Hollowing System Questions

[Greg Parrish]

I searched and as best I can find it's been a few years since this topic has been discussed. Can anyone volunteer some thoughts on the various hollowing systems, freehand (like D-Way or Easy Tools) or captured (like Trent Bosch), that are worth considering? This would be for use on a smaller PM2014 lathe. I've google searched and it looks like there are a million options that come up, but I know there are always a few that folks here prefer based on first hand experiences.

Thanks for your feedback.

Greg

[Kevin Jenness]

My old funky shoulder prefers a captured system to freehand hollowing. I have the Clark setup and it is a good solid system with a heavy 1 1/4" bar. It did take a while to get it shipped back in Covid time, so be warned. The Trent Bosch Stabilizer is compact and easily set up. Lyle Jamieson's d-handle design is also quite good, and can be fabricated by a half-decent welder, plus he is a great source of information on hollowing. All of these tool holding systems will accept various boring bars and typically have a 3/4" socket for that purpose. I use Lyle's bar and cutters most of the time. A laser or video camera is a great help in achieving even thickness walls, and I have found my Clark setup to be reliable- you want one that will maintain its setting despite vibration.

[Steve Nix]

I have the Trent Bosch system.. great for hollowing up to about 9”. Easy setup and take down and quality construction. I have the laser setup and the video setup. Both achieve the same result , the laser is easy to set up.

[Greg Parrish]

Thanks guys. I'm kinda leaning towards the Trent Bosch setup since it looks pretty beefy and well designed. The Clark setup looks nice, but it also looks large. Given that this is only a 14" lathe, I'm thinking the Trent setup might fit a little better. Will keep researching though because I'm not quite ready to purchase but want to have a direction pinned down.

[CHARLES D Richards]

I have the Trent Bosch system.. great for hollowing up to about 9”. Easy setup and take down and quality construction. I have the laser setup and the video setup. Both achieve the same result , the laser is easy to set up.

I have the same set up as Steve and hollowing up to 14-15 inches with the 3/4 and 1" bar along with a Carter Multi-Rest. It's a great system and like you said Greg, very beefy.

[Richard Coers]

I can't understand why anyone would want to use free hand for anything bigger than a Christmas ornament. The systems work so well. I made an articulated system and bought a captured system. Each have advantages. The articulated is best if you do a lot of first nation people style vessels with severe undercuts. The Bosch does not have a short link to do those kind of cuts. Well none of them do, that's why I made one. As far as choosing a brand, all of them will get the job done.

[Randy Heinemann]

I've owned the Trent Bosch system for a couple of years and love it. It takes most of the stress my body gets when hollowing without the Stabilizer. I have also splurged on the Visualizer which is an amazing tool for hollowing. However, both are a little pricey. Since I don't have any experience with other hollowing systems, I can't say if there is a better one out there. I just know that Trent Bosch's works for me.

[Gary Pennington]

I used a Jameison system at a friends to hollow a couple medium sized vases then tried the Bosch at another friend's shop. To me, the Bosch is simpler to set up/tear down and just felt easier to use. I ended up going with the Bosch articulated arm and Lyle's cutter bars and HSS cutters along with a Hunter carbide tip. Love the combo.

FWIW, in an unscientific poll of our turning club, the Bosch system is used by about the same number of turners as all others combined.

Gary

[Kevin Jenness]

The articulated is best if you do a lot of first nation people style vessels with severe undercuts. The Bosch does not have a short link to do those kind of cuts. Well none of them do, that's why I made one. As far as choosing a brand, all of them will get the job done.

It can be difficult to access the upper shoulder area of a wide, flat form with a small opening. I had a set of John Jordan bars and was unable to make them work in such situations. Lyle Jamieson's boring bar does reach almost every shape that I have made, although it requires multiple adjustments. I have a JT Tools Transformer bar with several swiveling links, even more flexible, but no longer available, and there is at least one other multi-link bar (Munro?) Simon Hope's articulated hollowing system does have an extra short link for more agility but seems to be unavailable in the US. With some boring bars you may have to settle for taller shapes or larger openings. Of course some can make their own tools.

[Peter Blair]

I have a Kobra, a D-Way reverse, and home made a Jameson. I like them all and use the Kobra for anything deeper than about 4". The D-Way is handy as no real set up is required, I have made cutters and bars and added my camera set as well as for the Cobra for the Jameson and they work great .

[Ted Calver]

I also have a Kobra (my favorite), a Monster, and a Oneway. I quickly learned that for most of the hollow forms I was interested in making, a hand held tool was not my best option. The Kobra is/was the top of the heap for commercially available hollowing systems. Unfortunately, I don't think they are produced anymore. Here's some shots of the Kobra and Monster side by side:

kobra-monster 003 (Small).jpg, kobra-monster 010 (Small).JPG, kobra-monster 011 (Small).JPG, kobra-monster 012 (Small).JPG

[Richard Coers]

It can be difficult to access the upper shoulder area of a wide, flat form with a small opening. I had a set of John Jordan bars and was unable to make them work in such situations. Lyle Jamieson's boring bar does reach almost every shape that I have made, although it requires multiple adjustments. I have a JT Tools Transformer bar with several swiveling links, even more flexible, but no longer available, and there is at least one other multi-link bar (Munro?) Simon Hope's articulated hollowing system does have an extra short link for more agility but seems to be unavailable in the US. With some boring bars you may have to settle for taller shapes or larger openings. Of course some can make their own tools.

I use the Jamieson style holder, same as was used with the Stewart hollowing bar. I've even ground the outside diameter of the swivel into some kind of tear drop shape. Not unusual for me to work through a 3/4" hole.
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