David Ellsworth style hollowing tool

Wow Roper,I thougt my hollower was a reasonable size tool but it is only 3’3’’ long, I found this Kelton tool (un handeled) in a junk shop the guy didn’t know what it was, offered him $20 & it was mine, put a Kwilla handel on & it’s a beaut, weighs just over 4lbs
That one of yours looks a real mean beast :: ))))

-- Pete G: If you always do what you always did you'll always get what you always got

Wow! The tool could be used for pole vaulting! I would love to see it in action. Did you mill the metal yourself or have it milled? What steel was used? ...and is it ground as an Ellsworth?

-- Never board, always knotty, lots of growth rings

I am interested in his book, can you give the title of it please.

thanks for sharing

-- Chuck Emery, Michigan,

I’ve been making my own profiles for a while. His book is called “Ellsworth on woodturning” and it is a very good book for the beginner through advanced. He also has one about how to make the hollowing tool above both are available at his web page.

I like Ellsworth’s take also…and have a very similar hollower. Making your own tools gives you alot of confidence and can improve your turning immensely. I do this and I have very little skill in metalworking. One of the easiest ways I found was to fine old used tools and adapt them to what you want or need….I have made great fingernail gouges from regular gouges….it is very easy with a grinder to get the proper shape and then some sharpening tools to get it sharp.

-- Woodworking.....My small slice of heaven!

Holy cow—4 ft long!! I’ll have to look on Ellsworth’s site. My lathe is only 38” long. That handle would stick out the window at my place!!

-- Jim Jakosh.....Practical Wood Products...........Learn something new every day!!

Thanks so much Roper for showing us the tool. You know guys and tools, the longer the better. Handling that is. The length provides so much more control. Did you stand on the backside of your lathe for turning the maple hollow vessel or does your lathe run both forward and reverse?

-- JoeR Nothing that I could make will ever be perfect but I'll use it anyway.

Hey guys, oh ya shes a beast all right but as Joe said the bigger tool does give me a lot more control with the cuts I am making.Kindlingmaker I do all the steel work my self but I do buy the cutter heads and steel rod from MSC then I build the rest of the tool. I have a Powermatic 3520B with about 6 or 7 sand bags under it and I run the lathe as a short bed so I can stand at the end and get the most mobility that I can when working a piece. So far I have gone 8 or 9 inchs off the tool est with this hollower with no problems, I will be pushing that to 12 or so soon.

-- Roper - Master of sawdust-www.coloradocustomworks.com

Great job on the tool Roper and you are right that is a great book. It was the first book I bought when I started this addiction.