I only succeeded in making the inside bigger than the outside in one small place and was able to patch that with some super glue and sawdust. Had a couple of other really thin spots but will do better next time, as I watched a video the other day that suggests offsetting the laser by your desired wall thickness - when the laser starts to "enlongate", you're pretty much at that thickness. Good idea.
* First time using a bowl gouge to turn a "spindle" type of turning. I find that I have a lot more control with the bowl gouge (3/8" Thompson V) than with a traditional spindle gouge.
* First time using the Beall buffing system. I'm not terribly happy with how the piece looks after buffing, I was wanting a "deeper" finish and suspect I should try either a thin CA finish or maybe laquer before buffing.
* First time trying to photograph my work. I've done "small piece" photography before and have a light tent and tried to set it up for this piece but ended up with the wrong camera settings (ISO 3200 wasn't necessary...) So I'm sharing the quickly-taken "sitting on the counter" photos that I snapped before setting up the tent as well as a couple using the tent but they're awfully grainy.

Comments and critique are very welcome -this is really a learning piece for me and you can't hurt my feelings by telling me what I could do better!

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[Shawn Pachlhofer]

overall I think it's a good form, and excellent for a "first" (and definitely better than my first...and only...hollowform) - but I don't like the "foot"

[charlie knighton]

you learn a lot the first hollow form, start to smile about the 10th.......good job....I use a straight scraper for final shaping on outside of hollow form.....I find I can keep and adjust my continuous curve with more control.

[Scott Brandstetter]

Marty
Great job for a first HF. I'll pass on what was told to me a year ago. Never get rid of this piece. Keep it and look at it occasionally to see the progress you've made. I have mine and I like it more and more every month. It reminds me of all the fun I had just turning, just getting a shape. Great job and keep posting your progress

[Dale Gillaspy]

I think you did a really nice job, and I like the piece. I'll offer one bit of critique. I agree with Shawn. I don't like the foot. It looks very abrupt as your eye follows the form. Instead of just cutting it off, consider tapering the form down all the way like you've done, then reverse chuck it, and tuck the foot under right at the bottom with a sharp curve inward, It will give it a little lift and make it appear like it is floating, not sitting down on itself. Good job, though.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Marty - Welcome to the wonderful world of hollowing! When it comes to the first HF, anything you can take off the lathe in one piece is considered a success! So - you done good! Also, as already suggested - be sure to sign it, date it and keep it! There is only one first!

Form, whether to use a foot or not - all come with doing. You will develop your own style over time and the only thing at this point is to continue to hollow and using your system.

When using the laser - I always adjust it so that the distance between the laser dot and the part of the cutting tip that is making contact is the final thickness I want the piece to be. Remember that as you progress through the interior of the form, the actual portion of the cutting tip making contact will change! ALWAYS be aware of this! You are correct in that you are watching the laser dot as it falls over the side of the form. It will elongate shortly before it falls off the wood. A soon as the dot if off the wood - you are at your desired thickness.

On the finish, you didn't say what you were trying to achieve but based on your CA finish comments, I had the impression you wanted more of a gloss. If so, then you will want to use something other than an oil for a final finish. I use wipe-on polyurethane and it brings out the curl in the wood as well as seals it from moisture. You have to build a few coats before buffing but it can give a really nice gloss finish. I also know folks who use Shellac (de-waxed) as a first/sealer coat, then use lacquer to create the gloss look. Big thing when finishing - be sure to give the finish time to cure BEFORE you buff or you will have one heck of a mess on your hands!

Photos - when setting up your photo tent, remember that shadows are your friend. They help give the piece 3 dimensions and used correctly have a major impact in how your photo is received. There are a number of tutorials out there to help turners take better photos... just do a Google search.

Lot's of member here with hollowing experience. If you have any questions, let us know.

[Richard Moran]

Like was already said, if you can take the first HF off in one piece, you done good. I like the grays in the grain, reminds me of some coastal wood I see around CA, Buckeye burl with it's beautiful grays and yellow tones.

I don't know anything about using a laser for hollowing cause I'm still old school. I just do it by feel and check it occasionally with the big "Big Dang Caliper" and a flashlight.

Rick

As far as form goes, well, I like the top portion, but the foot isn't something that I would do. But, it's certainly different!

[Marty Tippin]

Thanks all for the comments and compliments so far.

The foot wasn't exactly planned to be like that - for some reason, I was thinking that it needed a foot and had already cut the lower end of the form too small for it to stand up without one, so that's what I got. Curiously, it's only the folks who "know" what a hollow form is supposed to look like that noticed the foot is out of place - I shared on Facebook a few days ago and the unwashed masses seem to like it a lot...

Regarding the finish, I wanted something with a deep gloss that would really show off the curl in the box elder. I used Danish oil because that's what was on the shelf. Next time, I'll try to seal with shellac and then add a spray lacquer finish. Also going to mix up a batch of Cap'n Eddie's "Shine Juice" (BLO, DNA and shellac) to try on some smaller pieces. If there's one area where I *really* need to learn more, it's finishing...