I have a Delta 460 Midi Lathe and would like some advice on brand and type of hollowing tool(s) to buy for a newbi.
Harry
Harry
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Hollowing tools
- Thread starter Harry Taylor
- Start date
john lucas
AAW Forum Expert
Well I'm a fan of the John Jordan tools. They are simple, easy to sharpen, and very effective. For your lathe the 1/2" set should do fine.
http://www.johnjordanwoodturning.com/John_Jordan_Woodturning/Stubby.html
http://www.johnjordanwoodturning.com/John_Jordan_Woodturning/Stubby.html
I am a newbi myself when it comes to hollowing but I have enjoyed some shop made replicas of the Ellsworth style hollowing tools. Very cheap to make and you can tune them to suit your needs. You can get the HSS cutters for a couple dollars from any metalturning shop and then all you need is some round metal barstock. He explains how to make the tools in "Ellsworth on Woodturning". Does someone else have a website link for how to make these tools?
If you are doing end grain hollowing, others have had success with a ring tool like the Termite et al.
Happy Hollowing
If you are doing end grain hollowing, others have had success with a ring tool like the Termite et al.
Happy Hollowing
Midi Hollowing tools
I have also made my own David E. style hollowing tools (in a jumbo size), but for your size lathe one of the absolute nicest, easiest, no nonsense hollowing systems is Don Derry's "lighting hollowing system" The entire system sits in your banjo where the tool rest would go. It also has a lazer system included that works very well. It uses the same type of tips that an Ellsworth tool would have, but in a captured system to deal with the torque. The parts are well machined and well designed and you can get it in any tool post diameter you need. With it you can hollow through small openings to a depth of about 8 inches.
I have also made my own David E. style hollowing tools (in a jumbo size), but for your size lathe one of the absolute nicest, easiest, no nonsense hollowing systems is Don Derry's "lighting hollowing system" The entire system sits in your banjo where the tool rest would go. It also has a lazer system included that works very well. It uses the same type of tips that an Ellsworth tool would have, but in a captured system to deal with the torque. The parts are well machined and well designed and you can get it in any tool post diameter you need. With it you can hollow through small openings to a depth of about 8 inches.
- Joined
- Sep 17, 2008
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I have the Kelton hollowers, and a rolly munro. They are all excellent.
I use the Ellesworth/ oland style tools when I teach, for beginners they are the best. They are easy to make all you need is a cheap drill press, a grinder and the materials and ca glue. They are easy to sharpen and maintian for a beginner turner.
I use the Ellesworth/ oland style tools when I teach, for beginners they are the best. They are easy to make all you need is a cheap drill press, a grinder and the materials and ca glue. They are easy to sharpen and maintian for a beginner turner.
I use the Kelton Hollowers and have for years. Have tried others but just keep going back to the Keltons. The straight tool and the two curved ones in each set allow me to get to just any area I need too. I also like the one piece simplicity and the ease of sharpening They hardly ever see a grinder...they get honed with a stone (Hard Arkansas) or, if I have misplaced my stone, a diamond hone. The special layer of steel holds a burr for a long, long time. Over the years, I have acquired all the various sizes except the new 10mm ones, and they are on my Christmas list!
I came to this aged thread tonight sort of by accident, but might as well add my two cents for future readers. I have been making and using Ellsworth style hollowing tools for a number of years, mainly for face grain hollow forms. Recently I've been doing some deeply undercut end grain forms and found no problem using the Ellsworth tools - I couldn't reach deep enough with the scrapers or termite I normally used on end grain goblets and such. I am in a very small shop (my bedroom) and a limited budget, and already had bought too many expensive tools to look at the specialized ones. I have about a dozen Ellsworth style tools I've made myself in various sizes. My lathe is a PSI 12" midi and I do a lot of small work (I'll do more large work if anyone gets me the wood <g>). I have found that the smallest practical cutter is 1/8". Given a 1/8" cutter I can make a straight tool with a 7/32" shaft, and for a "bent" tool as small as 13/64" (the wider face of the bevel allows a little more error in drilling). The cost is minimal. Cutter blanks cost a bit under $3 for a 2 1/2" length from which you can get 3 to 5 cutters (depending on size). The tool rods are under $10 for a 36" length in sizes of about 1/2" or under. Even spending 4 bucks for handle blanks all my tools came in at under $10, and I can make new ones to my needs. When I get off my butt and buy some stock wood for the handles it will be a lot cheaper.
My cutters are mainly 3/16" and 1/8", the 1/4" is ok for straight tools with big shafts but too aggressive for a bent tool (even David's big tools for big pieces use the 3/16" for the bent tool). My shafts run from about 1/2" to that 13/16" bent tool in a number of sizes.
David gives clear instructions on how to make the cutters and the tools, he is a gentleman. I'll add a bit to them as my manual skills aren't as great as his. To make the cutter you have to make one end of a square blank round (having cut the length from the longer piece), then shape the other end as a cutter. I take Home Depot steel rod (the cheap stuff) and drill a hole to fit the square blank (a little bit of HS trig tells you how big a round hole you need for the square peg) then drill and tap for a set screw to hold it. Make sure your rod is big enough that a short set screw will be below the surface when tightened. Now you can roll the jig on your grinder platform to make the round. Drill the other end of the jig for the round (a hair over so you can fit it easily) and tap for a set screw from the side. Now you can shape the cutter part. Once the cutter is on the tool shaft you can regrind the cutter at will.
The advantage of this set up is its versatility - you can change cutters in a few minutes with the heat from a mini butane torch to melt out the CA glue. Yes, its quicker to change cutters with a fancy tool, but the set screw and wide shaft preclude tiny entry holes for those wonderful "spirit pieces" that David makes. I have sold or given away to AAW causes a number of tools I bought in my salad days of believing the vendor's ads. As one who, at 80, will never be in "production work" I find the concept of laser guidance or mechanical jigs to be contrary to the art and the craft that I enjoy. I want the guys who make the parts for my car to use the best use of technology, but the art or craft I put on my shelf or my wall I prefer be done freehand.
My cutters are mainly 3/16" and 1/8", the 1/4" is ok for straight tools with big shafts but too aggressive for a bent tool (even David's big tools for big pieces use the 3/16" for the bent tool). My shafts run from about 1/2" to that 13/16" bent tool in a number of sizes.
David gives clear instructions on how to make the cutters and the tools, he is a gentleman. I'll add a bit to them as my manual skills aren't as great as his. To make the cutter you have to make one end of a square blank round (having cut the length from the longer piece), then shape the other end as a cutter. I take Home Depot steel rod (the cheap stuff) and drill a hole to fit the square blank (a little bit of HS trig tells you how big a round hole you need for the square peg) then drill and tap for a set screw to hold it. Make sure your rod is big enough that a short set screw will be below the surface when tightened. Now you can roll the jig on your grinder platform to make the round. Drill the other end of the jig for the round (a hair over so you can fit it easily) and tap for a set screw from the side. Now you can shape the cutter part. Once the cutter is on the tool shaft you can regrind the cutter at will.
The advantage of this set up is its versatility - you can change cutters in a few minutes with the heat from a mini butane torch to melt out the CA glue. Yes, its quicker to change cutters with a fancy tool, but the set screw and wide shaft preclude tiny entry holes for those wonderful "spirit pieces" that David makes. I have sold or given away to AAW causes a number of tools I bought in my salad days of believing the vendor's ads. As one who, at 80, will never be in "production work" I find the concept of laser guidance or mechanical jigs to be contrary to the art and the craft that I enjoy. I want the guys who make the parts for my car to use the best use of technology, but the art or craft I put on my shelf or my wall I prefer be done freehand.