New Lathe Tool

[Angelo Schembari]

I just finished making this yesterday to finish som end grain hollowing I was doing.

http://publish.hometown.aol.com/schembari3/images/large%20lathe%20tool.jpg


I didn't have enough reach with any of my other tools, so I came up with this. The tool is just under 30" overall, the handle is 18" and about 1 3/4" diameter oak. The shaft is some 1/2" dia stainless tube I had, and is 16" long, 6 inches are buried in the handle. The cutters are 1/4" square HSS I had, held in with 2 set screws. I have a couple of different profiles. So far I've gone about 9" over the rest and its still manageable. I drilled out the end of the handle and added about 1/2 lb of steel shot to add some heft. Best part is, .78 for the copper fitting and 3.00 for the shot!

Happy Turning!

[Angelo Schembari]

This one I made about a year ago. Length 20", but only 6-7 inches over the rest. Handles nice, but just too short for hollowing.

http://publish.hometown.aol.com/schembari3/images/small%20lathe%20tool.jpg

[Scott Greaves]

Hey Angelo!

Nice tool! It's nice to make something like that yourself, isn't it? Can you show us a closeup of the business end?

Scott.

[Angelo Schembari]

Scott,

I actually have 3 or 4 "business ends" They change out very easily.

http://members.aol.com/schembari3/images/tip%20closeup.jpg

The bottom one is a round nose scraper. The top one is a square scraper with a rather steep grind, almost like a Bedan Tool. the one in the middle has a slight back-angle thats hard to see. The edge is slightly longer on the left side (bottom in pic) and this allows me to get all the way in the corner of a deep hollow. Hope this helps.

Cheers

[Patrick Smith]

Hi Angelo,

I just made my first hollowing tool last weekend but I haven't got a chance to use it yet. My handle is about 1/3 the size of yours and made of walnut! Wondering if I will have a lot of control problems with it...

About the stainless tubing - I used 3/8" steel rod for mine and drilled the end for the bits. It was a total PITA. Have you found that the tubing is strong enough?

Thanks,
Patrick

[Angelo Schembari]

Originally posted by Patrick Smith
Hi Angelo,

I just made my first hollowing tool last weekend but I haven't got a chance to use it yet. My handle is about 1/3 the size of yours and made of walnut! Wondering if I will have a lot of control problems with it...



Not yet. I can tuck the handle under my elbow, lock my elbow up against my side, and it goes where I want it to. I felt the long handle was needed to couneract all the leverage from the 10-12" long shaft.


Originally posted by Patrick Smith


About the stainless tubing - I used 3/8" steel rod for mine and drilled the end for the bits. It was a total PITA. Have you found that the tubing is strong enough?

Thanks,
Patrick

I figured it would be a pain as well, esp since I have 1/4" square cutters. I've used the shorter one for a year now, with some pretty scary catches, and have had no problems with its integrity. I think this tube is from some sort of light fixture. It had an IP thread nipple on one end and came with a box of electrical boxes, etc. I picked up some where.