hallowing tools

Google search will produce the Mangiamelli treatise. Some now have planer-like capability, sort of a ring tool with a depth-limiter. Learning curve a bit different there than simple scrape, though both will certainly work. Remember, downhill rule still gives best results when cutting.

I use a pointy gouge to do the initial and as much of the interior as the design will permit, size depending on the neck opening. This makes waste removal easier, as shavings run down the flute of the gouge. Take a look at Wood Central's grind library for David Ellsworth's detail gouge grind. Looks similar to what I've settled on. The continuous curve, versus bevel, makes it possible to take as light or heavy a shaving as you care to without an abrupt bevel-jumping grab. Even the scrapers work better once there's room in there so they don't jam.

Narrow bits for gross work and broad scrapers for smoothing - I've the big Sorby "Hooker" tool and the Stewart small - seem a good way to go if you don't have a ring. They produce a worse surface, but up/downhill make less difference in jamming and grabbing.

I think you are referring to the Sorby tool that has a sort of swiveling pointy tip held on by a Allen screw with a bent shank. I don't like mine much either. It works well only on very small turnings. I tend to use mine only where I don't have the room for a better tool.

I think you might be more satisfied with Sorby's multi-tip hollowing tool. Try it with the little half-round 3/16" cutting tool tip. I think you will get much better results. I consider this to be sort of an entry-level hollowing tool. Do as much hollowing as you can with a gouge, then switch to the hollowing tool.

As your bowls and vessels get larger and deeper, you will need to get more sophisticated with the tools that you use. You're on the right track. Start simple and work up, as your skills improve.

Barry

Oops! The tool has the bent shank, not the Allen screw! Ugh! Need more coffee...............Barry

It sounds to me as though you're talking about the Sorby version of the Stewart hooker tool. If that is the case, and if what you don't like about it is the torquing to the left making it hard to control, the reason is that the tip of the tool is not inline with the centerline of the straight part of the handle. It curves too much and puts the tip of the tool too far to the left which makes it jump and torque. For a swan neck tool to be successful the tool tip must not go past the centerline of the straight part of the shaft. This is where Sorby goes wrong and where Stewart and John Jordan succeed. I use the Stewart hooker tool with great success and am looking forward to getting a Jordan soon. They both have 3/4" shafts so they'll go into your existing handle. The Stewart hooker neck can be bought at Craft Supplies, and the Jordan tools can be found at Stubbylathe.com.

-Jim Gott- San Jose, CA

SNIP.......

I also use the Stewart and am curious as to what the Jordan has that the Stewart doesn't Jim?

M.J. Orr

~

================================= George, I've seen your references several times to "pointy gouge" and "forged pattern" gouges. How are these different from the average spindle or bowl gouges, or are they just a regrind of one of these? TIA

Ken Moon Webberville, TX

The picture on Wood Central I referenced is a pretty good example of a pointy gouge. Essentially, mine are a detail gouge with a point, and very long ground-back wings, and some cheap spindle (cylindrical) gouges with a slightly milder point. No bevel to them, just a carving-type curve to the edge which allows me to choose my depth of cut by rolling along until I'm grabbing as much as I care.

You can see the pointy detail gouge in use at

hogging out on aflat bowl. When cutting end grain it's capable of some incredibly fastwork, as long as I can get the toolrest close, and with the point, it's notnecessary to bore a hole to get piece started. You push the point in, rollleft and sweep out and up toward the rim, then, in one uninterrupted move,roll across the point to the right edge, sweeping down and in.Forged gouges are what gouges used to be. the two big ones I've been able to talk the family into getting me,and the small one I still want to get. You can see how I rub the bevel(yep, Arch, it rubs) at advantage to the forged style is the uniform thickness. You can grindthe same bevel angle all the way across, making it capable of working like acurved skew. (some people grind their skews convex to work like a gouge, sowhy not?) Where it truly excels is in making the turn into the bottom ofthe bowl. You can dip the nose as you come across that part where youalways tear out, and keep a continuous shearing action, rather than pickingup and tearing the uphill sections.http://personalpages.tds.net/~upgeorge/Smooth%20Four.htm The bowl I'mcutting is yellow birch with a lot of grain reversals, and it almost shonefrom the gouge.

Check Darrell's site

to see anOland tool - basically a bigass pointy gouge - at work in the hand of aproduction turner. "Ken Moon" wrote in message news:HDVHc.242$ snipped-for-privacy@newsread2.news.atl.earthlink.net...

I see what you mean....thanks Jim

shows the two big ones I've been able to talk the family into getting me,> and the small one I still want to get. You can see how I rub the bevel> (yep, Arch, it rubs) at> > The advantage to the forged style is the uniform thickness. You can grind> the same bevel angle all the way across, making it capable of working like a> curved skew. (some people grind their skews convex to work like a gouge, so> why not?) Where it truly excels is in making the turn into the bottom of> the bowl. You can dip the nose as you come across that part where you> always tear out, and keep a continuous shearing action, rather than picking> up and tearing the uphill sections.> The bowl I'm> cutting is yellow birch with a lot of grain reversals, and it almost shone> from the gouge.>

Thanks for the explanation and the links. Seems that I have a couple of my own "pointy gouges", just that I call them fingernail spindle gouges. I use them in much the same fashion as you describe. The convex bevel comes from not using a jig to grind. I don't have any of the forged gouges, but I can see where they could be a good addition to my "arsenal". Now I'll have my own translation to your posts. {:-)

William Just a thought or two here on making your own tools. As you say, at this point you are not into making your own. Makes sense to me. I like the thought of making the tool that makes the piece, but not everyone likes to make tools. However, for hollowing the tools are easy. If you do general wood working you have all the skills. Basically you need an Oland tool with a straight tip and one going off at 45 degrees. Both should use a 3/16" cutting tip. If you find that you do not like hollowing, you are only out a few dollars. Recently I made myself a pair of 5/8" shaft, 3/16" cutting tip hollowing tools with arm brace handles for less than C$20.00 total. Quite the savings.