allen key orament hollower

[Robert Culver]

Ok so A freind aske me to try and make some oranments. So i need to make a little hollower what size allen key will i need? i did a little pooking around but would like a little more info on what works and what dont a picture would be helpful to if possable of the sharped edge?? thanks in advance!!

[Scott Hackler]

Robert, I use a allen wrench hollowing tool I made for my ornaments. I first, painstakingly, bent the 90 degree out a bit and sharpened it just like a scraper (hollowing tool). Flattened the top of the cutting end, rounded the end and ground a bevel on the underside. A couple quick upstrokes with the diamond stone sharpens it up real nice. I then epoxied it in a handle I tuned from a cherry pen blank. Works real good and cost nothing!

[Steve Mellott]

Robert:

You won't need anyhting bigger than a 1/4" allen wrench. If you get one slightly smaller, it will fit into a 1/4" collet in a handle.

Steve

[Curt Fuller]

I based my decision on the size of allen wrench to us by going through the pile of them I had and finding sizes that I had several of.;) But seriously, one that is about 1/4" works great for ornaments. I bought some larger ones that work well for hollowing inside the small openings on hollowforms.

[Bernie Weishapl]

I made mine out of a 1/4" allen. It works well. I also bent on to about 45 deg.

[Kathy Marshall]

Here are a couple of mine. I bought a pack of long handled allen wrenches. I think the 1st one is about a 1/4" and the end was bent like the 2nd one after the pick was taken, and was made for hollowing ornaments. The 2nd is quite a bit smaller, but I don't remember the size. I made it for hollowing miniatures.<BR>I was able to bend the ends by holding the tip in a bench vise and then grabbing the long end with vise grips, no heating required. I also ground a flat spot the length of the bottom so they're more stable on the tool rest.<BR>Hope this helps.<BR><BR><IMG id=vbattach_204676 class=previewthumb alt="" src="http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=204676&amp;stc=1" attachmentid="204676"><IMG id=vbattach_204677 class=previewthumb alt="" src="http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=204677&amp;stc=1" attachmentid="204677">

[Michael Mills]

It may not be the correct way but I was taught to put a double bend into the allen key.
Here is a link to one with solid rod but shows the bend. The cutting tip would be aligned with the shaft and the straight shaft rested on the tool rest. This will help the tip resist being forced down. This would be like the swan neck hollowing tools.
http://aroundthewoods.com/swan.shtml (http://aroundthewoods.com/swan.shtml)
Being a bit lazy (not wanting to turn a lot of handles) I made up two “chuck on a stick”; one with a1/4” jacobs chuck and another with a1/2”. Quick and easy to change custom cutters.

[Robert Culver]

sorry for the delyed responce ive been having wireless internet issues thanks for the pictures there most helpful. in search for a 1/4 inch allen i found some 1/4 key stock i had stashed away i wonder if this stuff would work???

[Jim Underwood]

Sure, why not? I've seen tools made of key stock..

Plus one on putting a double bend in the allen wrench to make a goose neck. That 90° bend tends to have a lot of leverage when it has a catch. I learned the hard way to keep fingers out of the way so that when the end of that cutter goes 'round and 'round, it doesn't pinch whatever flesh is between the tool and the rest...


Here's the one I use: