Dan Mosley
Member
- Messages
- 1,169
- Location
- Palm Springs, Ca
Since i purchased the Monster Hollowing Rig I have turned a couple dry hollow and several green wood vessels. I wanted to put it thru the loops so to speak. I really like this tool and have have alot of fun using it. There is a learning curve to it and im still learning how to use it without making to many funnels I have made some vessels on my first tries and they turned out fine with even wall thickness.
The System comes complete and I don't think you need to buy anything additional for it. Although i did buy a indexing tool with it because i wanted one but is not necessary for hollowing rig.
The laser stayed secure the majority of the turning cycle and is a very good laser with great ease of adjustment. I said majority because i have had it move frequently on me during the hollowing of dry wood but it was because of alot of jumping while I was turning (and alot of this is in the technique on dry wood -I literally bent the shaft on one of the extensions - Randy is replacing it even though I didnt ask.... figuring it was my fault - Many thanks to his customer service even when it was my fault....). Dry wood much harder to do obviously.
On green wood turning (which is much easier obviously) i would constantly check the laser and tweak it if i needed to but it stayed more secure on the green wood so i had minimal movement (again some jumping that can move it but my technique is not great yet). I did have to reposition during angle changes but that is required. If i was turning smoothly without the jumping and mini catches the laser stayed dead on and no adjustment was needed.
With the tooling you get many cutters and extensions - I took Vaughns advice and tried the large stratight tip on my indexing tool (see pic below) and holly cow can this this rough down a blank fast. You get other cutters for turning the curves and for straight hollowing, a carbide round cutter for cleaning up the inside, and what i call a "adjustable angle cutter" where you can put in a cutter and adjust your own angles as you wish. They work great and the round carbide cutter works good but i need more practice with it. Again technique and learning - not the tool- a bit grabby when i use it.
I have used them all except the adjustable angle cutter which leads up to my question for those of you that have the same rig. Which one of the cutters do you put into the cutter extension (see Pic below 1st pic far left) ?
All in all i would say this is well worth the money in engineering quality and what you get with it for you money.
I have called and emailed Randy at Monster several times before and after purchase with questions and he has always responded back. This is worth alot to me because i hate having to wade thru customer service people to get to a techincal person that also may or maynot be able to help you.
The System comes complete and I don't think you need to buy anything additional for it. Although i did buy a indexing tool with it because i wanted one but is not necessary for hollowing rig.
The laser stayed secure the majority of the turning cycle and is a very good laser with great ease of adjustment. I said majority because i have had it move frequently on me during the hollowing of dry wood but it was because of alot of jumping while I was turning (and alot of this is in the technique on dry wood -I literally bent the shaft on one of the extensions - Randy is replacing it even though I didnt ask.... figuring it was my fault - Many thanks to his customer service even when it was my fault....). Dry wood much harder to do obviously.
On green wood turning (which is much easier obviously) i would constantly check the laser and tweak it if i needed to but it stayed more secure on the green wood so i had minimal movement (again some jumping that can move it but my technique is not great yet). I did have to reposition during angle changes but that is required. If i was turning smoothly without the jumping and mini catches the laser stayed dead on and no adjustment was needed.
With the tooling you get many cutters and extensions - I took Vaughns advice and tried the large stratight tip on my indexing tool (see pic below) and holly cow can this this rough down a blank fast. You get other cutters for turning the curves and for straight hollowing, a carbide round cutter for cleaning up the inside, and what i call a "adjustable angle cutter" where you can put in a cutter and adjust your own angles as you wish. They work great and the round carbide cutter works good but i need more practice with it. Again technique and learning - not the tool- a bit grabby when i use it.
I have used them all except the adjustable angle cutter which leads up to my question for those of you that have the same rig. Which one of the cutters do you put into the cutter extension (see Pic below 1st pic far left) ?
All in all i would say this is well worth the money in engineering quality and what you get with it for you money.
I have called and emailed Randy at Monster several times before and after purchase with questions and he has always responded back. This is worth alot to me because i hate having to wade thru customer service people to get to a techincal person that also may or maynot be able to help you.
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