Recess tool

[haemish762]

Hello there, i am in search of a tool that is both durable and easy to use that can be used to recess/hollow the iner edge of bowls. I will include a pic of two of my efforts so you know what i mean (Myrtle and blackwood). I bought a 1/4" hollowing scraper, looks like a cashew nut on the end of a squre end scraper, but managed to destroy it on good ol eucalyptus!
Is there a tool out there that will give a reasonably clean cut, allow me to hollow to the inner edges of my bowl, won't bust after two uses and doesn't cost what Bill Gates would describe ass "small change".

I don't mind attempting to make the tool myself if anyone can send me a plan, i used to be a gunsmith so odd shaped metal is not a problem plus my Father in law is a sword smith. Please don't suggest a damascus roughing gouge, i couldn't afford the # 'unobtanium' metal to make it.

Hope you get a laugh from this and may be able to help with my dilemma, Cheers Haemish

# Unobtanium - the metal that is used for very small springs and parts of tools that when you open the tool up to see what makes it tick, that part flies out and you hear it land on the workshop floor. two months later you still cant find it and that tool still won't work with any other similar part. No other part can be substituted made from any other metal... Unobtainium

[hughie]

Haemish,

Nice looking bowls, what the timber?:D

I might be able to help you as I also turn the same type of bowls, have done half a dozen or so in the last few weeks...its a Christmas thing.
What I use is a copy from the web, using round bar as the main part of the tool and either 8 or 10mm HSS tool steel ground to whatever shape I desire. As for cost, well they way I did it was a cheaps as chips. I used a piece of old 5/8" shafting, made my own handle including ferrule, the tool steel I had on hand [extoolmaker] Had to get the grub screws to hold the tool bit in place. In fact I have made most of my tools including some of the gouges.
As soon as I can get the digi camera going I will post some pics.
hughie

[Jim Carroll]

The tool I prefer to use for open or hollow forms is the Munro Hollowing tool. The gate on the top dictates the depth of cut and also acts as a bevel so it eliminates catches.http://au.store.yahoo.com/cws-store/munholtool.html

[Kev Y.]

Haemish,

Nice looking bowls, what the timber?:D



Hughie READ the post!! he said they were (Myrtle and blackwood):D :D :D :D

[Mikko]

I use Munro hollowing tool very succesfully for similar jobs.
I hope Ern will not nail me for this one as this tool might have been mentioned here before.......;-)

Cheers,
M
Yer man up north

[La truciolara]

That is really a beautiful piece. CONGRATULATION
But you did so well that I cannot prevent me from asking you whether you had some problems digging the inside of this wonderful vase?<O:p</O:p

http://img413.imageshack.us/img413/4729/0aucopy9ix.th.jpg (http://img413.imageshack.us/my.php?image=0aucopy9ix.jpg)

[rsser]

I use Munro hollowing tool very succesfully for similar jobs.
I hope Ern will not nail me for this one as this tool might have been mentioned here before.......;-)

Cheers,
M
Yer man up north

Well we haven't had a hollowing thread for a while Mikko so I'm not going to come across all correct about netiquette :D

Sounds like the Munro is out of Haemish's price bracket.

Sounds like Hughie is talking about an Oland tool. That's been discussed on the forum before - was it Darrell F? Anyway Haemish, do a google and you'll find designs on the web.

[hughie]

Haemish,

Here are the pics of my hollowing tool. By using round HSS tool steel I can rotate it to effect a shearing cut. The handle is from an old hammer drill, the grub screws are m6, all in all a simple but effective hollowing tool.
and a copy of a tool I spotted on the net. The pics are the product of my efforts.
hughie

[haemish762]

Hollowing out without the right tools, it's a pain. I tried using a spindle gouge inappropriately which was effective until it grabbed once and cut the leather on the front of mu steel caps..... i stopped using it!
I bought a Hamlet scraper that was great, but i did things with it, to wood ,that it probably wasn't designed to do. Thus it bent and snapped the handle, I BENT HSS!!!!! The pics below show what i have been using... I know its quite rural, but it does the job for now!
From that i went to an old square end scraper and ground it to the size i wanted. As you can see it worked fine, it did the Black wood bowl.
I found that it chattered somewhat, i tried different speeds, but still got some chatter. Does anyone know what would be the best way to to internal turn would be. I wave been working it out by trial and error, it may be time to get professional help so i can take that next step.... deep hole turning!!

Cheers Haemish

[rsser]

I'd say the chatter was caused by the extent of overhang of your tool interacting with the flexing of the vessel.

The specialist tools like the Munro or the Kelton 'spears' are much easier to use (esp. when you open up the piece in stages).

(PS you could adapt Hughie's design by bending a gooseneck in the shaft)

[haemish762]

I might have to have a look at making a tool rest that can get me closer to the work!

[rsser]

That'll help.

But I'd guess that most hollowing tools don't work on scraper principles. You need a finer method. Even the original Oland tool was meant to be used with the bevel rubbing, not as a scraper.

[haemish762]

Will have to look at making one of those tools. they look a little less rural than my effort.
Have you ever heard of a hollowing gouge, i think they were used for making clogs in holland. Its like a bull nose with a cutting edge and cutting edge along one edge. A bit like the number 9, with a cutting edge along the head and tail. would something like that work?
Just throwing ideas around!!

[hughie]

Haemish,
I use the the first hollowing tool because of the shape of the bowl, the flying saucer shape, much like yours. This is the only one I have that can get in the corners. The pics show the two other I use, both work fine on open bowls. But are a little more involved to make, with that in mind and not knowing your level of resources I suggested the easier one.
All of them are copies from the net of well known hollowing tools. I chose to do this in in order to find out how well they work which one I might
prefer and how well do they work etc. The all work fine and have their good points etc. I don't have the ability to make the cutting edges out of HSS so they are all carbon steel. But this is enough to get an appreciation of each of the tools. Down the track I will be buying a couple of them, but for the mean time I will persist with what I have.
As to making the oland type you don't have to use tool steel. Such things as end mills, slot drills and HSS taps will work just fine as tool bits.
As Ern has pointed out a goose neck will improve its ability to get into to tight places, in fact I am about to bend my one shortly.Good suggestion Ern thanks.
I would have a go at making a more suitable tool rest as well, I have done this and its been a real asset, perhaps like me the first couple of goes turned out less than I expected...thats life.
If you need any further details pm me.
hughie