Paul Porter Woodturning
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Hollowing Tools
These are the tools I use to hollow most of my work. They are good to about nine inches in diameter and six inches in height. For larger pieces I use the Jamieson style captured boring bar system. The tool at the top of the photo has a homemade laser holder attached to it. It's made from hardwood and half-inch aluminum tubing. The middle tool is for "hogging" out the middle of the piece. And the bottom tool has a teardrop scraper attached to it. They have the tang bent to about 45 degrees to hold the 24 inch handle against your body for excellent support. This is really useful if you have a long bed lathe. If you have a short bed, you do not need to bend the tang. I first saw this type of tool on the Kestrel Creek Web Site. You can buy this type of tool from AL BASHAM at this URL: http://www.albasham.com/.
Hollowing out is inherently dangerous, and is not a process that should be pursued aggressively. Tool control is very important, regardless of which tool you use. Staying focused on what youre doing, not over-extending the tools capability and using appropriate safety equipment will make the process both enjoyable and rewarding. J. Paul Fennell
Below is a photo to the tool in action.
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