• It's time to cast your vote in the January 2025 Turning Challenge. (click here for details)
  • Conversations are now Direct Messages (click here for details)
  • Congratulations to Alan Weinberg for "Elm Burl Bowl" being selected as Turning of the Week for January 27, 2025 (click here for details)
  • Welcome new registering member. Your username must be your real First and Last name (for example: John Doe). "Screen names" and "handles" are not allowed and your registration will be deleted if you don't use your real name. Also, do not use all caps nor all lower case.

Thank you John Lucas and Wayne Omura: Hunter Tools

Emiliano Achaval

Emiliano Achaval

Administrator
Staff member
Beta Tester
TOTW Team
Joined
Dec 14, 2015
Messages
3,346
Likes
4,414
Location
Maui, Hawaii
Website
hawaiiankoaturner.com
Sometimes you have to see it to believe it. John Lucas sent me a beautiful Hunter tool to test. Also club member Wayne Omura, Treasurer and Secretary of the Maui Woodturners Assn. made me 2 different sizes of home made Hunter tools. Take a look at the pictures, thats a delicate beautiful cut, on the inside curve of a Koa calabash. The Hunter tools leaves an almost glossy surface on the finicky Koa!! It's my favorite tool for that transition curve of my calabashes... Thank you John & Wayne, I'm a believer now...
 

Attachments

  • IMG_0296.JPG
    IMG_0296.JPG
    393.6 KB · Views: 116
  • IMG_0295.JPG
    IMG_0295.JPG
    459.2 KB · Views: 111
Spectacular tools. I'll be demoing with them this weekend. The demos aren't about those tools it's about air brushing and carving handles and feet on bowls. However I will be turning a platter and of course turning a bowl and thought I would do that with the Hunter Viceroy and Hercules so show people how easy they are to use and the quality of finish. For new turners the ease of use and the fact they don't have to buy a sharpening system makes a pretty big difference. For turners with bevel rubbing skills the Hunter Hercules, Osprey and #4 or #5 can be a game changer. One cut i use to have problems with was when turning bowls with the bottom toward the tailstock. That first inch or so from the foot toward the lip I always got a little tearout because you can't really cut that area and have to scraper of shear scrape simply because you can't rub the bevel. With the Hercules I cut toward the foot which can often be against the grain and I get a cut that can easily be sanded with 220. Just about anytime I have an area that just doesn't want to cut clean (like curly grain on inside of a bowl) I can switch to my Hercules and make a pass or two and it's gone.
 
What Hunter tool are you happy with? I am turning some yarn bowls for an order and upcoming craft show season. I have a tough time getting a good transition from the interior curve sides of the bowl which transition quickly to a mostly flat bottom.

Thanks
Ricc

Emiliano Achaval said:
Sometimes you have to see it to believe it. John Lucas sent me a beautiful Hunter tool to test. Also club member Wayne Omura, Treasurer and Secretary of the Maui Woodturners Assn. made me 2 different sizes of home made Hunter tools. Take a look at the pictures, thats a delicate beautiful cut, on the inside curve of a Koa calabash. The Hunter tools leaves an almost glossy surface on the finicky Koa!! It's my favorite tool for that transition curve of my calabashes... Thank you John & Wayne, I'm a believer now...
Click to expand...
 
Ricc Havens said:
What Hunter tool are you happy with? I am turning some yarn bowls for an order and upcoming craft show season. I have a tough time getting a good transition from the interior curve sides of the bowl which transition quickly to a mostly flat bottom.

Thanks
Ricc
Click to expand...
I believe John sent the Hunter number 4. I use my Thompson gouges 98% of the time, but the finishing inside curve, the hunter tool is a time saver...
 
john lucas said:
Spectacular tools. I'll be demoing with them this weekend. The demos aren't about those tools it's about air brushing and carving handles and feet on bowls. However I will be turning a platter and of course turning a bowl and thought I would do that with the Hunter Viceroy and Hercules so show people how easy they are to use and the quality of finish. For new turners the ease of use and the fact they don't have to buy a sharpening system makes a pretty big difference. For turners with bevel rubbing skills the Hunter Hercules, Osprey and #4 or #5 can be a game changer. One cut i use to have problems with was when turning bowls with the bottom toward the tailstock. That first inch or so from the foot toward the lip I always got a little tearout because you can't really cut that area and have to scraper of shear scrape simply because you can't rub the bevel. With the Hercules I cut toward the foot which can often be against the grain and I get a cut that can easily be sanded with 220. Just about anytime I have an area that just doesn't want to cut clean (like curly grain on inside of a bowl) I can switch to my Hercules and make a pass or two and it's gone.
Click to expand...
They definetly have their place in the shop. Glad you sent me one. Aloha
 
I imagine if you have a carbide insert scraper tool you could substitute a high positive aluminum cutting insert and you'd have almost the same thing as a Hunter tool.

As far as I've seen none of the carbide insert tool sellers specify the industry standard designation of their inserts. They appear to be readily available standard shapes and sizes though.
 
The advantage of the Hunter tool shaft is the bevel on the tool support follows the cutter so it's easier to ride the bevel. If you just put one of his inserts in anybody else's tool you won't get that and it may even hinder using the bevel.
 
john lucas said:
The advantage of the Hunter tool shaft is the bevel on the tool support follows the cutter so it's easier to ride the bevel. If you just put one of his inserts in anybody else's tool you won't get that and it may even hinder using the bevel.
Click to expand...

As you say the insert is tipped forward. By substituting a high positive insert in a typical carbide insert scraper tool is that any different than simply approaching the work with a tool inclined about the same amount?

I've never used a Hunter tool, or for that matter, even seen one in person, only pictures. The type high positive inserts Hunter uses can be aggressive with a tendency to self-feed and catch or grab. By inclining the insert it becomes less aggressive, that's my thought on why the inclined mount.

I have been using the high positive inserts for years in automatic lathes and know how well they can turn "against" the grain leaving a very smooth surface. But, in my case, the tool is held rigidly so there isn't much chance of it catching and the bevel isn't used.

There are definitely advantages of insert tooling over conventional type that needs frequent sharpening. Aside from the smooth cutting there's the elimination of all the sharpening systems (which can run into some serious cash outlay)..

BTW: a tool I see advertised with a similar cutting action as a high positive insert is the the Kelton hook tool. In their write up they address the problem of aggressive self-feeding. They also mention the smoothness of the cuts in difficult grain. From their website, apparently it isn't marketed in the USA.
 
The Hunter Hercules that has the cutter tilted forward 30 degrees is very controllable and doesn't self feed or grab. Sweet tool. That is if it's held flat and used as a scraper. If you tilt it to the side and use it as a bevel rubbing tool it handles just like the nose of a bowl gouge but you get a far better cut because the cutter has a 22 degree cutting tip. The Hunter #4 has the cutter mounted flat and will get one really good catch if you feed it in flat with the cutter facing up. That tool should only be used as a bevel rubbing tool. There are lots of videos I've done of the Hunter tools on youtube. Here is one.
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzrLN8SQ8ms&t=12s
 
Thanks for the video John. Watching your video could make someone wonder why anybody uses anything but carbide inserts. Of course there's all the vested interest in teaching using conventional tools, grinding techniques, grinders, CBN and jigs.

What I was suggesting for those already owning an insert scraper they could simulate a Hunter tool by purchasing a Hunter style insert and using it as shown in the second and third views below.

AFAIK, Hunter only uses various sizes of round inserts. All sorts of high positive insert shapes are readily available, square, round diamond and so on to replace the carbide scraper inserts.


tool-angles.JPG
 
I suppose those angle would work but position 2 would sort of pull the tool into the work because it would try to slide on the tool rest where position 1 the force is pushing down on the tool rest. Position 3 would the wood will try to climb up over the tool. Wood is more flexible than steel and I've had this happen. At least that is my thinking.
 
Emiliano Achaval said:
Sometimes you have to see it to believe it. John Lucas sent me a beautiful Hunter tool to test. Also club member Wayne Omura, Treasurer and Secretary of the Maui Woodturners Assn. made me 2 different sizes of home made Hunter tools. Take a look at the pictures, thats a delicate beautiful cut, on the inside curve of a Koa calabash. The Hunter tools leaves an almost glossy surface on the finicky Koa!! It's my favorite tool for that transition curve of my calabashes... Thank you John & Wayne, I'm a believer now...
Click to expand...
@Mike Hunter Take a look at this cut I got with your tool!! Aloha!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top