Instant chatter tool

[David DeCristoforo]

I've been wanting to play around with chatter techniques to decorate boxes and tops (I recently got hooked on making tops!). I didn't want to spend a lot of money on a tool I could easily make myself but I have little time and would rather spend it turning, not making tools. Besides, I was not sure that I would even want to get "serious" about chatter work until I had tried it to see if I liked the results.


After looking at some online tutorials about the tools and how to make them, I rummaged around and found some old jigsaw blades that were quickly repurposed into chatter tool blades. Now I just needed something to hold them with. What came into my line of sight at that moment was the straight bar and tool holder from my Monster hollowing rig. A true "aha" moment!

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[Doug Herzberg]

So how is it working? I would have started with a hacksaw blade, not knowing much about it. My jigsaw/Sawzall blades seem to bend, instead of flexing.

[Len Mullin]

I thought that jig-saw blades would be to brittle to use for that purpose, I guess I thought wrong.Len

[Jamie Donaldson]

I tried several types of saw blades and found them to be too brittle to flex well, then discovered the metal bands used for shipping work great. They come in several widths and thicknesses, and are usually available for free, just the price I like.;)

[Mark J Porter]

Jig saw blades work fine. I ground several different shapes and points, get some interesting designs and never 2 the same.

[Mark J Porter]

I usually heat them to bend them, maybe it makes them less brittle. I have broken a few but they're cheap to replace. I don't have a monster tool yet so I made one from a short pipe, wooden wedge and a set screw.

[Eric Gourieux]

Great idea. Looks like it fits perfectly!

[Jim Seyfried]

Thanks for sharing David. I have all the parts to make this tool. Now all I need to do is figure out how to use it. Are there tutorials for that?

[Doug Herzberg]

I tried several types of saw blades and found them to be too brittle to flex well, then discovered the metal bands used for shipping work great. They come in several widths and thicknesses, and are usually available for free, just the price I like.;)

Thanks, Jamie. I wondered about that, too. I also like the price. Way too many shippers are going plastic, now, but I occasionally see metal bands.

[David DeCristoforo]

Clarification: The "jig saw blade" I was talking about should actually be called a "saber saw blade". Those are thicker than the thin blades used in stationary jig saws.I have not tried a hacksaw blade or a blade from a reciprocating saw ("saws-all") which are much thinner.

Here is a pic of one of the results of my chatter tool adventure:

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[steven carter]

I haven't had time to try it out yet, but I remember recently seeing something about using a butter knife from the kitchen. Anybody tried this?

[Ted Calver]

Why not try a bandsaw blade while you're at it.

[Harry Goodwin]

It works. Might want one with more spring. Just try a variety at no cost. Very handy for tops. HG

[Reed Gray]

Vice grips work for a holder... I saw a friend lay a thin detain gouge on its side and use it for a chatter tool. I think my bandsaw blades are too thin. I am fairly sure I used a hacksaw blade though. It must be pointed down at about a 45 degree angle and at about 4:30 o'clock for the chatter to work. The hard part is doing a smooth even draw so the lines spiral out evenly. You can turn them away fairly easily and do it again...

robo hippy

[Russell Neyman]

This has been on my list of "Shop Experiments" for some time. Truth is, the best chatter I've gotten was completely accidental. Tried kitchen knives, filet knives, steak knives, jig saw blades, band saw blades, and so forth. I've concluded that it's a complex formula of wood grain, flexibility of tool, and speed/rythem/grain more than anything else.

[Hayes Rutherford]

Bosch jigsaw blades or similar work well. Here is a way to do it on the cheap if you don't have a suitable hollowing tool,

[Thom Sturgill]

Easy to make a chatter tool holder from mild steel rod -
- Drill a hole lengthwise about 3/4". This can be done on the lathe.
- Turn a wood plug to fit the hole and saw it in half lengthwise long enough to fill the depth of the hole.
- Drill and tap a hole near the end of the rod for a set screw.
- Glue the wood piece opposite the set screw.
- Turn a handle and insert the rod.

Now find objects to make blades from - I find cut-off saw (sawsall) blades work best for me. Cut out a piece to fit in the recess and extend a couple of inches. Try different shapes on the end - pointed and rounded.

All that said, I greatly prefer the results from the Sorby cutter.