Hollow Form Advise

[Burt Alcantara]

Yesterday, I made a small lidded box in the shape of a vase/hollow form. It is my best box form to date. It got me to thinking about making larger hollow forms, something I know nothing about.

I've watched a few demos at my club but the systems seemed monstrous, almost dangerous, with results that are...mixed.

I began fiddling around with a termite but have doubts that this is a serious hollowing tool. It is not fast and clogs easily on my small boxes.

Are there any good DVDs, books or other sources of information that you can point me to? I'd rather start off small using my basic bowl/box tools but am will to get a hollowing tool of some sort. Heard good things about the Eliminator.

Searched the archives here. Found good photos but not that much about tools and techniques.

Thanks,
Burt

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Burt........I just bought early this spring one of the captured hollowing systems. I kid you not.....save your pennies until you can afford one. I'll bet you could almost drink coffe with one hand and turn a HF with the other. I wouldn't do it or advise it but I bet you could do it! Talk to one of your turning club members and find someone who has Lyle Jamieson's video "Hollow Forms - The Easy Way"...and view it. I can't imagine using any other method for HFs. It's truly that easy and my first one and successive ones are just plain easy and fun!

[Patrick Taylor]

I kid you not.....save your pennies until you can afford one.

I've got the monster set, that can be upgraded to a captive system when I get a larger lathe. So there is an intermediate step where one can hollow by hand and then re-use those tools with a captive system later.

[Fred Conte]

Burt........I just bought early this spring one of the captured hollowing systems.

Ken - May I ask which one did you get and where?

Thanks! - Fred

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Fred....I bought the Jamieson from Cutting Edge in Houston. I really don't think brands are that important, however. All of the major captured systems are represented here at SMC by owners who are extremely happy with them and a lot of members have manufactured their own. My main message to Burt ......get a captured hollowing rig. Even a rookie can make them work with just a little common sense. I also bought the Jamieson video and watched it before I used the tool but that video would apply to most of the captured hollowing rigs I've seen.