Woodturned Hollow Forms and Vases

A woodturned hollow form is a vessel which has been turned on the lathe, with its overall diameter being larger than the mouth of the vessel. The process usually consists of mounting a log section of a tree on the lathe, rounding it into a pleasing shape and then through a small opening in the top of the vessel the form is hollowed out. The result is a thinly turned vessel or hollow form, whose walls are commonly from 1/8" to 3/8" of an inch thin. This is a painstaking process that is time consuming, requires special tools and a fair amount of concentration and skill. In many cases, the tool that is being used to hollow the form is barely smaller than the opening hole of the vessel. Perhaps the most influential person to perfect and promote this art form is honorary lifetime AAW member, David Ellsworth.