Vase help please

[workinforwood]

I glued up this mass of corian samples, nearly 100 of them into this mini skyscraper looking thing. I'm making it into a vase, don't do much in the way of big turnings. Not sure the overall dimensions but the inside of the vase is 6.25 deep and about 3" wide. I built it like an octagon on the inside and the outside, recycling the corners into pens. I'm having a difficult time hollowing it out even though it's mostly hollow to start. I left the neck at the bottom extra thick to help with the abusive chattering I'm throwing at this monster attached with just a face plate and I have no steady rest. I only have 5 standard chisels that you'd get in a set <big ones though> and also have a bowl scraper chisel. Nothing is long enough to get to the bottom, and when I go deep it's tough to hold on and fear lingers that I'll break something. The rest sure can't go inside. Down near the bottom is the hardest part where I can't get much action to happen even when I do stretch to the point of wood being one the rest. I don't know what I can do other than set it aside to continue in the future with some better tool, whatever that would be.

 

[PaulDoug]

Well you are off to a good start. Very unique and I like it!

 

[Aderhammer]

Is it wide enough that you could fit your hand in there and just sand it to your desired profile. Do you have a bowl gouges that you could use in a shear scrape manner?

 

[workinforwood]

I can only fit three fingers inside, but I could spin a hefty dowel and wrap it in sandpaper. I have 3 bowl gouges, but would not know if they can shear scrape or actually what shear scrape might mean.

 

[fiferb]

You'll need one of the various hollowing tools to get to the bottom.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Neat project. I think you hit the answer yourself. You need a steady rest and hollowing tools.

 

[Ron in Drums PA]

You Need One Of These

http://www.monster-wood-tool.com/wst_page6.html

 

[workinforwood]

Uh, wow Ron! That the link to that monstrosity under the pic?

I managed to clean it all out with a dowel and 30 grit paper, took a few hours of back breaking labour though.

 

[Ron in Drums PA]

Originally posted by workinforwood

Uh, wow Ron! That the link to that monstrosity under the pic?

I managed to clean it all out with a dowel and 30 grit paper, took a few hours of back breaking labour though.

LOL - Yes, scroll down to the bottom of the page for the price.

Seriously, this is a really good tool, just OVER-KILL for 90% of us. I had a chance to try one of these and it worked so well that it took all the fun out of hanging on to a tool for dear life while deep hollowing. BTW, it's also laser guided to help determine the wall thickness.

 

[PaulDoug]

Jeff, please be sure and post pictures of the finished project.

 

[Glenn McCullough]

I know the challenge is hollowing out the inside, but if it is just going to be a straight inside cut, why not just drill it out with a forstner bit and flare the top? No need to waste all that glue up work.
Another idea is to use a drum sander on your drill press.You may need an extension for that as well.

 

[louisbry]

Since your vase is segmented, you could have glued up approximately half of the vase and finished the inside pretty easily. Then you could glue up the rest of the vase to the finished half and do the final hollowing. However since you glued up the whole vase before hollowing that is not an option. But you could possibly cut the vase in half, finish the lower half and glue the upper half back on the vase. Just an idea. You do have a lot of options when you work with segmented vases.

 

[Dee]

That is amazing....I've never seen anything like it and it's really beautiful!

 

[workinforwood]

Dang...thanks for pointing that out Louis. Another option that makes sense and doesn't require more tool investment. I do love that hollowing tool though, but the price is out of range right now.

 

[whatwoodido]

A very heavy duty scraper would work, you might consider investing in a box turners rest. I have one and it greatly facilitates when you are going deep.

 

[marcruby]

I've never worked corian, but I have worked hard woods. Before you spend a fortune on a hollowing rig, get a 'heavy' bowl gouge - about 1/2". My favorite is one that Ellsworth designed. But there are cheaper. The weight (and a very light touch) will cut down the chatter. Then get a heavy round nosed scraper. Again, the more weight, the better. Then get a box rest, although, if you can angle your normal tool rest into the vase that will be enough.

But honestly, the most important thing is to use light cuts and take your time.

 

[penhead]

Umm, what's a box turners rest..??

 

[robing916]

A box turners rest is part of the Robert Sorby modular tool rest system, it is normally a flat plate that extends into the turned item and offers support to the turning tool. Normally used to offer support to scrapers so that the tool is supported deep into the box and does not overhang the toolrest.

 

[stolicky]

Nice job. You just gave me inspiration to put some of those corian scraps to good use that I have laying around. How did you smooth the edges for glue-up? Also, what kind of glue did you use?

Oh, and the secret to deep hollowing is beefy tool size, sharp cutting edges, and patience to make light cuts.

 

[workinforwood]

I run the corian through the drum sander <80 grit> like a train, pushing on one end and catching on the other. Keeps everything flat and roughs the faces up really good. Then I wash the pieces and use gorilla glue and clamps. they don't need to be dry before glueing. The gorilla glue holds really well and doesnt shatter if you mess up while turning and get a kick back or anything else like that. CA holds well, but you drop it or bang it hard and it shatters loose. If you don't rough up the corian, nothing will hold it together.