What can we do better?
Exotic Hardwood, Personally Sourced Worldwide. Inspected at Origin. Shop Rare Stock.

WoodCentral Forums

Knowledge You Can Build On — Est. 1998

Stewart/Sorby/Pencil Hollower Owners

Posts

Stewart/Sorby/Pencil Hollower Owners

#1

Stewart/Sorby/Pencil Hollower Owners

Mark Kauder, Phenix City, AL

>I got a Don Pencil arm brace hollowing system from Lee Valley last spring, and am only now getting around to using it seriously. Until this point, my Sorby Hollowmaster worked well enough.

On the Hollowmaster, you have to hang the cutter/scrapers on the bottom. With the Pencil system at least, you have the option of hanging them on the bottom or mounting them on the top of the swan necked shaft.

In the little bit of playing that I have done with the system to this point, I hung them on the bottom. In doing so, I was a little disappointed in the way the tool felt - little catches, hard to control - all compared to the Hollowmaster (admittedly a shorter tool).

Last night, I put a cutter on the top, and felt I had much better control, and better feedback.

I would like to hear what the rest of you do.

BTW, using at teardrop scraper on my Hollowmaster, I am able to remove wonderful, vast quantities of curly wood chips from the inside of a bowl. With the Pencil system using the exact same scraper blade, I could not duplicate that action, even on the same bowl. I felt like the tool shaft was vibrating enough that the scraper did not stay in contact with the wood.

Interested in your opinions.

Mark

Re: Stewart/Sorby/Pencil Hollower Owners

#2

Re: Stewart/Sorby/Pencil Hollower Owners

Lee Weed

>Mark,

Check to see if the cutting edge of the scraper is in line with the center of the stright shaft of the tool. I had to heat and bend my Sorby armbrace scraper to align it and it made a difference.

Lee

Re: Stewart/Sorby/Pencil Hollower Owners

#3

Brad Vietje

Re: Stewart/Sorby/Pencil Hollower Owners

Brad Vietje

>Mark,

I'm interested because I use a number of different scraping tools for hollowing -- what toolrest height was used ? With the cutter on top, did this bring the cutter a little above center ? With the Sorby tool, I've wondered how high you need to get the tool rest to keep the cutter above center.

Safe spinning,

Brad Vietje

Thetford, VT

Re: Stewart/Sorby/Pencil Hollower Owners

#4

Re: Stewart/Sorby/Pencil Hollower Owners

Bill Hale

>I use the DSS brace and have no problem but chatter. When you get chatter you have done one of two things wrong; keep the cutter at center and angle it just a tad down or you may not be holding the shaft tight to the tool rest. I have made two SS bars for mine and can get in deep. I have a 60" 1 1/2 Dia. and a 36" 1 1/4 Dia. All I use in those is a straight cutter.

Be sure of the tool angle as you use it.

Good turning and be safe

Bill in Casa Grande, AZ.

Re: Stewart/Sorby/Pencil Hollower Owners

#5

Re: Stewart/Sorby/Pencil Hollower Owners

Mark Kauder. Phenix City, AL

>Brad,

With the Sorby Hollowmaster and the teardrop scraper, I have always gotten best result with the tool rest about 1" above center, but the scraper contacting the bowl at or just above center. With the rest that high, the scraper is angled to the rear and angled slightly counter clockwise (maybe the 8:30 position). In this position, I always felt like I was getting somewhat of a shear scrape. Light touch with a nice fine burr, and I could get very fine finish. Course burr, and I could really hog out wood.

Regardless of the tool, Sorby, Pencil, my Binh Pho scraper, etc, I like to scrape on the inside of a bowl just slightly above center - maybe 1/4". If I get a catch, the scraper is driven in to mid air - if I have it at or below center a catch drive it into the wood (as I am sure you know). Exception being on the inside bottom, but that is another conversation. Soooo, I am very careful about the location, reardless of the tool.

Mark

Re: Stewart/Sorby/Pencil Hollower Owners

#6

Hi Mark

Dominic Greco at home in Richboro, PA

>Mark,

As you know, I have the DP hollower (both Scorpion and Stinger). I only have used the tear drop shaped cutter installed on top.

For hogging out large amounts (with the Scorpion), I use the 1/4" x 1/4" HSS cutters. I found they work great. I save the teardrop cutter for the end. I also found it makes a nice shear scraper.

I've found that the tool rest position is very important to the performance of this hollowing system. Wally Dickerman gave me some great advice on using the DP hollower. To paraphrase; You have to set the tool rest up so that you're rubbing the bevel of the cutter. For me, that's about 1/4" above the centerline (sounds like you;re doing this already). Perhaps Wally will weigh in here and repeat his advice in a more [ahem] clear and logical manner than I have attempted. :>)

See ya around,

Dominic

Re: Stewart/Sorby/Pencil Hollower Owners

#7

Re: Stewart/Sorby/Pencil Hollower Owners

Edward

>Hello Mark, Bin Pho scraper???? What is a Bin Pho scraper? Pleasr tell us.

Edward

Re: Stewart/Sorby/Pencil Hollower Owners

#8

Re: Stewart/Sorby/Pencil Hollower Owners *LINK*

Mark Kauder, Phenix City, AL

>Last year at the Southern States Woodturning Symposium, I took a rotation from Bihn Pao, and he uses a scraper for his thin bowls. I bought one from him and I love it as a very versitile finish scraper.

I though I had a picture of it, but cannot find it. Basically, it is a 5.8" steel bar with a slot in the end, cut to about a 60 degree angle, that, holds with a set screw, a short, sharpened scraper blade. I made my blades out old Jointer blades. You can cut and shape them to any shape and size. It is nice because by flipping the blade, you can use it either on the outside or the inside of a bowl.

Mark

Mark


http://www.carolinamountainwoodturners.org/pho/pho2.html

Re: Stewart/Sorby/Pencil Hollower Owners

#9

Re: Stewart/Sorby/Pencil Hollower Owners *LINK*

Edward

>Hello Mark; Thanks for the info. That scraper must be the one that is being used in photos 9 and 10 on page 19 of Woodturning mag. issue #138. photos show Bin Pho (someone?) using a "homemade" scraper to shearscrape the inside of a "vessel" to a fine finish.

I wonder if the Kelton scraper would be a suitable substitute. I'll try to add the link.

Edward


http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.asp?page=49135&category=1,330,49233&abspage=1&ccurrency=2&SID=

Re: Stewart/Sorby/Pencil Hollower Owners

#10

Re: Stewart/Sorby/Pencil Hollower Owners

Jennifer@Indy.USA

>Hi Mark,

I also have the Pencil set-up. I too find the teardrop to be pretty grabby....and to be honest. right now I can't tell you if I've been using it on the top or the bottom? Pay attention, Jen!...I can tell you this....I only use it at the very end to finish things up. Not to do any hollowing. The other thing I've discovered is that even when I'm using the 1/4" cutters in the swan neck tool ...I get a lot more grabbines than when I swap it out for my John Jordon curved holder. I think the lesser curve in it creates less grabiness. I've gotten to the point where I almost always use the Jordon to hollow with now.

Jen

Re: Stewart/Sorby/Pencil Hollower Owners

#11

Explain???

Jennifer@Indy.USA

>Hi Lee...I seem to be confused by this (easily done). Can you explain why the cutting edge would need to be in line with the center of the straight part of the shaft?

...am I just missing something that is plain as day here?

Jennifer