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Anyone have the Monster Hollowing system for the Jet Mini?

D

Doug M Jones

Joined
Jun 22, 2007
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I have been looking and saving for the Monster Hollowing system for my Jet mini. It looks like a well built system with lots of cutting tips and comes with the laser but before I pull the trigger I wanted to see if anyone had first hand experience.

Thanks for the help,

Doug
 
Choice for your hollowing system should be based on what kind of hollow forms you want to create. Not sure how big you can handle on a "mini" lathe.
I've had one for about a year and it works great for larger HFs (where the opening is about 1.5 inches!) I've been able to do some 9" dia X 20" urns.
I also use Donald Derry's Lightening hollowing system for smaller forms (or forms where I want to keep the opening under 1.5".)
Others may have more to offer.
 
treedoctor said:
How effective is the JET mini for hollowing considered power limitations?
Just curious, I have one too.
Click to expand...

At the 2007 Desert Woodturning Roundup, Stan Townsend demonstrated his Elbo Tool using a JET mini lathe. It was a pretty sweet set up. The cutting tool mounted in the tip was fairly small (I don't recall the size), but the machine seemed to take a "full" cut without bogging down the motor. Stan was turning (and allowing us to turn) an end-grain bowl, which allowed us to see the tool in action.

One draw back to using a mini lathe with an articulated hollower such as the Elbo Tool, is that the tool takes up so much room you needed a bed extension. Stan has introduced an attachment that allows use of the Elbo Tool on a mini without a bed extension. Here's a link: http://www.elbotool.com/mini-lathe.html
 
I pretty much hollow by hand on the Jet mini. The forms I turn are usually under 8" tall. I hollow the larger forms on my big lathe and then I might switch to my homemade Jamieson bar.
I did at one time make a free standing wooden secondary tool rest so I could use the boring bar on the jet mini. It sat on the floor and I attached it to the lathe with another board and C clamp. It worked a whole lot better than you imagine when you hear me talk about it.
The reason is simple. With a boring bar that uses a secondary rest like the Jamieson bar everything is aligned so the cutter is always on center. There isn't any torque on the bar and it cuts nicely with just one hand. This means that the secondary rest isn't doing any hard work, it's only supporting the bar at the proper height. I host an all day turning session at my house once a year and everyone who tried it thought it worked perfectly.
If you want a captured bar system for the mini the mini Kobra will work on the Jet mini.
 
I have the Monster, and love it. I don't like the cutters that come with it, as I prefer my McNaughton cutters (large set is too long for the Monster and chatters, but the others work fine), and the Eliminator. I had Randy make me an adapter so I could use them with his system. The cutter tips that come with the Monster are fairly small, 3/16, and a big one at about 3/8 inch, and I would think that a mini will handle that size with no problem. I love the laser pointer that comes with the Monster as well. Makes hollowing easy. I haven't tried either the Kobra, or the Elbow tool.
robo hippy
 
I have the larger Monster rig and like it. This rig has been shown to or borrowed by others to try out... once they see it they have to buy one which shows how well this is made. Randy at Monster tool produces high quality tools second to none, call him up.
 
It terrific!

It is a terrific system at a very reasonable price. I unexpectedly bought a larger lathe just a few weeks after getting my mini monster and was able to get another base that allowed me to use it with my powermatic. The picture is of the 1st hollowed form I did. It's sycamore and is 9 1/8" wide and about 3 1/8" high and was done on a Jet mini and I had no idea what I was doing. I have used the Elbo on a Powermatic and feel that the Monster Hollowing tool far surpasses it.
 

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Elbo vs. Monster Hollowing Tools

I own a mini-monster hollowing tool bought for my Jet mini and now adapted to use on a PM 3520b. About a month after getting and using the mini-monster I took a class at the Campbell Folk school and used the elbo on a PM 3520b. I think it's safe to say that everyone in the class who used the elbo felt that the monster was better for the following reasons:
-it's more solidly built and has less play in the moving parts
-the part of the tool that enters the HF is round, smaller and easier to hollow with
-the school has had quite a few problems with the elbo and while I was there several of the elbos were in the shop for repair.

This is just my opinion and I'm sure you could find others with opposing opinions. I'd suggest doing a search on this site and on sawmill creek where you'll find other comments.
 
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