hollowing tools, which one is better?

[curtis rosche]

here are tool item numbers for 2 different hollowing tools on ebay. of the 2 which is the better one? or should i wait for something better to come along? Item number: 250424738887 Item number: 260352424816

[Thom Sturgill]

Curtis, a couple of comments - the first one *looks* like one of the ones I have, and is located in the US the other is longer and heavier, but will ship from UK. I have only just started doing HFs, so hopefully one of the more experienced turners will chip in. I would only use the lighter of the two on smaller pieces.

Which is 'best' depends in part on what size piece you are working on, although in general the heavier the better. It also depends on how they feel to you. I would recommend replacing the cutter with one of the carbide tips like is on the Hunter tool to the 'eliminator' tool.

[alex carey]

I would go with the second one, heavier is usually better, but if you plan on doing small stuff then it won't do.

BTW, I have the first one and once you get used to it it works quite well.

[curtis rosche]

stuff up to 8 inches across and 12inches deep. i was planning on getting a different cutter either making one from my own cobalt stock or getting carbide

[Ryan Baker]

I'm going to vote for neither.

It's hard to tell from the pictures (didn't see any diameters listed), but the first looks way too small. (You need a heavy bar of you are serious about 12" depth. Certainly no less than 3/4" minimum or it will be vibrating.)

I don't like these scraper tip tools for any serious work, other than some clean-up shear scraping after the real work is done. For price and performance, you can't beat bending a steel rod and putting a 3/16" tool bit into a hole in the end. And you can make as many as you need for different jobs (no single hollowing tool will do all jobs).