Hose Clamps on Hollow Forms

[Randy Anderson]

I put a hose clamp on the neck and tenon of my hollow forms to reduce the potential for cracking and to help keep the opening round while drying. I turn a 1/2" collar on the top opening for my steady rest to ride on while hollowing. I put the hose clamp around the collar and bottom tenon then check them once a day for the first week or so while it's in the drying box. It's amazing how loose the collar will get day by day. It can be very tight and then 24 hours later very loose. After about a week or so (it varies) the shrinkage stops and collar will stay tight from day to day. It's usually a week or two later that the piece is dry enough to move on to the second turning. The collar gets turned off during the second turning. I've not done any true scientific comparisons but experience is that the pieces with hose clamps do much better than my experience prior to using them.

 

[David Snell]

thx for sharing the tip!

 

[Alan Weinberg]

Great idea. Won’t work for small opening hollow forms since one can’t make a 1/2 inch tall neck when hollowing through 1/2 or 3/4 inch opening—or am I wrong? Would it help to have the collar on when turning to avoid cracking the rim?

 

[Randy Anderson]

Alan, I agree and think there's a lower limit where it's not practical and could be in the way of the design goal. Most all of my hollow forms are med to very large in size with an opening large enough to still work in with a landing area for the steady rest and clamp at the opening. For smaller pieces where you likely wouldn't use a steady rest and maybe not even twice turn it would be tough to do. Still, something to consider doing if you think you could still work through the opening and turn it away later.

 

[Tom Albrecht]

The title of this post ran through my mind today as I was hollowing a small vase through a 1/2" entry hole. I put a hose clamp on the outside of the vase to make it more secure and less prone to cracking while working inside.
Now I see that's not what you had in mind, but I can tell you it works.
Thanks Randy.

 

[Randy Anderson]

Tom, glad to hear you're giving it a try. I don't turn any with that small an opening but see no reason it wouldn't help all the same. Never tried to have in on while turning but could see it helping or providing some level of insurance/reassurance if nothing else. If you leave it on during the drying process be sure and check it often, as in daily, until it stops getting loose. It will eventually stop. I pretty much use them on all my pieces.