Question for monster articulated hollower owners

[Brent Wells]

i recently purchased a monster articulated hollowing system. I was saving for a hope hollowing system but couldn't pass up the deal. My question is how deep can you safely go with system. I know they make a one inch bar. What must have cutters bars should i get. I have a swan neck and several cutters and straight bars. I was looking at a carbide to add to the hss cutters. I was shocked how little amount of video is out on this thing. I have done small hollowing hand held and have a dway hollowing tool but have never played with articulated or captured systems. I will start small and work my way up. I have always heard do a small bowl to be able to see and feel the way it cuts. I also have adapters if there are parts from other systems that I should get. I also plan on setting up a "frugal camera system" that was in the more woodturning magazine. Thanks for your help.

 

[Fred Belknap]

I have one but haven't used it for a while. I have turned hollow forms around 8" but it is more comfortable below 7". That is using the 3/4" bar. The laser works pretty good. I have had to replace the laser a couple times, the battery case needs to be taped shut. The 3/16 and 1/4 inch hss work good, you will need a holder to sharpen them. I use a round cutter in the gooseneck tool to smooth the inside. It is a well made tool except for the laser, for the money I think it could of been better. Never used the camera system but it sounds good.

 

[Raul McCai]

I also have adapters if there are parts from other systems that I should get.

I get things ( or build them) as the need arises. With my articulated hollower I ended up with a lot of steel bar stock that I modify into various shapes and drill to receive little HSS steel or carbide cutters that are scrap drill blanks end mills and broken taps. I fin'd 1/4" diameter about as big as I need.

 

[john lucas]

I don't have an articulated hollower but with my Jamieson style homemade bar it starts to chatter between 8 and 10". If you make your cuts downhill with the grain rather than straight across the grain it reduces the chatter tremendously. I also use either the 3/16" HSS cutters or a Hunter #1. The smaller cutters seem to reduce chatter. I have hollowed up to 14" with a 3/4" bar but you have to go pretty slow beyone 10". Light cuts with a sharp tool that takes a small bite helps a lot when going deep. What I'm talking about in grain direction is cutting from the bottom of the piece toward the outside at about 45 degrees pulling the cutter toward you. You can actually hear the difference in the cut. I used to take small bits sideways in little steps. Now I do sort of the same thing but the bits are pulling the cutter toward me as it goes to the left.

 

[hockenbery]

Good luck with your new acquisition

Depth: The bar diameter determines the depth you can go.
With a 3/4!bar I can hollow about 8" over the tool rest comfortably.
I can get to a depth of 10" with very light cuts.
1 1/2 bar can go about 14"

An easy way to test is put a scrap block on the lathe and move the tool rest back 8", 10", 12".
An articulated system can add a level of movement not present with the Jamieson as the supporting articulated mechanism can flex but I dought this would be significant unless some part was loose or defective.

Carbide: I'm not a fan for hollowing because they are too slow.
Could be an advantage for a new hollowed.
I have the little hunter Carbide cutters on a straight and curved Bosch bar.
They leave a clean surface but cut slowly because not much cutting edge can engage the wood.
I like removing wood faster and I scrape the surface last.

 

[Richard Coers]

In my opinion, the safety factor is more dependent on the operator than about the bar diameter. If you crank up the lathe speed, hog away, and don't clean out the chips often, you will have problems. If you run the lathe at moderate speed and take your time with sharp cutters, I've gone over 14" with a 3/4" bar. I use a homemade articulating system.

 

[George Guadiane]

I've been able to get between 10 and 12 inches deep - BUT there can be a lot of chatter. I use a Rolly Munro articulated hollower. It has a hooded cutter so that you can have control over how big a cut you take.
Using a hooded cutter like that cuts down on the grab and catch.

 

[Bill Boehme]

I also have a Rolly Munro hooded carbide cutter for my boring bar. It's really nice for getting clean cuts, but it also can clog until the hood position is tweaked just right.

 

[Bill Blasic]

I have used the Monster extensively and have gone 12" deep with the 3/4 Kelton Hollowers. I use the Kelton and John Jordan Hollowers almost exclusively in all sizes.

 

[Brent Wells]

I appreciate the help. I will look into the keltons but plan on starting small and working my up. I have looked at hunters and will have to check out rolly munro and John Jordan. Thanks again.

 

[Brent Wells]

I have used the Monster extensively and have gone 12" deep with the 3/4 Kelton Hollowers. I use the Kelton and John Jordan Hollowers almost exclusively in all sizes.

Bill

I am a memember of buckeye Woodturners and from Akron. I know you are a member of our club and always invite us when you have pros come in for one on ones. Do you ever give lessons yourself I could not find a website like Ernie and some others have.

Brent

 

[Bill Blasic]

Brent you would be welcome to come for a visit and I would help as much as possible.

 

[John Tisdale]

Why do the captive thing? I hear about guys spending good money to get systems that might do a 12" piece.
I've been doing 20"+ pieces for over 10-years and all with just one tool rest - see pic:
1) I elevate the lathe to a spindle height of about 53" - it is on a platform
2) I stand up on that platform for outside shaping
3) For hollowing, I stand flat footed with a straight back in the four to six o'clock position
4) The tooling pin allows me NOT to bend over
5) The internal tool rest does two things: 1) most of the time the tool is 2" to 4" over the edge and 2) Even when more than that, I have a reference at the back of the tool rest - if the tool is 1/8" off the back area, I know I'm "dead-nuts" on 9-o'clock

A short story: A newbie (never done any woodturning) visited the shop a few years ago. At that particular time, I was hollowing about a 21" piece. After about two hours observing, my wife and I had to do an errand - left the newbie with tool and lathe. We came back in about 2-hours - he had made significant progress and never had an anxious moment.

SUGGESTION: Do the internal tool rest, tool up with a Rolle Munro, make it easy.
DOWNSIDE: The internal lends itself to larger pieces with around a 3" opening - if you want to do tiny openings, take a course from David Ellsworth.