cutting end grain

[chuck vernon]

I am making a inside out candleholder the top of which is about 3" in diameter. I need to cut a curved depression for a glass votive candle holder. What is the best tool to cut the end grain?

[Scott Conners]

A bowl gouge, or your favorite hollowing tool.

[John Beaver]

A gouge or hollowing tool will work. Even a scraper would do the job for a small depression. Make sure you work from the center out.

[Harry Robinette]

On end grain I'd use a round nose scraper.

[chuck vernon]

Thanks, I do not have a hollowing tool yet so I think I will try the bowl gouge

[Thomas Canfield]

A spindle gouge works better for me on a fairly small opening because of the longer edge. A bowl gouge has limited contact. You do need to work from center, bottom, out more of a scraping action and that is why a scraper works well for hollowing end grain. You can also predrill with forstner bit or just use the spindle gouge pushed in to start the bottom hole.

[Michael Stafford]

I do a lot of hollowing of end grain with a spindle gouge ground to a bevel of 45-50 degrees. With the center of the flute aligned with the center of the wood all you have to do is slightly raise the handle while pushing the tip into the wood. Once it starts cutting slow rotate the flute toward 10-11 o'clock while slowly sweeping the handle to the right as the tool cuts to the left. The tool needs to be sharp and depending on the material the cut should be made slowly and deliberately for the best results. I usually stop before I reach my desired finish depth and clean up the surface with a Hunter tool.

To do this make sure the tool is cutting at the center of the piece. With the tool pointed toward 9-10 o'clock allow the heel of the tool to but and move the handle until the cutter engages the wood. Fine wispy shavings should curl off the cutter. Then slide or swing cutter depending on the shape of the hollow to clean up any tear out. Rotate the cutter as it is cutting to find the sweet spot where it cuts the best. Usually that is somewhere between 9:30-10:30 on the clock face.

Alternatively use a sharp scraper as others have suggested and make delicate cuts that feather the surface rather than scrape the surface. If you get any cutting vibration with a scraper you have probably just increase the amount of tear out.

[Marc Himes]

I like to use a negative rake scraper for the final cuts. A bowl gouge works well if the piece is not deep. Sharp is important.

[chuck vernon]

Thanks to everyone