I am wondering if someone can shed some light on a technique for bowl hollowing. 95% of all hollowing demos I have seen are of a procedure whereby a depth hole is drilled (sometimes there is no hole) and the hollowing proceeds beginning about an inch or so from center with the gouge moving toward center. All the gouge motions are directed toward the center of the bowl. The back of the handle of the gouge is pulled toward the body.
Then I come across an outlier where instead of hollowing the usual way the turner begins at the outer diameter and removes material in steps moving the gouge toward the outer diameter rather than toward center. The back of the gouge handles is moved away from the body. Finish cuts are done toward center.
This seems like a better way to hollow but since I don't see many people doing it I keep thinking there must be a reason why more hollow toward center. Is there a safety consideration I'm missing or does it simply come down to preference?
Then I come across an outlier where instead of hollowing the usual way the turner begins at the outer diameter and removes material in steps moving the gouge toward the outer diameter rather than toward center. The back of the gouge handles is moved away from the body. Finish cuts are done toward center.
This seems like a better way to hollow but since I don't see many people doing it I keep thinking there must be a reason why more hollow toward center. Is there a safety consideration I'm missing or does it simply come down to preference?