Turning Hollow Forms

"With the Lyle Jamieson Hollowing Jig"

- By Logan Wittmer

When it comes to woodworking in general, I tend to be a traditionalist. Sure, there are a few new tools that I use daily, but if a task can be done with traditional tools, that’s usually how I’ll do it. The same can be said for turning. I am a fan of traditional cutting tools: a spindle roughing gouge, a parting tool, spindle and bowl gouges. I like the way the wood reacts to a sharp tool, and the surface that’s left behind. Plus, I enjoy developing the skills needed to effectively use cutting tools. However, when it comes to hollowing vessels through a small opening, that’s where I change it up.

For turning small hollow forms like the small burl piece above, I rely on my Jimmy Clewes mate tool. It’s a great little tool that has crossed the “traditional tool” line. The one limitation with it is the depth in which you can hollow. Usually, I try and stick with about 7 with the mega mate. So what happens if you want to hollow deeper... say a vase that is 12 or deeper? That’s where I rely on a little help. That helping hand comes in the form of a hollowing jig.

Jig Basics Hollowing jigs all share a few common traits, and share one goal: to help you create uniform hollow forms safely and easily. Hollowing deep hollow forms with handled tools (such as extra-long handled scrapers) can beat up the turner. A tool hanging several inches to a foot off the tool rest creates a tremendous amount of leverage. The goal of a hollowing jig is to let the lathe do the work without transferring the excess torque to the turner.