Keith, looking good. Funny how several of us are doing about the same things at the same time.
Last month a local turning club member did a demo at our meeting about "piercing". He had several samples of his work, a few being really nice hollow vessels. In case you might have thought of it, here is a link to a paper he did on piercing....
http://www.wntx.org/program/demos2009/piercing_demo.pdf
I just completed my piercing tool using a dental drill as described in his paper and have been piercing everything in sight the past week and have dozens more of 1/16" bits on their way. Some bits are perfect for burning rather than piercing. I'm getting pretty good at writing with the drill and plan on signing the bottoms of my work with it.
My dilehma right now is trying to decide which tools to buy to turn the insides of the vessels since I have nothing right now, mind sharing what tools you use? I'm leaning towards either the Hunter Swan neck tool or the Rolly Munro Articulated Hollower but the latter is pretty pricey and looks to be for larger vessles.
Mark, You ought to load up some wood and come over some morning and we'll blow up bowls together!