Nice h/f forms Mark. It is good that you included the size of the piece as sometimes it is difficult to judge from just a photo, and without a reference the size is often overestimated ( insert smutty comment here
. If turners want to have a go at making pieces like yours they should start small with a more upright shape and gradually reduce the size of opening until they have understood the technique. Making your own tools from old screwdrivers and the like means you are not spending on new tools ( resist,resist
and you are not worried about damaging anything valuable. When I started making h/f's in the early 90's I made several hollowing tools from 12mm round steel bar with 4.5mm ground HSS drill shanks epoxied in at different angles just to see what I could achieve and I still use them on small pieces today.
If I could play devils advocate for a moment, your previous piece was textured to make it more stone-like in appearance. What do turners think about obscuring or at least disguising the fact that the piece is made of wood? I ask because a well known turner of my aquantance sold a piece in the States in a Gallery, and was on hand when the customer was buying it. Until it was pointed out that the item was wood, the buyer thought because of its appearance,that he was purchasing a ceramic vessel.I would be interested to know what other turners think.
ps nice how to make h/f book Mark.