I am making more goblets and am considering a Hunter tool for hollowing. I looked to the site and left without making a decision on what would be best. Any suggestions specific to goblet work (or small boxes, which are much the same in terms of hollowing) are appreciated.
I currently use a small Thompson gouge and a OneWay Termite tool, with a Drozda grind Thompson negative rake scraper for the finishing. This all works fine, but I have not used the Hunter tools and they seem to have a strong following among folk whose work I respect. I suppose my process is not broken so it is not in need of fixing; I am just always on the lookout for any improvement - even when I don't know the improvement is there.
I would suggest a Hunter #4. You can bevel rub across the bottom and then shear scrape up the side. If you put some rubber bands around the outside it cuts down all the chatter and you can really get a clean shear scrape near the lip. The #5 is also good. I use them alternatively and not really sure which is better. lean toward the #5. It has a smaller cutter and sometimes leaves a cleaner finish on tearout prone woods. I barely have to sand the inside of my boxes anymore. I can finish the bottom to almost 600 grit and the sides to 220 or 320. I usually hit the inside lightly with sandpaper to make it look more even. I don't hollow the box with these tools although you could. I find it much faster to use a spindle gouge. Then I do the final passes with the Hunter. I've changed how I scrape the sides a little bit. I actually did it somewhat in the video starting at 6:40. Used to be I would pull the tool out roughly parallel to the side with the cutter facing the wood. This is a scrape kind of like using the skew as a scraper. I found that if you swing the handle to the right it moves the cut from 6 oclock to about 7:30 on the cutter. This is now more of a shear scraper and leaves a finer finish.
.....tool for hollowing, and among my real go-to tools for many projects. It has enough heft to allow extending further over the rest and remain stable while cutting. If you have been using a Termite then you will find the Hunter to be a piece of cake to use! But the Hunter never needs to be sharpened, not as problematic as the Termite.
The viceroy is really nice for roughing and leaces a fair finish but the #5 leaves a.finsh that is incredible. The Viceroy is a.super tool.for new turners. Extremely easy to use and seems to cut cleaner than a scraper. It still.doesnt leave a.finish like the #5 when you rub the bevel.
I recently used a Hunter cutter on a hollow form. I purchased the cutter separately from AZ Carbide and used it on my homemade hollowing rig. I used a 10mm cutter and found it to cut fairly smooth on end grain but a little rougher on the side grain. It takes some practice to get the cutter angled correctly for a smooth cut. But I will definitely use the Hunter cutter again and even purchased a 12mm cutter which I think is the #5.
>>> ...I purchased the cutter separately from AZ Carbide and used it on my homemade hollowing rig. I used a 10mm cutter and found it to cut fairly smooth on end grain but a little rougher on the side grain. It takes some practice to get the cutter angled correctly for a smooth cut. But I will definitely use the Hunter cutter again and even purchased a 12mm cutter which I think is the #5.
In the bevel-rubbing mode the Hunter cutter should leave a glass-like surface in fine-grained wood even in side grain. (I'm talkin' dry wood here if that matters) I've turned small things that required zero sanding and other things that needed to start with 600 paper.
These are the Hunter cutter sizes:
#1 - 0.236" 6mm
#2 - 0.315" 8mm
#3 - 0.394" 10mm
#4 - 0.472" 12mm
#5 - same as #3
BTW, although the AZ Carbide people display the words "HUNTER TOOL SYSTEMS ™" on the top of the web page I wonder if they are an authorized reseller of Hunter cutter bits. I don't see where they explicitly state these are Hunter cutters. Maybe they mean that their cutters will fit Hunter tools. It would be interesting to know if they are the same sharpness, quality, or even the same material.
For the #4 cutter, for example, they list:
This cutter fits #4 Hunter Tool
12mm (.480”) Diameter
M4 x .7 x 10mm Mounting Screw Supplied
I see their stated diameter is larger than what Hunter lists. (could be rounded off) Could you possibly measure your cutters to check?
It would be interesting to compare one of their cutters to one from Mike Hunter, both in profile, sharpness, durability, material, and finish. I think I'll order one to compare. I tried calling but got a voice mail.
#5 has a 5/8" shaft that tapers.down to about 3/8". It has a small.cutter, maybe 6mm. The #4 is a 1/2"shaft that is straight and has a 12mm cutter. The cutters are mounted flat a d both tools are used the same way. I think the #5 is better for cleaning up deep vessels.
>>>#5 has a 5/8" shaft that tapers.down to about 3/8". It has a small.cutter, maybe 6mm. The #4 is a 1/2"shaft that is straight and has a 12mm cutter. The cutters are mounted flat a d both tools are used the same way. I think the #5 is better for cleaning up deep vessels.
Thanks, have the #5 but I haven't used it for a long time. I'll have to get it out - I remember it was stout.
DId you do a video using it cleaning up inside a vessel?
John, I have only used the curved cutters on one hollow form so it might be that I just haven't figured out how to use it properly on side grain. The curved cutters from AZ Carbide may not be the same as those from Hunter Tools but they are described as fitting the Hunter tools, so I just assumed they were the same.
You get what you pay for. The Hunter nanograin carbide is much sharper than the old carbide most other people are selling. The price is a good indicator. Some are sold in packs of a dozen for relatively cheap prices. These are not Hunter. The fact you had a rough surface from the tool you have leads me to believe it might not be "Hunter" Buyer beware!
