Sorby Spiraling tool

[jclucas]

I'm having a real hard time using the Sorby spiraling tool. The small cutters work pretty well but I seem to be forcing the tool to cut. The big cutter just won't cut. I tried it on oak with some success. Yellow heart with some success and Cocobolo was a complete failure. Does anyone have any experience with this tool. John

[SeanS]

No response in so long! Has anyone else used this tool? I am thinking of buying one myself (some of the effects look great), but have read a few negative posts like this (too difficult to use, poor instructions with the tool etc). Does anyone have any experience using the spiralling or texturing tool?

Thanks,

Sean

[rsser]

fwiw Andrew Potocnik reckons it's a job creation scheme for the only person around who can use it!

Seems a lot of turners use the Arbortech mini-grinder with good results.

[gatiep]

The Sorby Spiralling tool and the Arbotec mini grinder are very different tools. The arbotec for starters works and depends on the operators artistic flair. The Sorby spiralling tool only works sometimes on some woods and really isn't worth more than the postage to get it. I have had a go with their spiralling and texturing set up. After struggling for in excess of 8 hours with it I actually ran a demo with it the following day. The spiralling works on certain timbers only, Australian Sheoak and Jarrah are pretty much a no no and Euro Beech is not too bad. The important bit is the technique of holding the spiralling wheel at the correct angle. If the angle is not right it just doesn't work and cuts worse than a blunt scraper. Short grained and loose grained wood doesn't work. The coursest spiral wheel may work but the finer ones actually break the grain out on the spirals which looks absolutely "up to".

The texturing is not too bad, however duplicating the exact texture a few times can be a real sod, unless its one of the more straight forward textures.

My conclusion is that the texturing tool gets about 5/10, the spiralling tool is a total waste of time for practical use. Therefore I cannot recommend buying the combination pack.

BTW my demo was a success, mainly because I steered well away from difficult materials and spent more time on the texturing than the spiralling. Offcourse I also had some that I previously prepared! The audience was impressed but all felt it was too much buggering around for what it actually achieved.

I definately will spend my money on something else.

:)

[rsser]

Only mentioned the Arbortech since Andrew has used it for spiral
-like texturing.

Course has lots of other uses too.

[gatiep]

Yep I realised that, but had to mention that the arbotec at least works,which makes it totally different to the sorby! Get what I mean. I have seen some nice work done with the arbortec.

:)

[rsser]

Gotcha.

Yeah ... as one of Andrew's egs: southern mahogany vase, 'modern' shape (ie tulip without the turning in top), stained cerise, scorched, and then textured with the mini-grinder. Looked great.

[Tony Morton]

Hi John I have used the sorby tool with varying sucess it seems that a firm dense timber is first requirement and using the larger wheel to get best effect timber with even density and no defects as every defect the tool looses contact and needs to start again so continuity doesnt occur in the grouves.another point is that they like other tools need to be kept sharp. I find keep the tool rest back from work a bit and use tool below centre line levering the tool against the timber. I have used the large wheel on blue gum burl with large cracks soft patches and got quite good results I think its like a lot of new things its a matter of persistance for a while till you master it then it comes easy.Hope this has helped .

Cheers Tony

[Mik]

Hi guys,

We are the Australian distributor for Robert Sorby tools. If you are having trouble getting good results from the spiralling and texturing tools then perhaps the instructions are not as comprehensive as they could be. I can assure you the tools are capable of producing beautiful results, I have seen them do that on several occasions. We have a couple of nice bowls and things that came from our class rooms here in the shop, that have texturing and spiral effects on them.

If you would like some tips on getting better results from the tools give us ring at Mik International anytime, or drop in to one of the big woodshows where we often have turning demos. At Sydney, Brisbane and a few stops in between the demo guru Clive from Robert Sorby in the UK will even be there to show you how. The tools are definately good value for enhancing projects and improving creativity and variety.