Swan neck hollower question

[Rolf In Burlington [OP]]

When hollowing out a vessel with a narrower opening than hollowed section, how round or big a swan neck carbide hollower is most useful? I know that it depends on size and shape etc, however, I don't necessarily want to buy too many size variations. Sorby has only a small acute carbide hollower really, Skelton's HSS tools have different curves, but they are relatively short. Then you can get big 75 mm radius hollowers? What size is most useful?

[Leo Van Der Loo]

Depending how deep you intend to go, you need a heavier size bar, you will get shattering pretty quick as the tool tip hangs farther over the rest, as for the cutter itself, you should use a small cutter be it HSS or carbide.

HSS is what is used most, I have done some hollowing of smaller pieces, but as soon as you want to go deeper you do need more than just a swan neck bar with a tip, a torque arrester and second rest is wat I recommend.

Look at wat Oneway makes and sells, you can buy from others, but that is the type of setup you should have if you go a little deeper than say 6 inches, and you do need quickly much heavier bars.

I made a couple outrigger followers that work OK for small vases, and some undercut hollow forms.



This is what Oneway makes and sells, they have a couple different sizes for bigger and smaller lathes.


Swanneck hollower bar from oneway, I made a couple tools straight and swan neck where I can rotate the tip holder for undercutting the neck, (no tip in it).

[Rolf In Burlington [OP]]

I guess I should have put a vessel size range. I wanted to make a spherical shaped pieces roughly 6" deep and 9" diameter. The opening will be 2 to 2.5" wide so a tool rest can still be inserted. I was hoping I could get away with a swan neck tool to hollow the near side of the opening. Maybe when I get a big oneway 2436 I will consider larger vessels and associated tools.....

Nicely made tools Leo....

[Leo Van Der Loo]

I guess I should have put a vessel size range. I wanted to make a spherical shaped pieces roughly 6" deep and 9" diameter. The opening will be 2 to 2.5" wide so a tool rest can still be inserted. I was hoping I could get away with a swan neck tool to hollow the near side of the opening. Maybe when I get a big oneway 2436 I will consider larger vessels and associated tools.....

Nicely made tools Leo....

Thanks Rolf

Yes you can use a swan neck tool if it is thick/large enough, as you can get under the rim and also remove the wood lower down.

For most of the wood a straight hollowing tool can be used to remove most of the wood from the center outward, drill a dept hole so you know where you are and don't have to struggle with that center wood.

If you make a swan neck tool, make sure that the cutting edge of the tip is inline with the bar, so you don't have to deal with the rotational torque of the tool as much.

For a straight hollower tool just a steel bar with a HSS bit in the end is all you need, like the one I showed, or one like this, I just cut a piece out of it (hacksaw) (Drilled a hole where the end was to be) then drilled and tapped for some fine thread and screwed the bolds in it, easy to add, change or remove the bit like for sharpening.




I have turned a few HF (hollow forms) the Applewood graft was a more difficult one, as it was already splitting before I received it (still wanted to use it) and needed the neck to keep it from flying apart, and that did make it harder to do. it also was changing shape while turning, so it's not very thin turned but LOML did like it and it got confiscated .



Nice Common Buckthorn HF also in LOML possession


I also have a Honey Locust HF that I rough turned 17 years ago but still sits somewhere in my bowl storage, Maybe ---- very maybe I will finish turn it yet