Lyn Mangiameli's reviews for More Woodturning Magazine
See Lyn's reviews of my hollowing system and steady rest in the Opinionated Surveys of Hollowing Systems Part 4(page 8) and Part 5 (page9).
Joseph's Quesada's review of the Clark Deep Hollowing System
The Clark Deep Hollowing System is a very high quality unit with rugged steel construction with crome-moly hardened arms and through tubes. I use powdercoating for a durable and beautiful oven-bake finish! Select your favorite color, although red is my trademark color.
The bar is stabilized by the system to allow relatively effortless hollowing. It retains some of the advantages of free hand hollowing while offering positional control and optional rotational restraint. Different tool holders tips from just about every manufacturer can be inserted in the ends, including curved tools for closed forms. I have just developed straight and curved tool holders that are now available. Movement of the bar is very smooth and can be controlled with fine hand and finger adjustments as one would do with a free-hand tool due to a slot and bearing.
Unique tool tip angle of attack adjustment mechanism and smooth action ball bearing slide system included. There is a single set screw that when loosened allows the bearing to be rotated to finely adjust the angle of attack of the tool tip for different style cutters. Other systems require the turner to have to loosen the set screws holding the cutter itself. This is inconvenient and more time consuming. Since the laser holder is attached to the bar, it maintains its adjustment during this maneuver.
Laser Thickness Guidance Device attaches to the hollowing bar. This device holds a laser emitter to allow the turner to see how thick the hollow form is during hollowing. An easy push of a button on the laser activates the laser light. The laser holder articulates and tilts to get around the middle radial arm of a steady rest. This is a must when used with a steady rest. A unique fitting at the end of the laser holder arm makes re-adjustments and realignment of the laser much easier. An X-Y screw type adjustment mechanism is not needed with this system. The laser scaffold virtually eliminates vibration of the laser light. It is also very easy to adjust by virtue of the articluated joints plus the alignment never changes during hollowing. Admittedly, when turning large diameter pieces, the steady rest itself does interfere with the laser but long vertical holders can be made to put the laser entirely above the steady rest as seen in an example on my Customer Gallery page.
New External Shaping Modification- I am excited about a new idea to use the hollowing system to rough and shape externally! All that is necessary is to add a second base($50). The 2 bases are mounted at 90 degrees to the lathe bed and connected on the side of the lathe using the tool post in much the same manner as one would hollow. In this configuration an extremely aggressive removal of wood is possible and "catches" become a thing of the past! Now the hollowing system can double as a roughing an shaping attachment. I also now have a 1/2 inch diameter square cutter ($20)which is 4 inches long. It mounts directly into the end of the hollowing bar - no flexing and no mercy on any type of wood either hollowing or externally shaping! Roughing a log with knots etc takes no effort. I tested the system externally and was able to put my little finger inside the hole in the end of the bar and with only that finger touching the bar was able to hog off material! It is quite impressive and satisfying to see how well it works.
The steady rest shown is at an extra cost...
The steady rest
pictured above is the older style with only one tube at the top.
The
newest modification of the steady rest has a second through tube
at the top at 1 o'clock to help those who want to keep the laser
at 12 o'clock. The turner can place the arm at this offset
position during laser use to get the arm out of the way or can
use the 12 o'clock position during roughing to minimize
vibration.
This wonderful handle makes all the difference!
