Hook & Ring Tools

[Martin Braun]

Hi, I'm new to this forum but have been hanging out at other forums on the web for sometime. I was wondering if folks over here have any experience with various hook tools? I myself recently purchased the Andre Martel Hook tool, and have been having good success with it for hollowing out goblets & boxes. The one thing that I sometimes don't get is a good clean start at the center. I was wondering if anyone else has any tips they have learned with their hook or ring tools?

[Bill Boehme]

I have made several hook tools that are somewhere between the Alan Lacer design and the Raul Peña style. I consider Raul Peña to be the authority on hook tools and I find that his design easy to use without getting spectacular catches. Getting the shape just right takes some experience and I don't quite have enough of that. I was using a hook tool today that I made which is far too aggressive and so I wind up doing more scraping than cutting with it. I got a hum-dinger of a catch this evening that put a bend of about five degrees in the tool shank. I don't care much for ring tools because they are always getting clogged.

Bill

[Jim Dunn]

Martin just wanted to say welcome to the "spinney side"

[Bernie Weishapl]

Welcome Martin.

[Don Baer]

Hey Martin
,
I don't use either type of tool but welcome to anothe Arizon turner.

[George Conklin]

Hey Martin
,
I don't use either type of tool but welcome to anothe Arizon turner.

Welcome Martin,

Another Zonie! We're gonna take over the spinny world!:D

[Richard Madison]

Bill knows hook tools.
Richard in Madisonville

[Dick Strauss]

Martin,
I made my own hook tool from some 3/8" O-1 rod and was having difficulty getting started with it. I learned a lot from Darrell Feltmate's site. He has some real nice demo videos showing how to use the hook tool. Try this link:

http://www.aroundthewoods.com/hookuse.shtml


Best of luck,
Dick

[Martin Braun]

Dick,

That link is exactly what I needed! I was trying to do the first method of entry that he mentioned, and I don't think I had the angle exactly right (probably too shallow). Additionally, I noticed that I had some residue from green wood on the outside bevel of the hook, and I think that was contributing to the disturbance of the cut.

Thanks!