Sorby Box Hollower...

[Gordon Thompson]

How the heck does one use this tool?? like a scraper? below center?

i got one, and suposedly you can make the complete inside of the box with it...I can seem to get it to remove much wood at all...it's gonna take me hours to clean out a cyllinder about 2 inches across, and 4 deep....

[Steve Schlumpf]

Gordon - it is a scraper. You want the tool held with the handle slightly raised so that the tip is at or slightly below the centerline. Check out Sorby's videos selection - there is one on box hollowing that uses their multi-tip tool - but the process is the same.

http://www.robert-sorby.co.uk/

Hope that helps.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Only thing I can add to what Steve said is that you must raise your toolrest so the handle is slightly higher than the tip. As Steve said the cutting tip should be at or slightly below center.

[Scott Hackler]

One thing I did, the first day, is increased the back cut angle of the cutting edge. It helped me a lot. Also, it is a tiny scraper so it will take a while to hollow things out. Use any larger tools you can, including a center bore with a forsner bit. I actually dont have a MT2 drill set up for the tail stock, yet, but can see how this would be really helpfull and save a lot of time.

[Gordon Thompson]

Thank you gents!

I will give that a try....

I was wondering about grinding that tip, akin to a traditional scraper..sounds like that won't do any harm.

[Reed Gray]

I use the Kelton hollowers, but they are similar. You just have to get used to it. I can hollow faster with them than I can a Forstner bit. Keep a good burr in the tool, and sweep from the center up towards the rim. As you get more comfortable with them, crank the speed up a bit. With the one shown, you could probably do most of the roughing without having to resharpen, but definatly want to resharpen before making finish cuts.

robo hippy

[Gordon Thompson]

Keep a good burr in the tool,


that's the confusing part.....the sheet that came with the tool said to sharpen be rubbing a stone, or diamond file across the top and bottom....

how is that gonna raise a burr?

thanks!!

[Michael Mills]

I assume you are referring to Sorby’s Multi Tipped Hollowing Tool. Instead of sharpening as they show, I remove the bit and flatten (sharpen) on a diamond stone by hand. I’m not sure I would not round over the edge doing it freehand.
I have never sharpened the bottom and no a burr is not raised.
The small "round end" works like a Skewchigouge and will remove a fair amount of wood very quickly.
The side/end cutter can be fairly aggressive also but I use it more as a scraper to clean up corners.
The largest "tear drop cutter" is a scraper with various profiles and should be used as a scraper. Tool rest above center, tool angled down slightly, and cutter still above center.
Go to the site Steve suggested and select movie clips. There are eight short clips on how to use this tool.
I really like mine because the mass (heft) helps reduce chattering.
Mike

[Reed Gray]

Some people prefer a burr on their scrapers, and I am one. I do think they work better for roughing than one that has the burr honed off. I do hone off the old burr, on a flat stone before raising a new one on the grinder. The cutter goes flat on the tool rest. Pretty easy to do, just kiss the cutting edge, and a finer grinding wheel works best, 120 to 150 grit. A skewchigouge is similar to a spindle gouge, and cuts in a shear action rather than a scraping action. The bigger tear drop scraping tips are for clean up and not roughing. I have always had problems with them catching unless used VERY lightly or in a shear/45 degree cutting mode.

robo hippy

[Michael Mills]

To follow-up on my prior response
The "tear drop cutter or multi-shape" tip can start at the center but it should not be lower. If you are on the inside of a round item and a catch develops it will be carried into the air, if you are below center it can be carried into the wood resulting in a much worse catch.
The "round end" cutter can be used for scraping but it is mainly used for hollowing. At center height the bit can be plunged into the wood like a drill bit and then use the tip of the bit to remove the wood. I seldom use the "side/end" cutter because I make few boxes and most times it is quicker to grab the parting tool than to change bits.
I have attached a picture of my tool rest that is marked at exactly center height. {I lined my tool rest up with a drive point in the headstock, used a hacksaw to cut a small groove, and filled the groove with paint. Now I always know the exact center height}
Mike

[Jim Kountz]

I have attached a picture of my tool rest that is marked at exactly center height. {I lined my tool rest up with a drive point in the headstock, used a hacksaw to cut a small groove, and filled the groove with paint. Now I always know the exact center height}
Mike

I may be doing it wrong but I dont adjust the tool rest so IT is at the center but rather whatever tool Im using is at the center. If you have the tool rest set at exactly center then you lay a tool on it the tool will then be above center. Does that make any sense or am I nuts??

[bob edwards]

I may be way off base here but I thunk this tool was designed to be used with the Sorby Box Scraper Platform. This is a tool rest that is flat, about 4" across and an inch or so wide. The rest only extends to one side of the post. The rest goes inside the box and is adjusted so that the cutting surfice of the tool is at center and the tool rest flat on the rest.
Sorby sells this tool but so does Best Wood tools.
The idea of the rest is to provide maximum stability of the cutting tool all the way to the bottom of the box. The best picture of the rest I know of can be found here http://www.bestwoodtools.com/
I'm sure I have made myself as clear as mud, but the rest works very well, I don't oun the tool. I have used the rest for years with an unhandled scraper
Bob Edwards
San Antonio

[Michael Mills]

Hi Bob and Jim,
You are both correct, but that is not to say I am incorrect :).
Since this is getting a little off topic I will start a new thread.
Sorby does make a "box scraper" toolrest, however, their video for the tool in question is shown with a standard tool rest.
Mike