What tool do I use?

[joemac]

I am turning my first vase. It is walnut and about 7" overall long and 2 1/2" wide at the bottom. It is necked down about 2" from the top and then flares out to the 2 1/2" at the base. The neck opens about 7/8" and it flares to 1 1/2" at the opening. The inside is 6 1/4" deep.

I initially hollowed it out with a forstner bit, then used Easy Wood hollower #1 then #2. The part from the neck out looks OK but the part inside, below the neck is gouged and rough. It is pretty deep to use the Easy Wood hollowers.

I am not that concerned with the thickness of the walls as I am with making the inside walls smooth and the bottom flat. What tool(s) would work the best to even out the inside wall below the neck? How about the bottom?

[SteveS]

My preference is the Pro-Forme hollowers.

[n7bsn]

I cheat...

A trick I learned form Dave S (D-way tools) is to regrind a spade bit into a gentle curve, and use that to drill out the bottom of vessels. That way the bottom center is done.

Another trick I learned from a guy in our local club. Melt paraffin wax and use that to smooth out the inside of the vessel.

[Arlin Eastman]

Joe

The only thing you can do now is using a hollowing tool like the Lyle Jamieson or a few others that have a bar of 3/4 and bigger.

What I have done in the past is use a long drill bit that fits into the tail stock and then do the hollowing. Although EZ tools are great to use they are limited to 6" and less.

Lyle Jamieson gave me his hollowing tool for a Christmas present last year. I highly recommend it if you are thinking of getting one like it.

Arlin

[joemac]

Arlin, another fellow suggested I use a tear drop scraper. Sorby has one and I can get our Hartville WoodNet discount, free shipping and no tax. I ordered that.

[Angus]

wait wait wait..........which scraper? I use the sorby hollowmaster and can go 6" off the rest but it has been modified. which sorby did you order?

unless you just got a cutter to go on your current hollower. that would work but I would have gone with the round one

[joemac]

I ordered the SORBY #RS200KT MULTI-TIP HOLLOWING TOOL as seen here It comes with two hollowing tips and a tear drop scraper. Will this work?

[n7bsn]

I've used that one, I don't know that I would do more then 4 inches off the rest.
I usually use it with the flat side down with the tear-drop blade.
I've also used it as a shear scrapper, tilted at 45 degrees

[Angus]

I have the one you linked to. I use it round side down so I can shear scrape with it. I highly recommend it for no more than 3 maybe 4 inches off the rest. I did replace the short handle with an aftermarket steel handle so I could reach 4 inches (if needed) with a little more comfort factor.

If you see more hollowing in your future you might want to consider the hollowmaster. You can work the the bottom side of shouldered pieces. link I put a longer handle on this one also. I prefer the round cutter over the teardrop. you can get into smaller openings safer if your don't have one end of the teardrop hanging out past the bar. round cutter

With needing to reach the bottom I think your on the edge with the hollwmaster. I don't think I'd try it with the one you ordered but that's just me.

I would think you could use a shear cut on the tool you have to do the clean up you need. Another option would be to just replace the cutter. With that said I've never used easy tools so don't know if that would work and better.

Hope this helped.

[iclark]

Alternatively, don't clean it up. Instead insert a vase tube.