I posted a pick of a hollow form in the gallery and Larry (Yakima Turnings) asked me to explain how it was done.  I was hoping to post a more exagurated example but no pic yet. So I'll explain what a crusty ol' woodturner showed me about these.  They are easy to make and you can have large and difficult shapes at the bottom and long skinny necks with very small openings.  Ok here goes:

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1.  Mount piece between centers and round to approx Diameter.
2.  Turn a tenion about 1 1/4 inches long on the tail stock end.  This will be the bottom of the form.  The diameter of the tenon should be a size that will fit and hold well in your chuck.
3.  You can now rough turn the outside of the form while still held between centers if you like or proceed to the next step.   
4.  (Now the Secret)  Mark the tenon and the bottom of the vase so as to be able to match grain later, and Part off the tenon at the base of the form.
5.  Make an opening that will be a snug fit for the tenon to be placed back in the vessel.  You may want to leave it a little small incase you hit the sides while hollowing.
6.  Hollow out the base and leave the bottom approx 1/2 inch thick.
7.  Mount a chuck and drill bit in the tail stock with a bit the diameter of the opening you want the top to have and drill through the bottom of the vase out the top.
8.  Clean up around the bottom of the hole in the form so as to have smooth transition from the form to the neck.  That way you can drop a BB or marble into the form to demonstrate it is hollow and it will fall back out. 
9.  Check the fit of your Tenon and Glue it back into the bottom.  I used Thick CA glue.  Fit should be so that it fits but requires a slight tap with a mallet to seat.   Then bring up the tail stock to hold in place a couple of minutes to dry.
10.  Then reverse the piece and with the tenon in a chuck and finish the outside to the desired shape.
11.  Part off and finish as desired or finish on the lathe and part off and finish bottom.

Sorry for the rough format.  I would like to hear what others think of this process and if you have tried it.  I would also like to see the results from any of you who decice to give it a try.  You can really be creative and make some wild shapes with narrow openings at the top that will make people ask, "how did you do that", or so I was told by the crusty old wood turner.  Actually he is crusty, but a great guy with some interesting stories and techniques, but thats a whole nother story.

Ron Sardo wrote on Mar 25^th, 2008 at 10:35am:



Ron, Yes the mortise is the opening I described making for the Tenion.  Leaving the bottom 1/2 inch thick provides the glue area around the mortise.   Your termonology is much better.  Glad to know you have done these and used a similiar technique.

I like the idea, How about a pic tutorial for us beginners ??

RasmusPetersen wrote on Mar 26^th, 2008 at 2:05am:


I'm not the best on those, but I'll think about it.  Ron, did you by chance do a tutorial on your method of doing these?

Ric

Also, if you are a bit of a chicken about the glue line showing, part it the same way, but glue a thin piece of contrasting wood to the bottom/tenon, turn the added piece flush to the tenon, and then after hollowing, join the pieces.  That's what I did the first time I tried a piece like that, and added another piece of contrasting wood at the top of the "bulb."  I know, "No picture, it didn't happen," but I gave the piece away.