Johnston/Basham Hollow Turning Tool

by Bill Johnston

With all due respect to all of the leading commercial brands of hollowing tools, I have yet to find one that begins to compare to one that all hollow wood turners in the Triangle Chapter in N.C. use. Most all of the others are either too difficult to sharpen or cause the turner to work too hard in the process. Others have some good points, but, as has been pointed out, are very expensive.

Ten years ago I came up with a hollowing tool concept which I had made and used for about 6 years. At that point an engineer woodturning friend of mine in the Triangle Chapter, Al Basham, told me how he could improve on the design and function of the tool. He did so and we have been using the tool very happily ever since. It is an excellent tool both for beginners and for advanced woodturners.

The pictures I have taken just do not speak for the ease of using this tool and its effectiveness.

Some specifics:

The cutting bit is a broad scraper made from very high quality high speed steel. It can be rotated to accommodate cutting at various angles within a hollow vessel. Sharpening is easily achieved by using the included sharpening jig.

The main shaft extends 11 inches from the anti-torque bar and is made from 5/8 inch cold rolled steel. It is good for hollowing up to a depth of about 9 inches depending upon the skill and experience of the turner. For deeper vessels I would recommend owning an additional tool made from ¾ inch steel with a longer shaft.

The anti-torque bar eliminates the twisting of the tool since the shock of cutting is absorbed by the tool rest. The anti-torque bar requires a minimum of a 12 inch long tool rest. The maximum distance between the anti-torque bar and the main shaft is 8 inches.

The handle on the tool pictured in the first attachment is weighted. A set screw is used to allow for multiple uses of the handle for other 5/8 inch shafts. The only other tool needed to hollow most work successfully would be a straight boring bar to cut an opening down the center of the piece to the desired depth.

The tool cuts both ways, either pushing or pulling. Experience will dictate which works best under given circumstances.

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I feel very confident with this tool. A wall thickness of 3/16 inch is characteristic of my hollow turnings and can easily be obtained by long sweeping strokes from top to bottom after a consistent thickness of about ½ inch is achieved.

As a reference I refer you to Volume 2 of the demonstration tapes made at the 2000 AAW Symposium in Charlotte, NC. There is one segment on those tapes in which I demonstrate hollow turning using this tool. I can also refer you to a great number of successful individual turners if you wish. My work can be seen both here in the Artist in Residence section and at my personal web site.

This is not a tool that is commercially produced. I have a few which I am willing to part with for $130 each, but I must keep a supply on hand for my students at Arrowmont and at John C. Campbell Folk School. Those schools do not supply hollow turning tools for students. The tool comes with a weighted handle and a simple but very effective sharpening jig. I also have a few 5/8 inch boring bars to fit those handles for $30.00 plus shipping. I include a basic use instruction sheet with each tool.

I am not nor do I wish to be in the tool business. I am a woodturner and wish to devote my time to woodturning. If I can be of help to others who are looking for options I am happy to assist.

To purchase one of these tools or for further information contact Bill Johnston at (910) 673-0500 or by email at johnston@pinehurst.net.

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Instruction for Using the Johnston/Basham Hollow Turning Tool

1. Use a tool rest that is long enough to support the anti-torque bar as well as the main shaft of the tool. A 12 inch tool rest should be sufficient.

2. Hold the main shaft of the tool firmly with your left hand and allow your left forearm to rest firmly across the anti-torque bar and against the tool rest.

3. Place the handle of the tool against your upper rib cage and hold it securely with your right arm against your body. Move the tool with your body, not just with your arms. This can be done easily when turning off the end of a short bed lathe or off the outboard. It is more difficult while leaning across a long bed lathe, especially for deeper hollow
work. When using a long bed lathe it might be desirable to straddle the lathe if possible. Short step stools on either side of the lathe help keep feet grounded. Most people, however, use this tool very effectively on long bed lathes simply by leaning across the bed.

4. Drill a ½ inch hole through the center of your work to the desired depth.

5. Enlarge the hole with a straight boring tool to a width of 1 ½ to 2 inches to allow sufficient room for the hollowing tool and shavings. A 5/8 inch boring bar will fit into this same handle and can be easily made by a machinist. I will have a few made to accommodate those who wish to avail themselves of one.

6. The hollowing tool should always be held parallel to the lathe bed and cut right at the center of the piece. Tilting the tool upward will result in no cut at all while tilting the tool downward will much more likely result in a "catch."

7. Blow out shavings regularly so as avoid excess shaving buildup.

8. Follow all normal safety precautions while turning with this tool. It is very desirable to have a On/Off switch easily located so that the lathe can be controlled from the tail stock end of the lathe. A foot switch works very well.