Monster Accessories query...

[Richard Kennedy]

I am about to take advantage of the Monster 10% off offer and purchase an articulated system I am in the UK and want to ensure I get a complete package! Shipping is expensive and so I want to combine the rig and accessories in one package. To this end I have been looking through the accessories available. My question is for anyone who already has the rig what accessories do you have and which sit in the box unused? I can see the need for a swan neck and the adapters but unsure about things like the hunter insert or scrapers. I appreciate that the standard kit is sufficient to a huge range of work however I have never seen the thing in action except on the internet and from other owners so I want to cover all bases from the outset! any help or suggestions welcomed!

 

[Bill Blasic]

Richard,
It is a great outfit and comes with a good assortment of tools. I would opt for the 5/8 to 3/4 adapter for using bigger tools. A lot of the hollowing I do I use the Kelton hollowers or the Jordan hollowers depending on the size hole I want to hollow through. I do not have adapters for the tools smaller than 5/8 but I have had no problems going down as far as 3/8 tools going into the 5/8 hole, I just tighten with the grub screws and it works fine. Before Randy passed I asked him to make me a longer laser rest for deep hollowing (that keeps the laser steadier when I'm in ten + inches. I gave the dimensions to the kids but I don't know if they are producing it. This system made hollowing fun!
Bill

 

[john lucas]

I don't have his hollowing rig but I am a fan of the Hunter tools. I don't necessarily think it speeds up hollowing. You don't have to stop and sharpen of course because it can't be sharpened and it holds an edge for a very long time.
For normal hollowing where the inside finish isn't critical it really doesn't speed up the process all that much. I don't know if his rig will let you rotate the cutter. If the cutters face up and are tilted forward at about 30 degrees they are non directional and work like scrapers although I think they leave a better finish. If the cutters are rotated so they face either toward you or away from you they are directional. By that I mean they tend to want to catch or try to pull themselves into the wood when you go the wrong way. In this position however if you cut in the correct direction the cut extremely clean. So if interior finish is a concern and you can rotate them or use one of the Hunter tools designed for this purpose then they are outstanding. For just normal hollowing through a small hole where no one see the interior they don't really have much advantage. It's just not that hard to stop and sharpen the HSS cutters.
Here is one of my videos showing how the cutters work. You might find some of my other videos interesting as well.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0v7-HMuCvvM

 

[Richard Kennedy]

Thanks for your input guys I appreciate its an odd question to some degree as only I know what I am likely to want to do with it in the future! but John your pointers on the hunter tool are interesting I would like to know if there are any users of the rig with the hunter tip do you feel you get a more finished surface inside a form when compared to standard scrapers. This is quite important to me as I hope to open up some of the hollow forms I will be doing and as such the interior finish will be important!

Thanks again for any input I have been going to buy this tool for a long time and have read so many good reviews and comments on other threeads I guess I am just dotting all the i's as its an expensive bit of kit for me to buy at the mo and I don't want to get a white elephant!

 

[Bill Blasic]

Richard,
John is way more versed with the Hunter carbide than I will ever be (mainly because I don't own one). I have tried other carbide on the inside and have found no advantage over the Kelton and Jordans. I think because the system glides so nicely that I can take nice smooth finish cuts with what I'm using. Now I believe what John says so there may be an advantage to using the Hunter. If you get the Monster practice with an open form (glass shaped where you can easily feel and see your results.
Bill

 

[Syd Sellers]

Thanks for your input guys I appreciate its an odd question to some degree as only I know what I am likely to want to do with it in the future! but John your pointers on the hunter tool are interesting I would like to know if there are any users of the rig with the hunter tip do you feel you get a more finished surface inside a form when compared to standard scrapers. This is quite important to me as I hope to open up some of the hollow forms I will be doing and as such the interior finish will be important!

Thanks again for any input I have been going to buy this tool for a long time and have read so many good reviews and comments on other threeads I guess I am just dotting all the i's as its an expensive bit of kit for me to buy at the mo and I don't want to get a white elephant!

Richard, John is right, I have a home made version of the Monster, just finished it a week ago and love it. You can adapt all kinds of different cutters to it one being the Hunter cutters. Also the Sorby deep dish shaped circular HSS cutter. They both cut very fast with little to no pulled end grain as compared to a normal scraper cutter. I have also adapted the Sorby Multi Tip Hollower both the straight and swan neck. Works 100% All you need to do is figure out how to get the handle off they are on there really good.
Good luck with your hollower.

 

[Dan Mosley]

I have the Monster Rig - I bought mine long time back and bought some extra steel for making more bits - swan neck bar, adapter and from that point on made my own cutters etc -. The original purchase came with many extras which is nice-- for anything bigger than the 3/4 I have a home made free standing rig - Monster is a very good choice

 

[James Seyfried]

Well, Richard and this thread inspired me to take advantage of the 10% sale...I got the combo system and a handle. I've had surgery on both shoulders and decided if I wanted to do this I needed the help.

I got the tools Saturday and was a bit overwhelmed with all the HSS cutters that need to be sharpened. Fortunately a quick search of this site provided help. In this case a video by John Lucas (thanks John!). I am very appreciative of this site and of all those willing to share their expertise with others.

 

[john lucas]

Richard Don't know if you've already sprung for this or not. I spent the weekend in Arizona and spent quite a bit of time looking at the Monster tool lone. Very nice stuff and great guy to deal with.
The Carbide tool insert that he uses is the same cutter as the Hunter tips. It works extremely well. It can be tilted in all directions to take the best advantage of that tool. You can watch my videos on the Hunter tools to understand more about how it should be used if you go that route. I don't think it's absolutely necessary but will give awfully clean cuts when mounted and used correctly.