Introducing Our New Hollowing Class – First Session in February

Yesterday, myself and four students finished the trial run of our new Introduction to Hollowing class, and I'm pleased to say it went brilliantly. Everyone left with a finished practice piece and a larger hollow form to complete at home, plus a much better understanding of how to shape what you can't see.

Hollowing is different from bowl turning. You're working through a small opening , reaching inside with tools you can't fully observe, relying on sound, vibration, and feel to tell you when the wall is thinning. It's slower, more intuitive, and asks for patience in a way that open bowls don't. But when you get it right, when you check the wall thickness and find it pretty much even all the way round, there's a great sence of satisfaction to it.

The trial run taught me as much as it taught the students. I learned where the pacing needed adjusting, what students are likely to find tricky, and what they expect from a day like this. The answer to that last one is clear: they want to leave with something tangible, even if it's not quite finished. So that's what we'll aim for. A completed small practice piece and a larger hollow form that's mostly done, ready for you to finish in your own workshop without the pressure of the clock.

The class is designed for turners who already have some experience at the lathe. You should be comfortable with basic bowl turning and confident using a spindle gouge and bowl gouge. If you've been turning for a while or perhaps curious about hollowing, then this class is worth exploring.

We'll start with a smaller practice piece to get you familiar with the straight and swan-neck hollowing tools. This one you'll finish completely. Then we'll move on to a hollow form roughly 4x5" in size, hollowed through a 30mm opening at the top.

All the specialist hollowing tools are provided (straight and swan-neck tools with carbide cutters) so you don't need to invest in equipment before you know if hollowing is for you.

The first full class is on 13th February (it’s a Friday, but I’m not overly superstitious!) with a maximum of four students, so there's ample time for individual guidance.

If you've been curious about hollowing but unsure where to start, this is your chance to try it with proper tools and someone watching over your shoulder when it matters.