Affordable Texturing / Spiraling Tool?

[Marty Tippin]

I'm looking for a tool to do texturing and/or spiraling (or both, if one tool will do it). I anticipate this will be an infrequently-used tool so can't justify spending a bunch of money. Sorby would be the obvious choice, but not for $300+...

I've looked at the Wagner texturing tool (from Craft Supplies USA), seems to be affordable and the videos I've watched make it look like it works well.

Other suggestions?

[John Grace]

I have the Sorby and I've been putting myself through the learning curve. Some aspects of it are quite easy while I've not been able to replicate nearly the success I've seen on the videos. So much of it depends on the wood (the harder the better), turning speed, angle, etc. I'm not familiar with the Wagner tool but if you keep your eye open you'll occasionally see a used Sorby show up here or on Craig's List. I agree, it's not worth the $300 but ended up getting mine for about $180 which included me buying a couple of new cutters from Hartville Tool.

[John Keeton]

I use the small Sorby and do lids as large as 8" with it, combined with the Wagner. They both require a little bit of practice to get repeatable results, but I enjoy using them. I have the more narrow Wagner as it allows me to do smaller patterns and I can still do larger areas as one can simply move it over and let it self feed on the previous track to extend the band. The Wagner will also do neat spirals if held correctly.

[Rick Gibson]

Captn Eddie has a video #174 on utube on making your own using small cutting burrs. I did one using a dremel burr and it works well on small turnings like tops etc. My cost a couple $1 bearings and the burr was a couple dollars.

[Kyle Iwamoto]

Where did you get 300 bucks from? Amazon has the Sorby for 173. I'm sure I didn't pay 300 bucks for mine, although I've had it for years and memories fade....... It does work well. Not a fan of texturing, but the spirals are great.

[John Keeton]

Here is a quick phone pic of the lid of a piece just finished to give you an idea of what can be done with the small Sorby and the Wagner.

[Roger Chandler]

Here is a quick phone pic of the lid of a piece just finished to give you an idea of what can be done with the small Sorby and the Wagner.


Wow, John.......that is really nice!

[Marty Tippin]

Here is a quick phone pic of the lid of a piece just finished to give you an idea of what can be done with the small Sorby and the Wagner.

That's a really nice piece, John. Can you clarify which patterns were done with each tool?

[Peter Blair]

Cool John.

[John K Jordan]

I use two sizes of Sorby, a Wagner, and a home-made texturer. I use them for texturing, not spiraling, mostly on spindles but also on face turnings. I can take some pictures later.

If you know someone that can do a bit of metal working for you, the cheapest way is to buy a hardened pointed wheel and mill a slot into the end a bar of steel or whatever. Make a handle. Just a few dollars for the parts and not much more even if you have to pay someone for the machining. I have two like that. I'll try to take a picture of that too.

JKJ

[John Keeton]

That's a really nice piece, John. Can you clarify which patterns were done with each tool?
The inner ring was the only one done with the Wagner. The others were done with the Sorby by holding it at various angles. The larger spiraling wheel (there are two wheels available with the mini-Sorby) was used and speed was about 400 for the inner ring, gradually reducing with each band about 15-20 rpm. I use beads and incising to set off each band, as well as varying contours which do not show well in the pic. I establish the general flow of the lid and then begin at the center and work my way out, but first establish some concentric circles where I want each pattern. The wood is walnut that has been ebonized with dye.

The texturing wheel produces a stippled effect, which I sometimes will use, as well. I have not played with it a lot, but do not believe it is very versatile beyond that effect. Conversely, the spiraling tool is capable of many differing effects. The spiral that can be done with the Wagner is a tighter spiral, but not quite the same effect. It is interesting, however.

[Marty Tippin]

The inner ring was the only one done with the Wagner. The others were done with the Sorby by holding it at various angles. The larger spiraling wheel (there are two wheels available with the mini-Sorby) was used and speed was about 400 for the inner ring, gradually reducing with each band about 15-20 rpm. I use beads and incising to set off each band, as well as varying contours which do not show well in the pic. I establish the general flow of the lid and then begin at the center and work my way out, but first establish some concentric circles where I want each pattern. The wood is walnut that has been ebonized with dye.

The texturing wheel produces a stippled effect, which I sometimes will use, as well. I have not played with it a lot, but do not believe it is very versatile beyond that effect. Conversely, the spiraling tool is capable of many differing effects. The spiral that can be done with the Wagner is a tighter spiral, but not quite the same effect. It is interesting, however.

Thanks, John - I think a spiraling tool is what I'm really looking for - that's the effect I'm looking for.

The Sorby "Micro" Spiral tool isn't ridiculously expensive, so that's probably what I'll get.

[John Keeton]

Marty, repeatability and predictability are critical with any tool and these are no different. I recommend you prep 5-6 discs of 4/4 hardwood that are approx 6" in diameter to play with. That way you can give it a try and "erase" it for another try. You can get 4-5 attempts on each and after a couple of hours, you should be able to get good results. Getting "one" good spiral isn't difficult. Getting three in a row takes a bit more practice.

[mike pockoski]

Masterful work, John. Yours is the kind of stuff that keeps me standing at my lathe until the early hours of the morning, trying to get better and better...

i'm guessing you ebonize first, and then cut away the lighter portions?

Very interested in your hand-made tools. i'm on the same budget as many and can't spring for the Sorby stuff just yet.

[John Keeton]

Mike, John Jordan is the one with handmade tools. I am not much into making tools. But, I do appreciate your comments. The dye was applied after the texturing on this piece. I do use some techniques where color is applied either before and/or afterward, but they produce different results.

[Michael Mills]

I have the Sorby and IIRC it was about $125 (about four years ago) but came with four "tips".
Amazon has the one tip for $130 and if you scroll down there is the Sorby Micro for $90.
http://www.amazon.com/Robert-Sorby-320-Spiralling-Tool/dp/B004HIPLYQ/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1450306685&sr=8-6&keywords=sorby+texturing+tool

Some folks also use these, I assume you have to sharpen the edge(s) the same way a Sorby would be sharpened.
http://www.amazon.com/uxcell-Wooden-Handle-Repair-Roller/dp/B005DJ9860/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1450307178&sr=8-1&keywords=tire+patch+roller

[John Keeton]

Having used the tire patch repair wheel to fix a patch in a tire, I don't think I would use it to texture for a couple of reasons. The one I used was flimsy and had a lot of slop, which I would think would preclude an even pattern. It also does not have a solid round shank that would permit the tool being safely tilted at varying degrees to achieve the desired results.

IMO the advantages of the larger Sorby tool are the additional wheels available and particularly the wheels with less TPI, which will result in more varied patterns than can be done with the micro tool. It can also be used at higher speeds effectively. I have not played with one, but certainly wouldn't mind adding one to the arsenal.

[John K Jordan]

I'm looking for a tool to do texturing and/or spiraling (or both, if one tool will do it).


If you know someone that can do a bit of metal working for you, the cheapest way is to buy a hardened pointed wheel and mill a slot into the end a bar of steel or whatever. Make a handle. Just a few dollars for the parts and not much more even if you have to pay someone for the machining. JKJ

Marty,

Just got to it, but here are some photos of the spiraling tools I have.


327391

I've had the big Sorby at the top a long time and have used it a lot. It will easily make spirals but I don't often use it for that. I like to use the most pointed wheel and push it directly into the wood, especially for spindles with some taper as shown in the tool handle photo.

I recently got the smaller Sorby with the red handle. It didn't come with the pointed wheel I like best so I may grind down one of the spiraling wheels or make or buy one.

The Wagener has a knurling wheel which works well.

The two on the bottom are shop made that I got from a friend. I put a handle on one but use the other one occasionally as is. I THINK he charged me $15-$20 each for these but whatever it was it wasn't much. I have the tools to easily make one now if I needed to. This is the texturing tool I use the most for spindles, especially fairly small spindles since they have more points per circumferential inch and start spinning easier when touched too the wood.

Some example of textures on tool handles:

327392

I use these with various tools, mostly Thompson's and Mike Hunter's as shown here. I make the collets/adapters from steel and aluminum. The aluminum ones can be made on the wood lathe with standard turning tools. They can be bought but those are mostly too big for my tastes and these only cost a few dimes to make. I think the second one from the top is a commercial one - to me it is too big to grip comfortably for one-handed detail work.

The handle at the bottom is textured with the Wagner knurling tool. The others are made by pressing the pointed wheel directly into the wood and moving it back and forth, the less the better if going for the pattern. I rub a bit of walnut grain filling paste into the texture for contrast and cut some grooves with the skew and burn with a wire. The taper makes all the difference in getting an interesting pattern! Overdoing the texturing obscures the pattern like the second one from the bottom.

BTW, all but one of these is from Dogwood, my favorite wood for tool handles (and lots of other things). I wouldn't waste time trying to texture a wood that had a lot of figure unless the texturing was only for improving the grip. Dogwood is so hard it requires a lot of force to press the points into the wood.

JKJ