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Video on Hunter tool usage

john lucas

john lucas

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I'm trying to learn to make video's which is really hard for a still photographer who can barely turn the computer on. I made this video on how to use the #4 Hunter tool. It has some problems but isn't too bad for a first try especially since I was turning and running the camera at the same time.
Let me know how to improve it. I know it has some kind of compression problems. I'm going to work on that and hopefully get rid of the Jaggy's.

http://www.youtube.com/user/john59lucas
 
John, that´s a real good presentation, there´s very little to criticize other than the jaggies which I would guess to be caused by a small video resolution that was enlarged beyond it´s original size. Minor technical matter which I am sure you will figure out. Looking forward to seeing more of your videos, nice work!
 
John great video. I think I figured out what I was doing wrong with my Hunter. I went out and gave it a try after watching your video and finding the bevel cured my problem. I had a willow bowl with terrible tearout. I actually started sanding at 120 instead of 80. Thank you.
 
Hunter tool video

John, Excellent video. At the very beginning I was a bit confused about what item on the table you were describing. Perhaps each could be laid down as the description came up on the script? Once that section was over I was delighted how clearly you made the functioning of the tool look and behave.
I wonder how the Hunter would take to a crack filled with epoxy and brass filings, or stone with epoxy? Care to give it a try in that "ultimate test"? Phil
 
Video

John,
All in all, a well-done video. It was very helpful to see how to properly start the cutting action. As soon as I get the chance to head out to the shop, I will give my Hunter tools a try in the manner you've described. Thanks, John!
Kurt😀
 
Phillip I have turned aluminum with it. This is what the bits were actually designed to do on a metal lathe. Mike has polished the upper surface to give them a sharper edge for turning wood. I haven't tried turning any stone yet. I would worry about hard stone. The edge is carbide but it's very thin. I have chipped the edge on the one I was using in the video but I'm sure that was probably the time I dropped it off the lathe. I've used that #4 cutter for about a year now and have turned a lot of stuff including with it, and let other people visiting the shop play with it to learn how it cuts. As I said in the video I now use it mostly for final cuts. I'm just faster with the bowl gouge and I think it's a better tool for fine control of shaping. The hunter is good on squirly grain and if controlled properly gives a very clean finish.
It is also excellent as a bowl bottom finishing tool that we discussed the other day in another thread. Because the bevel angle is steep you can reach into a deep bowl or vessel and cut the bottom with the bevel rubbing which leaves a very clean cut.
 
John

Great job on the video - your presentation was right on the spot and your video work (other than the obvious Jaggys) was right on. I liked the camera angles as well.

My only critic would be you talk about changing the angle of the tool but your never mention the reason you would want to - for a newbie this could be confusing. Is it to get a more or less agressive cut or does it not make a difference etc...

Great job and I look forward to more. Maybe Mike should put it on his site when you get it perfected 🙂
 
Excellent first try John, as a Hunter user, it was a big help. It probably would have been a long time before I considered using this tool on a plate or platter. Thank you for sharing
 
I haven't been on this forum for a few days......and I see I've been missing out on something great! Glad to see your video, John. I'm sure it's going to be a big help to a few of us......

I am looking forward to you mastering the video camera, and seeing some more of your videos. It wasn't as clear as I'd like it to have been, but for a first attempt, I'd say you're on the right track! Good presentation, and verbal descriptions.

One quick unrelated question:

One of your tool rests looks like it might be CSUSA's Robust Comfort Tool Rest.

http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/s...st_Comfort_Tool_Rest___robust_tool_rest?Args=

If it is......how do you like that? Can you give us your analysis of it?

thanks

otis of cologne
 
Odie This is a custom made tool rest from Brent English who sells the comfort tool rest. It is fabulous and I highly recommend his tool rests. He has mini lathe tool rests and big lathe tool rests. To do the handles of my mirrors I needed a tool rest that was small enough to wrap my hands around to stabilize the wood but sturdy enough no to flex. I asked Brent to put one of the 12" mini lathe heads on a 1" bar for my powermatic. I had him cut it down to 10 3/4" to make it exactly fit the dimensions I use for those handles. It has not flex whatsoever and works incredibly well. so much so that I use it for most things now.
The only downside (very small nit pick) I have a double bevel on most of my tools. This is done to shorten the main bevel length for ease of sharpening and to let the tool reach into narrower areas. I've been using the round bars from Bestwoodtools which I like very much. The tool sits flat on these because the pivot point is about 3/8 to 1/2" from the wood. The Comfort tool rest top is 1/4" in diameter so the pivot point is very close to the wood. Great for small tools but for bigger tools and I have to move the tool rest further from the wood so I'm riding on the steel of the tool and not on my ground bevels. It took a few days to get used to moving the tool rest away from the wood slightly.
 
presentation of the Hunter tool

Is the Hunter tool held horizontal (parallel to floor) like the Ellsworth signature gouge or is it elevated like a conventional gouge?
 
john lucas said:
Odie This is a custom made tool rest from Brent English who sells the comfort tool rest. It is fabulous and I highly recommend his tool rests. He has mini lathe tool rests and big lathe tool rests. To do the handles of my mirrors I needed a tool rest that was small enough to wrap my hands around to stabilize the wood but sturdy enough no to flex. I asked Brent to put one of the 12" mini lathe heads on a 1" bar for my powermatic. I had him cut it down to 10 3/4" to make it exactly fit the dimensions I use for those handles. It has not flex whatsoever and works incredibly well. so much so that I use it for most things now.
The only downside (very small nit pick) I have a double bevel on most of my tools. This is done to shorten the main bevel length for ease of sharpening and to let the tool reach into narrower areas. I've been using the round bars from Bestwoodtools which I like very much. The tool sits flat on these because the pivot point is about 3/8 to 1/2" from the wood. The Comfort tool rest top is 1/4" in diameter so the pivot point is very close to the wood. Great for small tools but for bigger tools and I have to move the tool rest further from the wood so I'm riding on the steel of the tool and not on my ground bevels. It took a few days to get used to moving the tool rest away from the wood slightly.
Click to expand...


Thanks for the reply, John.......

Probably, with that 1/4" bar (as the surface used for resting the cutting tool against) you can get closer to the work than much of what I'm currently doing. You raise a good point, in that the bevel of the tool is the determining factor on how close you can actually get without the bevel interfering with stability.

Since I'm accustomed to using a fairly steep bevel angle on my scrapers, the comfort tool rest would probably benefit me somewhat......don't know, but would need some "hands on" time with it to know for sure.

I see the Robust Comfort tool rests that CSUSA offers, are all straight. I'd like to see some of these in a curved configuration......both convex and concave.....

thanks

otis of cologne
 
Good job on the video John. When you figure out the jaggys you will really have something there,

GA. Darling
 
cwearing said:
Is the Hunter tool held horizontal (parallel to floor) like the Ellsworth signature gouge or is it elevated like a conventional gouge?
Click to expand...

I think I know what your asking. When I do the Ellsworth cut I have the flute up, cutting with the nose of the left side wing. I usually have the handle about parallel with the bed.
When I cut with the nose of the bowl gouge with the flute pointing toward 2 or 3 oclock I usually have the handle down. I think the only thing that really matters is that you cut at or above the center line of the work. I have the handle down in comparison to the cutter but that's just because the handle fits on my hip better for control at that height. The way the cutter contacts the work I don't think the work would know if you had the bar and handle parallel with the bed or tilted down.
 
I am just starting into turning since I seem to have forgotten what ever I knew 30 years ago. I thought this video was great. I hope to find more.

Last year I restored an old Walker-Turner L1152 Variable Speed Lathe (12") with the CI base. I had the headstock parts remachined to accept standard ball bearings. This will be my turning learning machine.
 
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