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Hollowing Tools

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Can't afford the Carter system, YET. So, what's the general consensus on the "Gooseneck" style hollowing tool? I've got one of the Easy Wood Goosenecks and like it pretty well but wondered where others stand on such nonsense? I suspect that a Carter, or one like it, will come to live here soon enough, but just now, it's too much money.

Thoughts?

Jerry
 
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There are several crooked neck hollowing tools out there and the one you on might prefer may depend on the handle you will use. I have a Don Pencil Scorpion set and it works well with the capability of holding most other hollowing bars as well. This bar will handle scrapers and square cutters.
Another answer may be how deep and how much shoulder do you want to hollow. Most bars hollow from 6 to 12 inches . For most average turners 12 is an extreme and begins to look like work. For hand held hollowing the max comfortable depth in my opinion is 8 inches and most hollowing tools can get there. Also to consider different curvatures of bar may be needed to get up under the shoulder.
So the question needs a question. How deep and what kind of hollowing (8 inch wide bowl with 1 inch opening, or 4 inch wide with 2 inch opening) do you plan on ?
 
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Take a look at John Jordan's tools. He sells his pretty cheaply and if you can drill steel and heat and bend it, you can make your own

He drills a hole in the end of the bar stock and uses super glue to mount the cutter in the hole. Cutters made from hardened HSS drill rod. a hand held bic lighter is what he uses to get the cutter out. Apparently Super Glue is not heat tolerant.
 
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The John Jordan hollowing tools I bought some years ago do not secure the carbide tip with super glue. The tip is held in place with a set screw. I use the set I have in a captive set up. Work well. Gerald's advice is excellent, max hand held depth is about 8". 3/4" captive bar is about 12".
 

hockenbery

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Raul,
The Trent Bosch tools use CA glue to hold the tips.
Trent offers both HS steel and small Hunter tips. Jordan tools use set screws.

Both tool designs have nothing to get in the way.

The hook tools have the cutting tip in line with the straight part of the bar which eliminates the pressure on the tip when the straight part of the shaft is over the rest.

Lots of other folks have been making similar tools.
I have several by CA Savoy. I prefer the CA glued tips.

Set screws and I have many unpleasant adventures.

I loose them wear them out by now carefully cleaning the socket or using my wrench past it's useful life.

I have not had a CA tip come loose in use. I use a torch to change them.


Al
 
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I appreciate all the advice; Thank you.

In June I had the good fortune to overload and overwhelm myself. I had a three day class with David Ellsworth the weekend before the AAW conference, so, by the time I got home I was foaming at the mouth to get into the shop. David's class was a trip! He clearly marches to his own drummer but is probably one of the finest turners alive today. No one can contest his hollow forms, but watching him make one will raise an anxiety level you've never had before. His tools are basically shop made bar steel, HSS tips and handles as butt ugly as any I've ever seen. HUGE and functional, but not very attractive. They work, so who cares? His mantra is cut, clean and measure. No lasers for David. And he produces MASSIVE hollow forms that are as light as a feather. Takes time and that's his main point. If you're in a rush, try another craft.

I bought his cutter assembly and have it working. It's an awkward tool to sharpen but it does work. Because the tip is so small and the tool is so HUGE, of necessity, it's not comfortable on the grinder. That said, it doesn't come around and under as well as I'd like. So, my assessment of his tool is that it's functional to a point, but getting in close under a lip or through a small opening, this isn't the tool.

I just bought the Easy Wood goose neck with the circular tip and it's a lot better. I doubt if there's an angle in close I can't reach with it. It's limit is the width of the bowl. I finished up a large piece, 13" in diameter, 7" tall, basically round, and left an opening at the top of 2 1/2". I used David's tool and the EW tool. The EW did a spectacular job of smoothing out the ridges and accidents while getting up to the top evenly. Probably pushed it to it's limits but it never felt uncomfortable even when the tip was WAY off the tool rest.

So, my question was, apart from the Capture systems, what tool does the job the best? And, as I expected, there is more than one answer.

Thanks to all of you for confirming what I thought to be true and keep educating me. I've got a lot to learn.

Jerry
 

hockenbery

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Jerry,
I had a week long class with David in 1995 and have had the pleasure of seeing him turn many times since.
A marvelous individual and terrific teacher at all levels.

I used David's tools for about a year and went to the Stewart system with the arm brace and then to the jamieson handle using the Stewart tools and now use mostly the Bosch tools in the jamieson handle.

I have added the Bosch visualizer.

Most all of the hollowing systems and tools out there work.
If you have any expectation of doing really big hollow forms go with the jamieson handle.
For really big forms everyone uses somethings like the jamieson system on steroids.
If you want to do the smaller big hollow forms the sinner system is nice.

The Bosch stabilizer is nice and fairly light compared to other articulated systems. You do need a short bed lathe or sliding headstock to use it well.

I just like like the jamieson style captured system you can make the back rest from plywood to suit and it is easy to add video or laser.
The Jamison handle will hold all sorts of hollowing bars. I have about a 10 different one now. 5 of which I use quite often.
I like the Bosch hollowing bars straight, bent, and extreme bent.
I also have a straight and bent tool with scraper to smooth the tool makes away from the HS cutters.
The jamieson handle gives about the best feel of the wood once you learn to use it.

Al
 
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My general hollowing tool for bigger stuff is pretty simple.
I am not sure who 'invented' the idea, a guy in our club makes them up.
A collar welded to a curved bar. The collar fits over the boring bar near the handle.
You do need to use a ling tool rest.
I have a series of the stabilizer bars from 1/4 to 5/8. I can interchange them with straight or curved bars.
They are not subtle tools, you set the angle of the cutter with the stabilizer and go at it.
Your hollowing depth is limited by the diameter of the hollowing bar. I can get 6-8 inches easily with a 5/8" bar
As long as the cuts are not too strong, it is a good inexpensive tool with few issues.
The middle tool is a scraper made by a turner from North Carolina, who I think had the original idea.
I have had it for 10 years and can't remember his name. I bought it from a vendor at a regional symposium.

hollowtool (1 of 3).jpg
hollowtool (2 of 3).jpg
hollowtool (3 of 3).jpg
 

Bill Boehme

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... If you have any expectation of doing really big hollow forms go with the jamieson handle.
For really big forms everyone uses somethings like the jamieson system on steroids.
If you want to do the smaller big hollow forms the sinner system is nice.....

I'm surprised at the order of your ranking. For any of these systems, the cutter is rarely more than about 2½ off the axis of the boring bar so the main consideration is the longitudinal stiffness of the length that is cantilevered beyond the tool rest.

The standard size Jamieson boring bar is ⅝" diameter and the limit on depth is roughly ten inches. There is a heavier duty version with a ¾" boring bar that will allow a few more inches of overhang. I haven't seen the Jamieson on steroids rig, but there is no limit on size of boring bar. The only caveat to consider is that the back end also needs to be stiffened for the same reason that the business end of the bar needs to be stiffened.

The Advanced Lathe Tools boring bar rig that Steve Sinner sells can hollow 33" or more over the tool rest for the largest size rig which consists of two 1¼" solid steel bars welded together and a single 1¼" bar for the last 14 inches.

For all of the hollowing rigs, turning slow (300 to 400 RPM) and taking light cuts is the way to get best results. Most people rarely turn a hollowform that is more than about 9 or 10 inches deep and as long as the diameter is no more than about 9 inches, the Jamieson rig ought to be adequate. For larger hollowforms, especially large diameter pieces, a heavier duty system should be considered. There is a practical limit to what you can do with a very large hollowform. Something that is about ten inches tall and nine inches diameter is a good maximum size. Few people are interested in something that is three feet tall and 18 inches in diameter, not to mention that finding a piece of wood large enough is a problem. Lifting it onto the lathe is a good way to develop back problems.
 

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Bill,
I agree with you that bar size is directly related to the overhang length it can support.
I also agree few folks are going to turn a hollow form deeper than 9"

33" is in the smaller big forms.
Big forms are int 4-6 feet plus range and the turners I know of are using D handles welded from 2" square steel tubes with free standing rear support with rollers. There are a few folks selling these big rigs. A few are made every year at the central Florida club tool making day.

I still think anyone with aspirations to turn BiG HFs is better off learning to use the jamieson system well on small forms first.

The sinner system is real nice. It is still a D handle with no space inside the D.
I always put my thumb inside the D of the Jamison to be sure it never gets out of the trap.

Al
 

hockenbery

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Bill forgot to add.

Regarding big bars for the jamieson,
I have an 1.5" bar for my Jamison handle made by CA savoy. It has a 3/4 end welded on to fit the Jamison.

I use it a lot in the bigger forms. It worked well on on a 17" diameter piece I did.

Al
 

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I went to Lyle Jamieson's web site and he has plans to build your own system. At the time I didn't have welder so I built my D" bar out of 3/4" steel bar with square tubing for the cross pieces. I bolted these together using all thread rod inside the square tubing. I built the secondary tool rest out of wood. I still use that same secondary tool rest but i did finally built a narrower version of Lyle's system when I got a welder. It's kind of inbetween Steve Sinners and Lyle's in size.
I started hollowing using homemade versions of John Jordan's tools I don't hollow a lot so it was always a little uncomfortable. The captured bar systems like Lyle's takes the white Knuckle out of hollowing. It may not be as versatile and hand hollowing but sure is safer. If you add the laser or Video rig for judging wall thickness it really speeds things up.
 
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Like others here l use a DIY copy of Lyle Jamieson's captive system that I copied from his website (thank you Lyle). You mentioned in your original post that money was an issue. My rig cost me a little more than $80 with the laser. I do now use the John Jordan 3/4" boring bars for most of my hollowing up to about 12" deep. Have a 1 1/2" bar for deeper. But don't use it much as few people have a place to put big stuff.
Something else to consider; I think a steady rest should be used for anything 6" deep or deeper. You can find plans online.
 

john lucas

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I've hollowed up to 14" with my homemade Jamieson bar using 3/4" bars. It was painfully slow after about 10 or 11". Had to take very small bites cutting downhill with the grain as much as possible and used a 3/16" freshly sharpened cutter. 9 to 10" is pretty easy. I don't own one of the articulated captured bars yet and have often wondered how they fair at deep hollowing.
 
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Jerry, dont think one set of tools will do all you need. I tend to use small ornament hollowers to get me a couple inches into the shoulder of a vessel. One is straight and one bent. They will not go for more than about three inches max. But they take the grief out of trying to use a 3/4 inch bar right off. And if I am using 3/4 inch bars I am going into a 7/8ths opening. You can make many of the simple bars. The ornament hollowers I forget who I got them from. It was a Utah symposium many years ago. He wanted twenty bucks for the two. Said, Kelly you can make your own. I said I am happy to pay you twenty for your efforts. I think I have replaced the tips a couple times. I also have bent some bar and made some hollowers. And I still use the straight and bent one I got from David Ellsworth eons ago. And I took his advise and went and cut a couple small saplings for the handles. Ugly but they work. I did drill a hole through the handle and rod and put in a nail to prevent shaft rotation.
 

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Can't afford the Carter system, YET. So, what's the general consensus on the "Gooseneck" style hollowing tool? I've got one of the Easy Wood Goosenecks and like it pretty well but wondered where others stand on such nonsense? I suspect that a Carter, or one like it, will come to live here .....

I suppose that we can guess what you think about certain types of tools. :rolleyes:

As I am sure you already know, the curved tools have the cutter tips in a straight line with the shank to eliminate torque which makes the tool easier to control. Their purpose is to hollow where a straight tool won't reach -- typically just inside the opening. I have a number of different hollowing tools including the large EWT curved neck tool. They all work very well and are essential when working on hollow forms with small openings so my opinion of them is that they really are necessary, but you will need an assortment of hollowing tools for different tasks. There are better carbide tipped tools than the EWT tools, but that doesn't mean that the EWT tools are bad by any stretch of the imagination. When the carbide is sharp, it makes beautiful cuts in wood that is too hard for ordinary hollowing tools. But, carbide doesn't last as long as advertised. I would say 5 to 10 times longer than steel cutters depending on what you are trying to cut ... plus, the steel cutters can be resharpened.

About the Carter hollowing rig, it's nice looking and the rollers are a nice gimmick, but overall it is rather expensive and doesn't do anything that the Jamieson rig or others can do for less money.

... The sinner system is real nice. It is still a D handle with no space inside the D.
I always put my thumb inside the D of the Jamison to be sure it never gets out of the trap.....

The skinny "D" comment made me laugh out loud.

Steve Sinner's skinny D uses a cotterless hitch pin to keep it from falling out of the trap -- it works better than a thumb. :rolleyes:
 

hockenbery

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. The skinny "D" comment made me laugh out loud. Steve Sinner's skinny D uses a cotterless hitch pin to keep it from falling out of the trap -- it works better than a thumb. :rolleyes:

The jamieson handle comes with a pin too. Lyle told me I "had to" drill a hole a put a pin in mine. I think he even gave me two pins for my two handles ( extra for students)
The thumb works just fine.

One advantage of the sinner is that the skinny D will fit through a large opening.
 
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Bill, not necessarily. I DON'T believe in randomly throwing money at a problem, or buying a more expensive tool so I can be a better turner; doesn't work that way and I know it. However, you can't be a carpenter if you don't have a hammer. My perspective is simple. I'm willing to spend the money to get the tool I need, but I want one that will do what it's supposed to do. I HOPE that the tools advertised to us turners will do exactly that. Probably there's a learning curve with all of them and I expect that. I'm not opposed to Goose Neck tools or any of the various configurations. As I said, I just bought the EWT and like it pretty well. It's got a massive flat shaft that really helps get the tip in the right position. And, as long as you're patient, it produces a very smooth surface. Like all the hollowing tools, it takes time. I'm sure you'd agree that hollowing is NOT an "instant gratification process."

Having said all that, my original question had to do with the less expensive tools, like the various Goose Necks, so I could see who had what, how they liked them and so on. And to be sure, I'll get "Opinions." Don't mind that at all. I believe I can learn to work with most any tool combination realizing that some will do better than others. THAT'S what I was asking about. And once I've saved up a few pennies, I'll be looking for a more sophisticated device depending on how the EWT works out. I believe you get what you pay for, within reason. Buy cheap, Get Cheap. I'll spend the money but I want to get a functional tool.

Jerry
 

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Jerry That's why I tend to like the John Jordan (and Ellsworth tools that are similar) and the Lyle Jamieson and Steve Sinner tools. These guys developed the tools to work for them with years and years of experience behind them. They use their tools as well which should tell you something. I use the John Jordan tools in my Jamieson rig when I need the captured bar system. I believe they will also work in some of the articulated rigs like the Monster and Elbow tool but not positive.
 
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John is correct. I use the Jordan and Ellsworth tools in my Don Pencil handle, in my Monster System, in my Jamieson system, and in some straight handles. They work in all of them and have been around for years and will be around for years to come.
 
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a while back I thought I wanted a hook for hollowing. I still do, sort of.
I had/have convinced myself that maybe a cutter or hook type tool would offer a better finish inside where I can't get a gouge. Scraping for me tends to be hit or miss as far as the finish goes sometimes it's all tear out and sometimes it's nice.

I almost got the Pro Forme then after wondering about sharpening it and the cost of replacing the blade I nixed it. I couldn't come up with a good sense of how often I'd have to get a new cutter. And they ain't cheap.

Then I saw the Rolly hollower which uses a carbide cutter that is pretty cheap to replace. It's not a real hook but it's a cutter not a scraper. Back to that thing about the finish on the cut.


But I balked at the price. So, no Rolly tool for me.
Get a Martel hook? Maybe, but not yet.
I'm still jonsing for a slick gizmo. Just not at the price.
Call me cheap, go ahead, just buy me a beer when you do.

Well, I found the cutters at AZ carbide - - and - - well - - I can't help it. I'm going to give making one a go.
Really, it doesn't look all that difficult. The commercially available tool has some sophisticated aspects that I think are unnecessary. How hard can it be to bore a hunk of steel at an angle, rasp it out a little toward the rear to enlarge it, and cut a little slot in another piece? After that I think I'm home free. We'll see.
Failure is always an option.
 

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... The hook tools have the cutting tip in line with the straight part of the bar which eliminates the pressure on the tip when the straight part of the shaft is over the rest....

I think that you mean goose neck tool since a hook tool is a different animal altogether.

a while back I thought I wanted a hook for hollowing. I still do, sort of.
I had/have convinced myself that maybe a cutter or hook type tool would offer a better finish inside where I can't get a gouge. Scraping for me tends to be hit or miss as far as the finish goes sometimes it's all tear out and sometimes it's nice.

I almost got the Pro Forme then after wondering about sharpening it and the cost of replacing the blade I nixed it. I couldn't come up with a good sense of how often I'd have to get a new cutter. And they ain't cheap.

Then I saw the Rolly hollower which uses a carbide cutter that is pretty cheap to replace. It's not a real hook but it's a cutter not a scraper. Back to that thing about the finish on the cut.


But I balked at the price. So, no Rolly tool for me.
Get a Martel hook? Maybe, but not yet.
I'm still jonsing for a slick gizmo. Just not at the price.
Call me cheap, go ahead, just buy me a beer when you do.

Well, I found the cutters at AZ carbide - - and - - well - - I can't help it. I'm going to give making one a go.
Really, it doesn't look all that difficult. The commercially available tool has some sophisticated aspects that I think are unnecessary. How hard can it be to bore a hunk of steel at an angle, rasp it out a little toward the rear to enlarge it, and cut a little slot in another piece? After that I think I'm home free. We'll see.
Failure is always an option.

I have a Rolly Munro cutter for my Steve Sinner boring bar. It consists of just a short shank that fits into the end of the boring bar along with two sections that can be rotated to any desired angle and the guarded cutter. You can get either steel or carbide, I chose the carbide cutters and am extremely well pleased with how well it works. Yes the price is painful, but what isn't these days when buying almost any high quality turning tool. Adjusting the guard position takes a bit of fiddling depending on the wood that you are cutting, but it does leave a surface that is somewhat better than a simple scraper.

I have made several hook tools using O-1 steel. It's not too difficult, but the main thing is getting the curve just right and then sharpening the tool just right to be able to take a nice slicing cut. I learned how to make them from a club member who has made many of them. I discovered that there are as many designs as there are people who make them. If you've never used a hook tool, be forewarned that there is a large learning curve. You can get some incredibly spectacular catches if the tool isn't positioned just right when cutting. The hook tool works best on green wood. Until I got the hang of it, I had some heart-stopping catches that bent the tool shank about 45° and sent the hollowform flying -- and, made me say, "shucks". :rolleyes: But when cutting correctly, you can fill the interior of a hollowform with the most beautiful streamers as the tool makes a smooth bevel riding cut. BTW, I sharpen my hook tools with a diamond hone tool that I get a Rocklers that is designed for sharpening the chisel part of a mortising drill bit.
 

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I think that you mean goose neck tool since a hook tool is a different animal altogether.

Bill,

bent tool might be better for the hollowing bar. :) Goose neck is for lamps :)

Dennis Stewart called it the hooker and most people shortened that to "hook tool"
Certainly results in confusion with the hook tool cutting tip. I have a few and they cut end grain quite well.

Googling "Dennis Stewart Hook Tool" will give you a lot of references to the hooker and arm-brace.
Many use " hook tool"
One hit is a John Jordan article in a fine woodworking woodturning book.
John Jordan calls his hollowing bar a "hook tool"

Context does not always reveal which " hook tool" we are talking about

Al
 
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I think that you mean goose neck tool since a hook tool is a different animal altogether.

Oh I mean a hook.


I have made several hook tools using O-1 steel. It's not too difficult, but the main thing is getting the curve just right and then sharpening the tool just right to be able to take a nice slicing cut.

I contemplated making one. But Every single post I've read about O1 or A2 or W1 or any of the home shop friendly tool steels makes the assertion that they just don't hold an edge. I'm thinking the silica in wood is a bit much for the steel.



You can get some incredibly spectacular catches if the tool isn't positioned just right when cutting.

Yah that's quite probably why the things are not more popular.





I have a Rolly Munro [...] carbide cutters [...] extremely well pleased with how well it works.

Thanks for that. It serves as encouragement for me to try making something like it.
 

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... The hook tools have the cutting tip in line with the straight part of the bar which eliminates the pressure on the tip when the straight part of the shaft is over the rest...

I think that you mean goose neck tool since a hook tool is a different animal altogether...

Oh I mean a hook...

Yes, I know that you were talking about a hook tool. Please note that I was quoting Al Hockenbery and although he used the word "hook", it is clear from the context of his post that he meant a hollowing tool with a curved neck and not a real hook tool. BTW, I'm glad that the word hooker" didn't take -- saves a lot of explaining. :rolleyes:
 

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... Every single post I've read about O1 or A2 or W1 or any of the home shop friendly tool steels makes the assertion that they just don't hold an edge. I'm thinking the silica in wood is a bit much for the steel....

OK, here's one post that says O-1 makes fine turning tools. But, we have become so accustomed to the performance of the fancy powdered metal cryogenically tempered exotic high speed steels that tool steels like O-1 are dismissed as being unacceptable. Hook tools in general work best on green wood although I have used them on dry Bradford pear. Some wood gets rather hard and abrasive after drying so don't try O-1 to cut white oak, live oak, Osage Orange, mesquite, pecan, or ash that is bone dry.

Mineral deposits in wood can vary considerably depending on what minerals are in the water where the tree grows. I think that is a much bigger factor than species since I have encountered wood of the same species with varying degrees of minerals.
 

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There's really nothing wrong with 0-1 or other high carbon steels. They simply don't hold an edge as long as High speed steels or particle metal steels. I simply stop and sharpen more often. In reality most people and probably myself included, don't sharpen often enough. The more you sharpen the quicker and easier it gets. So when I'm using my High carbon steel tools I don't really notice all that much that they don't hold an edge as long because frequent sharpening is just a habit now. I have 2 tools that I use to hollow christmas ornaments. I can hollow 2 or maybe 3 before I need to sharpen but it only takes about a minute or less to sharpen both of them. On the other hand I have a custom built hollowing tool with a Hunter tip. I designed and built this tool specifically to hollow Christmas ornaments. I never have to stop and sharpen it because it simply doesn't get dull. It really doesn't change my production speed.
I have a hook tool I built out of W-1 steel. For those who don't know W-1 is simply the water quenched version of 0-1 which is oil quench. Anyway I really never got that comfortable with the hook tool. It works fine it just takes longer for me to sharpen. Now I'm talking about what I call the Hook tool which is a fish hook shaped sort of thing. I have curved tools for hollowing that some are calling a hook tool. These are curved bars with a small cutter on the end used for reaching into areas of the hollow form that can't be reached by straight tools. I'm not exactly sure what we are calling a swan neck tool. I have a Sorby curved tool that holds a larger flat scraper that I thought they called a swan neck but I don't remember.
 

hockenbery

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A local turner, Ted Smith, makes the hook cutting tips from cut nails. It takes him about five minutes.
Heats it, bends it sharpens, heats it again to a magic color and done.
I have seen him do it in demos several times.
Alan Lacer makes a hook cutting tip as part of one of his demos too.
Both of them use the tool when they are finished to show what it does.

They are easy to sharpen.
Hold an edge long enough to hollow a box.
A large end grain vessel would require a few trips to the grinder

A tool I like for end grain hollowing is a ONEWAY termite toll. This is a ring tool with three different sized rings.
Ring tools can clog more than the hook.

Al
 
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Al,

I loved my one way termite right up until the ring broke. Easy to sharpen and relatively easy to control but I just cannot rationalize the cost in light of the likelihood of Its potential for sudden death. If they were half the price I would consider using them again. I would love to know any strategies you might have to prevent their breaking too soon.


I currently use an Arsenal including 1/4" hss steel blanks from WW Grainger with a Jamieson hook, 12mm round carbide bits from Cap'n Eddie and being very careful using Pro-Forme tool. All are used with a Jamieson captive D arm and a Harrison Specialties laser.


Jim Lee
 
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Al,

I would love to know any strategies you might have to prevent their breaking too soon.
Jim Lee

I’ve only had one of the Termite rings break and that was when it was dropped and hit the floor ring first. Under what circumstances have you broken the rings? (I do agree with you that they aren’t the least expensive things out there to replace.)
 

hockenbery

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Al, I loved my one way termite right up until the ring broke. Easy to sharpen and relatively easy to control but I just cannot rationalize the cost in light of the likelihood of Its potential for sudden death. Jim Lee

Jim, I had a ring break last year when hollowing a goblet cup. I bought it around 1995.
20 years seems reasonable amount of service and like Owen, I chalked up its breaking to having been dropped a few dozen times.

I don't use the termite often these days. A long time ago I used it for quite a few boxes.

If my tip had broken with little use and without any abuse I would contact ONEWAY.
A tool tip should not break in normal use. ONEWAY is pretty good about standing behind their products.

Al
 
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Bill Boehme

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... I'm not exactly sure what we are calling a swan neck tool. I have a Sorby curved tool that holds a larger flat scraper that I thought they called a swan neck but I don't remember.

Oh, no, not another animal neck! :D You are correct that Sorby calls their curved shank hollowing tool a swan neck tool. So far we've managed to get by without mentioning Cormorant necks, Great Egret necks, and Great Blue Heron necks.

Al,

I loved my one way termite right up until the ring broke. Easy to sharpen and relatively easy to control but I just cannot rationalize the cost in light of the likelihood of Its potential for sudden death. If they were half the price I would consider using them again. I would love to know any strategies you might have to prevent their breaking too soon...

My strategy is not using the tool. :rolleyes: I've had a termite tool for at least ten years and it has seen very little use. I suppose that you could make the connection between the ring and shank stronger by brazing it. I don't know if the ring is high-speed tool steel, but if it is a MAPP torch probably wouldn't get hot enough to hurt the temper much.

... They are easy to sharpen.
Hold an edge long enough to hollow a box.
A large end grain vessel would require a few trips to the grinder ...

Thanks for reminding me ... I forgot to mention earlier that hook tools (real hook tools are shaped like a ? or fish hook as John Lucas described them) should only be used on end-grain hollowforms. I've heard hook tools being described as inside-out bowl gouges. If you don't take the description too literally, I think that it is a good way to describe what they do.
 

hockenbery

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Oh, n.. I forgot to mention earlier that hook tools (real hook tools are shaped like a ? or fish hook as John Lucas described them) should only be used on end-grain hollowforms. I've heard hook tools being described as inside-out bowl gouges. If you don't take the description too literally, I think that it is a good way to describe what they do.

I'm not so good with a hook tip tool that I can use it without seeing it make contact with the wood to begin the cut.
I only use it on forms with wide openings.
Hollowing through a 1" opening I. Use the scraping cutters. A hook tip through the 1" opening word be way out of my comfort zone with the tool.

Al
 

Bill Boehme

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I'm not so good with a hook tip tool that I can use it without seeing it make contact with the wood to begin the cut.
I only use it on forms with wide openings.
Hollowing through a 1" opening I. Use the scraping cutters. A hook tip through the 1" opening word be way out of my comfort zone with the tool.

Al

I used a hook tool on a hollow form with an opening that was a bit under two inches and that was the limit of my comfort zone. I also got a few exciting catches when I lost sight of the cutter. The worst was when I broke the hook off and had to make a new hook. About the time that I am feeling fairly confident with the tool is when I get a catch. Like you, I need to see the cutter on this tool.

Here are a couple pictures of my only surviving hook tool. The second picture shows how I sharpen it with the cone shaped diamond hone.

image.jpeg

image.jpeg
 
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