Trent Bosch Carbide Hollowing Tools

[Glen Blanchard]

Is anyone using one of Trent's carbide hollowing tools? These use a Hunter carbide cutter. With the exception of EWT, all hollowers I have seen that employ a carbide cutter hold the Hunter carbide at an angle (iow, tilted down). From photos on Trent's site, it appears that there is no such tilt to his carbide hollowers. I am wondering if someone who has used them can confirm this for me. My primary interest is in his "bent" and "extreme bent" tools.

[Scott Hackler]

Since Trent's boring bars have the cutters just glued in, I don't know why you couldn't just angle them slightly when you exchange the cutters. That is what I would do and plan to do at some point. I have Trent's hollowing bars and although the HSS works well, I want to upgrade to the Hunter style bit. All else fails, call the number on his web site, Trent is usually the person who answers the phone and then you can ask him about it!

[Glen Blanchard]

Interestingly enough, it's the apparent lack of tilt of the carbide cutter that attracts me. If there is no tilt, I'd prefer to keep it like that. Was hoping someone here might be able to confirm. Sent Trent an email asking such the other day. Will probably call tomorrow.

His carbide cutters are GLUED in place??? Bet you are referring to his HSS cutters.

[Glen Blanchard]

Scott - What diameter Bosch bar do you have? If you have the bent (not the extreme bent) what is the maximum vessel diameter you can hollow with it?

[Scott Hackler]

My bars are the 1/2" set. The straight bar is 13" long + cutter. The slightly bent bar is about 12" long (as the crow flys to the cutter). The HSS is glued in with super glue and the cutters are round until he mills the profile on the cutting end of the cutter. He told me that you just heat the end with a propane torch and pull the HSS out with a pair of pliers and then after it cools down glue the replacement hunter bit in with CA. I prefer a slight tilt to those bits so that is what I will do once I get the bits. My larger Hunter bit for the Carter Hollow Roller bar is always tilted, because it is scary aggressive when laid flat.

As far as the largest diameter vessel.... That is a matter of how large is the hole in the vessel. I strive for a small opening (hence the 1/2" bars) and find it difficult to use a rig to do the underside to widest point with the rigs. I generally prefer to hand hollow using a smaller set until I reach the limit of the smaller tool's reach. You can do it, but I still hand hollow a lot and before I put the bars in the Gizmo rig, I work on those areas with the bars in a handle. I do know that I have done several 8-10" wide hollowforms and these are the bars I used.

[Glen Blanchard]

Thanks for the info., Scott. The increased aggressiveness of the Hunter cutter if not tilted down is my primary concern. I wonder if it would have a tendency to self-feed.

[john taliaferro]

Maybe not self feed but cut with no restraint . Angled backwards is self feed ,tiped to the side is ok as long as the direction is watched close . I do ok tell the bottom when i advance the cutter as i go in then get a back side bite, its a hit in the ribs you dont forget .

[Alan Trout]

Actually the bars that I think you are talking about are fairly new since last year. They are not the glue in insert. The have the end of the bar machined to old the hunter insert. I was looking at them at Trent's booth at the Pittsburgh symposium. I believe they have a couple of degrees of down shear in the bit but not much. They will be very aggressive. But I like that when trying to get rid of waste. Best to use them with a captive rig or if hand held twist them for more down shear angle which will mitigate some of the aggressive nature of the cutter. Here is the link to the tool so you can see what I am talking about. http://www.trentbosch.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=32_33&products_id=116