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Hollow Form Tool System

Guy Mueller

Guy Mueller

Joined
Jul 5, 2015
Messages
7
Likes
19
Location
Aiken, SC
Posted several days ago about Articulating Arm Hollowing Systems. Want to open it up to all types of hollowing systems ie: Jamieson, Transformer, Gizmo etc. My experience is been with Platters Bowels type stuff. Thinking about something that would allow me to go up to 16". Got a Grizzly G0766 22"x 42"
 
I use Carter Tool’s Hollow Roller XL deep hollowing system. I converted the laser to a camera, and I really like it. Bit heavy, but does really nicely on bigger turnings.

Kind regards,
Rich
 
You need a lot of bar diameter to go 16" deep. But I'm confused that maybe you want to use this on bowels (sic) and platters? Sorry, I always chuckle when people use the word bowels! The only systems I know of to do the job well are the bigger bars for the Jamieson system with the jumbo bar, or Steve Sinner's system (Advanced Tools) https://www.thesandingglove.com/Advanced-Lathe-Tools-Boring-Bar-Systems.asp
 
If you want to do deep hollowing, I can recommend the Steve Sinner Advanced Lathe Tools boring bar system. I have the next to largest size ... 1⅛" diameter steel bars. It's able to go 24" deep, but the deepest hollowform that I have turned is between 16 and 17 inches deep. I use the Munro carbide hollowing accessory and really like the fast stock removal and smooth finish.

I use a Robust steady rest with this hollowing rig.

The large size is two 1¼" bars and can go 33" deep.
 
RichColvin said:
I use Carter Tool’s Hollow Roller XL deep hollowing system. I converted the laser to a camera, and I really like it. Bit heavy, but does really nicely on bigger turnings.

Kind regards,
Rich
Click to expand...
I have turned bowls and platters want to get into Hollow forms/vessels
 
I have Jamieson’s system, with the jumbo bar (1-1/4” I think). Have the carbide cutter and his threaded tool rest. So far I used it to 15”. Works very well. Can be a a bit of a struggle to get the cutter in the right area with wide hi “shoulder” forms, especially a necked vase, where the bar has to be angled significantly. I have made some 1/2” curved tool holders just for that application. They are just easier to get into position.

I chose Jamieson because of the flexibility and value - I have the “I want it all” package. With all the different bars, tool holders, cutters, etc his system appeared to be the best value for a complete system.

I put together a camera system using an old computer monitor. A camera was $45, and a vga adapter was $15 so for $60 I could try it - works great. I only use 2 cutters, the 6mm cupped and a 9mm flat (for the bars I make). I made a target template (concentric rings) for each and color printed them on transparencies, sized for the camera magnification. Just tape it to the screen - no marking or anything
 
Richard Coers said:
You need a lot of bar diameter to go 16" deep. But I'm confused that maybe you want to use this on bowels (sic) and platters? Sorry, I always chuckle when people use the word bowels! The only systems I know of to do the job well are the bigger bars for the Jamieson system with the jumbo bar, or Steve Sinner's system (Advanced Tools) https://www.thesandingglove.com/Advanced-Lathe-Tools-Boring-Bar-Systems.asp
Click to expand...

For deep bowels I have used the Fujinon EC-530-LS that has a built in camera that works well for getting into those tight corners.

Fujinon EC-530-LS.jpg
 
Mike Johnson said:
For deep bowels I have used the Fujinon EC-530-LS that has a built in camera that works well for getting into those tight corners.

View attachment 29770
Click to expand...
I'm a deep bowel expert. Spent three days in the hospital last month with sepsis that started as a diverticulitis flareup! Now that was not a laughing matter! Nearly anything that I eat now has an analysis on fiber content! About ready to start eating my wood curls.
 
Richard Coers said:
I'm a deep bowel expert. Spent three days in the hospital last month with sepsis that started as a diverticulitis flareup! Now that was not a laughing matter! Nearly anything that I eat now has an analysis on fiber content! About ready to start eating my wood curls.
Click to expand...
Yea that's a scary looking catheter.
 
Now that you all relieved yourselves........lol


When I started hollow turning, I had no idea what shape pieces I wished to venture into ( bulbous, doughnut, or deep vase). Some of the boring bar systems currently offered may not physically be capable of providing the entry angle needed to produce donut like pieces. I was fortunate enough to buy a system whose 30 inch long retaining bar had two posts one located in the center and one near the end which enabled me to set up and hollow on a 30-50 degree angle to the bed of the lathe. BTW, like many hollowing system manufacturers, this system(Infinity)is no longer on the market. Another lucky break was the D-Bar accepted a 3/4 boring bar which allowed me to buy a 1-1/8” Jamieson Bar and later hunter carbide cutters that are on a 3/16 bar connected to an articulated 3/8 round straight or curved connecting bar. (The Jamieson Bar has a 3/4 tenon that connects to my D-Bar.) Inexpensive 3/16 hhs bits fit in this rig as well as tungsten teardrop cutters. (Teardrop cutters are available at the Woodturning tool store or Carter) The manual hollowing Dennis Stuart curved boring bar is also 3/4 and fits into my D-Bar as well as my 3/4 Andre Martel Hook tool bar. I enjoy the flexibility of these light weighted bars when hollowing smaller forms or hollowing of the first few inches of a larger form and it’s shoulders. . Having more that one boring bar of different lengths and thickness makes sense as long as most parts are compatible. So far, 3/4” bar and d bar connections along with a 3/8 cutter connection enabled me to interface legacy and current systems but with about a 12” depth max using the 1-1/8” bar. That bar including the cutter and the Dbar is about 45” long. Also the original laser assembly is attached to the Dbar so it is available for use on all bars mentioned.
2years ago at AAW Kansas City, I bought some additional larger bars 1-1/4” and equipment to venture into 20-25” depth from Keith Clark, https://www.theokspindoctor.com/ . His bars are internally bored at 3/4” so every thing I own can be mixed and matched.
There is no one system that can do it all as far as vessel shape and size but it sure makes sense to integrate.

I would start with a small system like Jamieson or Sinner and master smaller forms and build on that.
The 3/16 cutters are an example of “less is more.”
Learn these first, they cut less material but stress the wood and your project less.
Hope you find my experience helpful.
 
Making a mistake on a smaller vessel with a hollowing tool is a good learning experience for when you progress to the 300# billets that will squash you like a bug if things go bad.
 
Dennis Weiner said:
Now that you all relieved yourselves........lol

2years ago at AAW Kansas City, I bought some additional larger bars 1-1/4” and equipment to venture into 20-25” depth from Keith Clark, https://www.theokspindoctor.com/ . His bars are internally bored at 3/4” so every thing I own can be mixed and matched.
There is no one system that can do it all as far as vessel shape and size but it sure makes sense to integrate.

I would start with a small system like Jamieson or Sinner and master smaller forms and build on that.
The 3/16 cutters are an example of “less is more.”
Learn these first, they cut less material but stress the wood and your project less.
Hope you find my experience helpful.
Click to expand...


Dennis,

This is definitely one of the better systems on the market.

The "steady" is pretty simple and were DIY plans around, using off the shelf steel collars from www.mcmaster.com.
(assuming you can weld of course...)

I built my own system, and found the friction ("stick-tion") at the back reduced my ability to "feel" the cut.
So I really like the captive system on the back of the Spindoctor, with sliders to reduce that friction.
(made my own captive part, from 2" steel pipe and rollers that rolled back and forth along the pipe. The boring bar hung below the captive bar, so if there's a catch, the boring bar just bangs up a millimeter into the captive bar. This arrangement has almost zero friction)

Additionally, my tool rest has pins on it. So I can rotate the rest into the hollow form, (to reduce the overhang), then work off the end of the pin.
Using the pin as a fulcrum, and the right end of the boring bar for adjustments, then I have incredible accuracy at the tip.
 
olaf Vogel said:
Dennis,

This is definitely one of the better systems on the market.

The "steady" is pretty simple and were DIY plans around, using off the shelf steel collars from www.mcmaster.com.
(assuming you can weld of course...)

I built my own system, and found the friction ("stick-tion") at the back reduced my ability to "feel" the cut.
So I really like the captive system on the back of the Spindoctor, with sliders to reduce that friction.
(made my own captive part, from 2" steel pipe and rollers that rolled back and forth along the pipe. The boring bar hung below the captive bar, so if there's a catch, the boring bar just bangs up a millimeter into the captive bar. This arrangement has almost zero friction)

Additionally, my tool rest has pins on it. So I can rotate the rest into the hollow form, (to reduce the overhang), then work off the end of the pin.
Using the pin as a fulcrum, and the right end of the boring bar for adjustments, then I have incredible accuracy at the tip.
Click to expand...

Olaf, thanks for your response. I agree Clark System is one of the better extended hollowing systems out there.

Can you supply photos of your Innovations? I am really interested in sharing methodologies.

I also use inexpensive 1-1/4” shaft collars as stop blocks and often pivot off them. I sometimes use them to limit the depth of cut. Once I saw how Keith Clark connected his laser system to the 1-1/4 bars, all kind of light bulbs went off in my head. I have a double fulcrum system and that’s even less
friction. I don’t use a tool rest when using two fulcrums. I opted to connect to my legacy Dbar instead of using Clark’s dadoed boring bar in order to offset counter rotational forces. The major support For my boring bar are the 2 fulcrums. The dbar height is adjusted last so it almost floats across the legacy dbar rear trap.
 
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