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Hollowing system.

Rusty Nesmith

Rusty Nesmith

Joined
Feb 16, 2021
Messages
1,305
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2,066
Location
Parkersburg, West Virginia
I have been looking on YouTube for a while and decided to go with the Simple Hollowing System. It arrived yesterday. I reorganized behind the lathe and installed some electric. I put the hollowing system together and tried it on a bowl. I was very impressed but it doesn’t take much. The shear cutter works fantastic. It removes wood very easy in long curls. It leaves the wood fairly smooth. I was able to turn the bottom and sides to 1/4”. The bowl was 8” diameter by 3” deep. I got the system with the laser, 16” shear cutter, 12” shear cutter and 12” goose neck cutter. The whole kit was around $400.
C3EC2069-E1E7-4095-8276-FBEEBB0C8FF7.jpeg99D083CE-BE45-4587-A21E-5D8BB36789A6.jpeg
 
You will find that in hollowing thicker is better. I outgrew the 5/8 bars in one day. I outgrew the 3/4 in a month. I'm still happy with the one-inch bar from the Lyle Jamieson system. I'm extremely happy, and I can't wipe my smile for hours when I use the giant 2 1/4 in bar in the Frank Sudol system.
 
Emiliano Achaval said:
You will find that in hollowing thicker is better. I outgrew the 5/8 bars in one day. I outgrew the 3/4 in a month. I'm still happy with the one-inch bar from the Lyle Jamieson system. I'm extremely happy, and I can't wipe my smile for hours when I use the giant 2 1/4 in bar in the Frank Sudol system.
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This is why I chose Lyle Jamieson’s system over the others available - the different bar diameters and cutter holders provides a lot of flexibility for less $ vs others. I only went up to the 1-1/8” bar though, which has been more than enough for me.
 
My experience with the Simple Hollowing System mirrors Mark Jundanians ... it has served me well.

I sometimes use it with a Phil Irons hollowing tool rest that allows me to go deeper into a vessel, but with a regular tool rest I have gone about 9" deep (deep hollowing bigger turnings isn't my thing!).
 
@Rusty Nesmith , early on I made a standoff arm for the SHS that I have found to be extremely beneficial. (I strongly recommend making a similar accessory, particularly as you have a rotating headstock lathe). I posted about it here:

Standoff Arm for Hollowing Rig

A few years ago I bought an articulated arm hollowing rig. While using it for that particular hollow form project I was struck by how versatile it could be for other aspects of turning. For tools that are held level such as NRS and carbide scrapers (or even Hunter style carbide tools) the rig...
www.aawforum.org www.aawforum.org

Despite the "simple" name, I have found the SHS to be very useful for more than simply hollowing. I now use it for almost all my turning. If you are considering adding some single or double bevel carbide scrapers to your "tool box", talk to me first and I can share my experience.
 
Mark that standoff arm is a great idea. Thanks. Seeing that just gave me an idea to see if I can mount it to my outrigger. Here is a picture of my outrigger.
D1D49E81-BAC1-4A36-92EC-258932B8C89E.jpeg
 
Rusty Nesmith said:
I have been looking on YouTube for a while and decided to go with the Simple Hollowing System. It arrived yesterday. I reorganized behind the lathe and installed some electric. I put the hollowing system together and tried it on a bowl. I was very impressed but it doesn’t take much. The shear cutter works fantastic. It removes wood very easy in long curls. It leaves the wood fairly smooth. I was able to turn the bottom and sides to 1/4”. The bowl was 8” diameter by 3” deep. I got the system with the laser, 16” shear cutter, 12” shear cutter and 12” goose neck cutter. The whole kit was around $400.
View attachment 44225View attachment 44226
Click to expand...
Thanks for posting your purchase. It gives us a sense of what's available. As both a Jamieson-like system owner and a custom large Clark system, I would be more inclined to work on smaller pieces first and gradually increase the size and the distance hanging off the tool rest. I didn't get to 20-25" over the tool rest overnight. Safety and caution need to be exercised with the forces that hollowing has on the wood. Good luck with the system!
 
Dennis Weiner said:
@Emiliano Achaval 2-1/2" diameter bar? I'm exhausted thinking about moving that around all day! Is that about 10 feet long weighing 150 lbs?
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It's heavy, but I don't think is more than maybe 50 or 60 pounds. It has increased my production tremendously. Mine is the one made by Brian McEvoy. he got the plans from Frank Sudol. Brien sold the business to Carter. I do not think they are making them anymore. Mike Hunter has given me 2 prototype cutters for it. They are just amazing. I hollowed a Milo urn yesterday in 20 minutes. 14 inches deep. That would be at least 2 to 3 hours on any other smaller system, and good luck going past 12 inches with any of them. Best part is, I got it for free from a club member, he could not handle it anymore, LOL
 
@Emiliano Achaval I am familiar with the McEvoy system. Back in the day, I was in receipt of his inventory close out email for that system (2 for about $700). (Cheaper than the starter system that Rusty bought) I didn’t buy it cause I couldn’t find a partner for the second unit and I didn’t have the room behind the end of the lathe to operate it. The McEvoy independently standing capture bar is a great feature, extending form design capabilities and reducing vibration. Carter website has discontinued the large XL system so it may or may not be available. I think Steve Sinner may be one of the last of the big bar system vendors. (Clark doesn’t advertise but still maintains a website). BTW, Tod Raines of the woodturning tool store bought out the rest of McEvoy’s inventory and still sells the slotted tungsten carbide tear drop cutter that Frank Sudol used. He also sells McEvoy’s Elio drive. I also use the Hunter-Jamieson carbide cutter. Emiliano, can you share a photo of the hunter cutters that you are using? How big are they? Aloha
 
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