Est. 1998 — 27 years of woodworking knowledge
Termite tool
Brian Roberts
>I have had a look at the Termite hollowing tools and am wondering about the strength of the ring shaped cutting tips. The cross section of the cutting tips looks awfully weak and I wonder if they would snap if I had a "catch"?
Anyone ever broke one?
Thanks,
Brian
Re: Termite tool
Larry Hancock; Ardmore, OK
>Brian,
I can say from experience that the termite tool will break if you get present it to the wood wrong. Mine broke at the shaft. The ring section did not break. The cross section of most all ring or hook tools is thin. You have to pay close attention to how you use it and then everything is all right.
Larry
Re: Termite tool
Ric Erkes
>Brian, since you haven't gotten much of a response, I'll throw my 2 cents in. I forget the actual sizes, but I own the one about a 1/4" and a 1/2". The tool has a tricky learning curve, you are going to get a catch. I have gotten some of my most spectacular catches learning these tools, but so far neither tip has broken. I would rate them as very strong.
I bought the smaller ring size first, and liked the tool so much I ordered the larger size. The shaft is too chinsy to reach very far off of the tool rest so for the larger bit I made a 3/4" shaft and mounted the bit in that. If you are so inclined, I would order just the bit and make your own shaft.
The tool does very well for what it is designed for. Cutting end grain straight on. But try to run along the side of a vase and it will catch. I do not hollow to the depth of a vase with the tool (although it could), but just use it to clean up the bottom. (I have found an open ring tool does very well along the sides of a vase.)
Also, if the vase is oriented so as to have side grain along the bottom, it will cut it but it will clog up the tool.
Overall, as my tool collection has grown, I find other tools as efficient and more forgiving.
Ric
Thanks
Brian Roberts
>Apreciate the comments - always looking for something "newer and better"! Sounds like newer but maybe not better.
Brian
Re: Termite tool *LINK*
Pascal Oudet
>Ric, have a look at Herm de Vries site. he is the Master of the Ring. more seriously, he has a document in the tools section which explain how to use the termite. Once you've read it, you'll forget what a catch is.
The termite is really a good tool.
Pascal
Herm's termite page