Hey this Hollow Form Stuff is Neat!!

Stuart Ablett

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Tokyo Japan
I finally got round to using the real HSS bits I bought for the >Hollowing Rig< I built.

I got two pieces, one 8mm and one 6mm

new_bits.jpg

You can see where I cut the smaller bit off, and sharpened it.

side_rig1.jpg
here is the result.

side_rig2.jpg

side_rig_finger_check1.jpg
I used it a bit, and it worked quite fine :D

I decided that I needed to make a straight bar, to further hollow out this bowl.

kermit_is_good1.jpg
Boy it is nice to have a real drill press :thumb:

kermit_is_good2.jpg
yes, Kermit took this all in stride, and then some :clap:


boring_bar1.jpg
The boring bar. I do not know if I'm leaving too much of the bit hanging out there or not, but is sure did work well!!

boring_bar_depth_check.jpg
Fun fun fun!! :D

I guess I need to break out the forge, make a third one and give it a bend or two so I can have a goose neck............. gonna have to get a laser next :wave:

Dang that was fun!! :thumb::thumb:

Cheers!
 
Looking good, Stu. Wow, 10 inches into the vessel. :eek: That's a big chunk of wood. :rofl:

I'm learning that the combination of straight, angled, and swan neck bars can reach just about any spot if you're crafty. Your straight bar looks good to me, although that's about the max I'd want to extend the bit. I usually run with mine shorter.
 
Looking good, Stu. Wow, 10 inches into the vessel. :eek: That's a big chunk of wood. :rofl:

I'm learning that the combination of straight, angled, and swan neck bars can reach just about any spot if you're crafty. Your straight bar looks good to me, although that's about the max I'd want to extend the bit. I usually run with mine shorter.

Darn Yanks :rolleyes:

Them is the little inches the rest of the world use, 10 or them is about 4 of them long inches you guys use :D

Yeah, I'm going to make a swan neck one, that should do me, I think.

I'm really amazed at how well these cutters cut :eek:

MUCH better than the "Drill Stock" that I was using before, this stuff is WAY harder, which I can tell by using it, and by grinding it.

Anyone know what angle the bits are ground at, I picked about 7*

Wonder how much of a neck I should put on the swan......

I guess I'll google it
 
As always, your fine results are preceded by ingenuity.
You asked, "Anyone know what angle the bits are ground at, I picked about 7*"
The reccomendations that came with my Don Pencil hollowing tools are 10 degrees on the cutting edge. I got 'kinda' close on that when I sharpened mine. Personally, I don't believe it makes much difference. The angle of the hold is determined by how well the tool is cutting. You can feel it, as I'm sure you already know, and adjust slightly until it's cutting to your level of total happiness. :D
 
Thanks Frank!

It cuts very well, the wood I'm using is sort of softish, Ginko, I have a bunch of it, so I'll use it up, but I might just end up with "Funky Firewood" :rofl:

Don't matter, good practice for sure.

Cheers!
 
Looks good, Stu. Straight bar seems to have a bit too much cutter sticking out there, but you may be alright on smaller vessels without any knots. When it goes I'm sure it will happen quick, though.
 
Looks good, Stu. Straight bar seems to have a bit too much cutter sticking out there, but you may be alright on smaller vessels without any knots. When it goes I'm sure it will happen quick, though.

Well, I think I'll cut it off half way, about 1/3 of it is in the bar, that will give me a third cutter for the swan neck as well.

Can't wait to get back at it, but I think I'll have to wait to the weekend to spark up the forge :D

Cheers!
 
...The angle of the hold is determined by how well the tool is cutting. You can feel it, as I'm sure you already know, and adjust slightly until it's cutting to your level of total happiness. :D
Keep in mind Frank that in the captive rig, there is no adjusting the angle of the hold. Only the angle of the grind will change things.
 
Well I dunno about that Vaughn, I could/can loosen the bolts holding the various bars in the D-handle and turn them a touch, which would change the angle the bit bites the wood..........:dunno:

Well I had fun, right up until the exploded :rofl:

I was getting it real thin like, using a bright light on the outside, looking from the inside.......... then, I found out that there was just a touch of slag on the D-handle from the welding, that I missed sanding off, the handle hung up for just a sec.............. then let go....... bit popped right through the side of the vessel, and KABLOOOEY!!! :wave:

Oh well, learned a lot, I'm sure this is not the last time a HF will go to pieces :rolleyes:

I really see why everyone has a laser hooked up to their rigs, man, that would be nice......:thumb:

I found some of the pencil type laser pointer, cheap too, but they all run on 3 watch batteries, and they say they last at least 30 minutes.................:eek:

YIKES, I'd be buying a LOT of watch batteries!!

I found one unit..............

laser1.jpg

It says the beam is 5mm wide...... ah 3/16"....too wide?

Nice thing about this unit is it runs on AA batteries, and I have a bunch of rechargeable batteries, not to mention, I could get an AC power supply and just hard wire it.....?

How fine a pinpoint of light do you need?

Cheers!
 
OK, I've been having at it again..........:rolleyes:

Turns out, this wood, Ginko, SUCKS for this hollowing out thing, well at least when it is dried out......yeah, seems the sealer I put on it, did not work....:(

Oh well, a day turning crappy wood is better than a day NOT turning!! :wave:

1st_hf_i_c_light.jpg
I can see the light!!! :D
yes, it was getting fairly thin.... :rolleyes:

1st_hf_inside.jpg
As you can see, this wood was way SOFT as it just crumbled, and never really cut.

1st_hf_outside.jpg
I got a somewhat OK cut on the outside, but boy was it hard work to do so.....

1st_hf_cracks.jpg
I did find these nasty little cracks, that were not there yesterday.... :huh:

1st_hf_chopped.jpg
Finally, I did what they say you should do with some of your first HF, chop them in half to see how you did.......?

Well, any one want to comment on the laser thing?

How big is the "Dot" on your laser?

3/16" too big?

Cheers!
 
Stu, I'd guess my laser dot is about 1/8" in diameter. 3/16" is probably comparable. (They're all likely coming out of the same factory in Asia.) If necessary, you could always make a pinhole lens to put over the transmitter (or whatever it's called).

Your Ginko reminds me of some of the spalted hackberry I've been turning. It's like turning rotten styrofoam.
 
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