Hard Maple Hollow Form

Very nice! Great form.

Did you turn the outside a little after the hollowing? That's about the only way I can keep from bunging up the opening. Very nice piece!

Larry,

Yes, there was much work after hollowing work was done. I'm not sure if I cheated the hollowing gospel or this is what is being done on the down low but I was turned onto this technique by Jason Meneely. His most recent post, "Night Fall" lit a fire in me for the procedure he clued me in on. I've been using it on all the tall vases I've been working on and wanted to apply it to a more traditional hollow form shape with a tiny tiny opening.

Effectively I turn the main shape and include a bottom tendon as well as a top one. Then flip the form to drill out the top hole. Then flip it and part off the bottom tendon, which is used later so keep it in the shaving so it doesn't start cracking. Then I hollow from a slightly smaller than the bottom tenon hole I drill. The hardest part in hollowing is the guess of where your neck will be. It's hidden under the top tenon that is holding things at this point. If you have the shape locked in the vision it's easier. Then flip again using the bottom opening in a smaller ID chuck to turn off the top tenon and create the neck. I use the tail stock and/or a three point steady in almost all situations for stability. Once that is done I put the previouslly removed bottom tenon between centers and size it down to the opening size used to hollow from. A "plug" as Jason noted. Add some CA glue, then a little decretive cut on the bottom and no one will even notice what you did.

Well, there's my cheat sheet in a quick post. I hope I'm not kicked out of the hollowing club!?

Here is Jason's post that started me down this path:

And here a post of mine that shows how the bottom looks when done.

I like it, Nino.

Well done!