Hollow Form Assist

"Hollow Form Assist" is a web application designed to help the woodturner visualize where there hollowing tool is while that tool is inside the woodturning.

Requirements:

Lathe with a hollowing project.
Hollowing system with an overhead arm, usually holding a laser pointer.
Webcam to mount where the laser pointer is.
A computer with a web browser you are willing to use in your shop and can connect the Webcam to.
- Browsers that have been tested:
  - On Windows 11 - Edge, Chrome, Firefox and DuckDuckGo.
  - On Raspberry Pi 5 - Debian Unix with Chromium.
  - On iPad Pro - Safari - USB webcam and internal cameras.
  - On iPhone - Safari - internal cameras only.
- This software is very light weight. It should work on any computer you can get Chromium to run on.

Steps to use the software

Start the software by clicking here.
Your Browser will show a prompt asking you to Allow the app to use your camera.
Read the startup instructions.
Center the camera over your tool Cutting edge Tip.
Click the Camera button in the bottom center of the page,
Wait while a silhouette of the tool is generated,
The screen will refresh

It does this by first taking a picture of the tool when it set of for hollowing.

Hollowing Systems

Many companies have "Hollowing Systems" which may include overhead arms with laser pointer to assist in creating hollow forms.

Here are some I have seen

Simple Wood Turning Tools Simple Hollowing System
Carter Products Perfect Hollower™ articulated arm hollowing system
Trent Bosch Tools Hollowing Tool Stabilizers
Tim's Tools Elbo 2 Hollowing System
Wood Turners Wonders Hollowing System
OneWay Hollowing System

You are able to add a Laser pointer system to all of them. The laser helps you cut to a consistent depth when you can NO LONGER see the laser.

Several of the above systems are available with camera systems. They help. But you need to draw on the screen, with a marker you can erase.

I mention all of the above so that you can get an idea of what I am trying to do.

Add a web cam to the arm that used to hold the laser. Make sure it is held on sturdily and pointing toward you lathe bed.

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