Anyone made any of these?

[Jeff Horton]

Found two old threads on hollowing tools.

One with Bill G. Hollowing tools (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=29564&highlight=hollowing+tool)

Another with Bill Steveners tools (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=21991)

While they are similar to each other I like Bill Steveners idea of using square stock for the shafting. Easy to know how the tool is oriented. Either idea would be very straight forward to make. Even have some Black Cherry I was looking at for handles.

Just curious if anyone has made these or something similar. I am pretty sure I am going to make something along these lines. Just looking to learn from others mistakes.

I just got a load of wood and I need to start turning it desperately! The conference table has about all the Cherry, Gum, walnut and pecan under it I stack there. I know, no photos didn't happen. :p

[Gary DeWitt]

I've made some with straight shafts of mild steel, 3/8 and 1/2, ground a flat on the business end and used 1/4 and 3/8 square hss stock to make the cutting tip. drilled a hole through both, slightly bigger hole in the cutter, and threaded the hole in the bar to accept a machine screw. This way, the tip angle is adjustable from straight out to 90 degrees. I did have to harden the cutter tips after drilling, the stock did not come hardened. Grinding the tip profile was easy.
I have only turned one or two HF with them, they seem to work fine. I will have to make or buy ones with curved shafts to reach into the shoulder area of some forms. I have also seen tools with an added link between the cutter and the shaft, giving more reach around the shoulder.
Good luck, tool making is fun and satisfying to me. Beats the hell out of the commerdcial prices too.

[Mike Vickery]

Kind of.

I have made a couple hollowing tools in the past couple weeks ussing HSS tool bits and mild steel (like Bill G). However I made mine to use in a jameson style hollowing rig made out of black water pipe.
You can get the HSS bits very cheap I ordered some bigger ones online for a buck each (about) and bought a pack of 5 different sizes from Harbor freight for something like 3 bucks.
The HSS seems to cut well and I am happy so far. I guess my point is with as cheap as the bits are play around and make both. Some I made by using a metal epoxy to secure them in the hole some I drilled and tapped and used set screws to hold in, one I ground the mild steel flat on the end and drilled and tapped so that a hexbolt and a washer hold the bit and I can change the angle. The hollowing rig I use keeps the tool from twisting so I cannot address that part.