Anyone have the Don Derry Ornament Hollowing tool or a homemade version of it?

[Jack Gaskins]

I have another thread where I asked about a tool for hollowing small vessels like medium size birdhouses, ornaments and vases. Today I ran across the Don Derry site where he sells a tool called the Ornament Tool which has a small hollowing bar with a torque arrester bar attached and a pistol grip. But the darn thing is $85 plus shipping. I was hopping someone has made a similar tool for a lot less and could tell me how well it works.

Jack

[Bob Wolfe]

Jack a couple guys in the turning club made some and then demo'd them for us and let us try them out on some ornaments. They worked like a dream, the outrigger prevented any torque even though the scraper blade was 45 deg out and up to an inch long I think he used 1/2 or 3/8 round stock for the bar and torque bar, then connected the two with a piece of rectangle bar which was drilled and then bolted together--easy peasy.

[Bob Wolfe]

I found a picture of the tool he made, the bar sticking out of the handle and into the wood is an actual boring bar from grizzly, but could just as well be any scraping bit. The tool shank is beefier than I remembered but that is because of the size of boring bar that he used. It could have been much smaller and still worked fine. I think you can get a better idea from the picture how it is assembled than I could try to describe. Good luck if you make one let me know how it works for you.

BTW have you covered that monster with shavings yet or still waiting to run power?

212508

[Joe Landon]

I do not own any of Don Derry's hollowing tools but I have used them. They work great and I can assure you at $85 Don is not getting rich, but you will be getting a nice tool.

[Jack Gaskins]

Hi Bob, thanks for the photo. I have been looking for a small tool like this and just dont care to make one out of an allen key like everyone likes to suggest. Think I will look around the ENCO web site for materials to order. The hardest part I see is drilling the boring bar on my drill press and tapping screw holes. I suck at metal work. I havent been able to turn on the 3520B yet. Havent been able to get 220 hooked up in the garage. Hopefully this spring.

[bob svoboda]

I bought the Derry tool used and it works great. Knowing what I know now I would gladly pay Don's price for a new one. I was also able to try Dave Schweitzer's full sized tool based on about the same concept and it is a great tool as well. (D-Way tools-no affiliation)

[Jack Gaskins]

I bought the Derry tool used and it works great. Knowing what I know now I would gladly pay Don's price for a new one. I was also able to try Dave Schweitzer's full sized tool based on about the same concept and it is a great tool as well. (D-Way tools-no affiliation)

Glad to here it works good. I ordered materials to build a similar tool. If it doesnt work out I will order the Derry version.