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Hunter Carbide Hollowing Tools

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Anyone out there using Hunter carbide hollowing tools? If yes, what is your experience with the tools? Which of the Hunter hollowing tools portfolio do you find most useful? No. 3 straight or no. 4 straight? Full swan neck? Shallow swan neck? Do I need all of them to be successful with hollowing?

Appreciate any thoughts/inputs you may have. - John
 
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Hunter tools are GREAT

My wife uses the straight Hunter tools in small sizes (#1,2, & 3). She hollowed fifty 2" diameter, hard maple Christmas ornament bells before moving the cutter to a new edge. Mike is a gentleman and honest businessman. No connection, just happy customers.

Bill in WNC mountains
 
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I have the 2 & 3 straight and love them. If I didn't have the monster articulating arm unit I might think about the curved one. Like Bill said I did about 20 bells and 20 ornaments before turning the cutter.
 

odie

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After receiving an email from CSUSA that announced this Hunter tool as "making turning easier"......I decided to check it out.

What we have here, is a handled tool holder with a circular carbide cutting edge that's rotatable for a fresh cutting edge. When the edge is dull, rotate it. When all the surface is used.....throw it away and replace for about $22. It looks to me like the Hunter tool is used in a scraper fashion.

I use carbide tools at my regular job, and the sole reason for using carbide is that it retains an edge longer. I fail to see anything about the Hunter tool that would be any advantage over HSS, except that it will hold an edge longer......it certainly isn't going to cut any cleaner than a well sharpened HSS tool.

At this point, I place the Hunter tool in the "gimmick" category. It may have it's use as a beginner's tool, but I'd bet the farm that everyone who has one, will eventually abandon it once they understand that sharpening a standard HSS scraper only takes seconds.

Then again, I only speak from theory......I've never owned a Hunter tool. I could have it all wrong......but if I do, please tell me where i err.

otis of cologne
 
R

Ron Sardo

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After receiving an email from CSUSA that announced this Hunter tool as "making turning easier"......I decided to check it out.

What we have here, is a handled tool holder with a circular carbide cutting edge that's rotatable for a fresh cutting edge. When the edge is dull, rotate it. When all the surface is used.....throw it away and replace for about $22. It looks to me like the Hunter tool is used in a scraper fashion.

I use carbide tools at my regular job, and the sole reason for using carbide is that it retains an edge longer. I fail to see anything about the Hunter tool that would be any advantage over HSS, except that it will hold an edge longer......it certainly isn't going to cut any cleaner than a well sharpened HSS tool.

At this point, I place the Hunter tool in the "gimmick" category. It may have it's use as a beginner's tool, but I'd bet the farm that everyone who has one, will eventually abandon it once they understand that sharpening a standard HSS scraper only takes seconds.

Then again, I only speak from theory......I've never owned a Hunter tool. I could have it all wrong......but if I do, please tell me where i err.

otis of cologne

Having once owned a Hunter tool, I agree with your assessment. CSUSA accepted a return.
 
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I don't have the Hunter tool, but I do have the Eliminator and love it. There is also a tool that Packard carries that has a disc cutter that is HSS and can be resharpened. These tools can be used as scrapers, but are very grabby when held flat, but cut very clean at a shear angle. This being said, I love the carbide discs. They do offer a cutting disc which cuts better to me than a HSS flat disc. I guess you could say that it is a termite type of tool, and also cuts like a hook tool, but I don't have any experience with either tool. I don't see why they can't be sharpened. I would thing that they could do like the Packard tool, which has a small mandril that you can screw the cutter onto, put in a drill, and hold up to one of the diamond hones. After all, you do need diamond to sharpen carbide best. I do not have one of the Ci 1 roughing tools, either, but do have a 'Big Ugly Tool' which is a favorite of the Oregon Coast myrtle wood turners. It is a 3/4 inch piece of bar stock which has a piece of Tantung silver soldered onto the end. You can literally production turn for half a day without needing to sharpen. I think the carbide discs will be popular if for no other reason, they hold an edge that much longer. If they can be made so we can easily sharpen them, then they will become much more popular.
robo hippy
 

odie

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I don't have the Hunter tool, but I do have the Eliminator and love it. There is also a tool that Packard carries that has a disc cutter that is HSS and can be resharpened. These tools can be used as scrapers, but are very grabby when held flat, but cut very clean at a shear angle. This being said, I love the carbide discs. They do offer a cutting disc which cuts better to me than a HSS flat disc. I guess you could say that it is a termite type of tool, and also cuts like a hook tool, but I don't have any experience with either tool. I don't see why they can't be sharpened. I would thing that they could do like the Packard tool, which has a small mandril that you can screw the cutter onto, put in a drill, and hold up to one of the diamond hones. After all, you do need diamond to sharpen carbide best. I do not have one of the Ci 1 roughing tools, either, but do have a 'Big Ugly Tool' which is a favorite of the Oregon Coast myrtle wood turners. It is a 3/4 inch piece of bar stock which has a piece of Tantung silver soldered onto the end. You can literally production turn for half a day without needing to sharpen. I think the carbide discs will be popular if for no other reason, they hold an edge that much longer. If they can be made so we can easily sharpen them, then they will become much more popular.
robo hippy

Robo.......

If you're getting better cuts with carbide, over the HSS, then it's simply a matter of one being sharper than the other......has nothing to do with the material it's made from.

Yes, these little carbide discs can be sharpened.......

At work, we sharpen carbide cutting tools on a 6" slow speed diamond impregnated disc. Something like this could be used for circular carbide discs, but it's pretty expensive, and a special jig would be required. If I used a lot of carbide cutters in my home shop, it would be a necessary expense, though.

otis of cologne
 

john lucas

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The Hunter tools can be used as a cutting tool by rubbing the bevel. It can also be a scraping tool by not rubbing the bevel. In cutting mode it cuts very cleanly. I use it mostly for finishing cuts. I can finish the inside of a box and not sand if I want to. If I do I start with 320 or 400. I find it a fantastic tool for cleaning up vases and larger opening vessels.
I use the #3 for shallower vessels and #4 for deeper. If I only had one I would buy the #4.
Do you need a Hunter tool for hollowing. Nope. I've used the John Jordan, David Ellsworth style tools for a long time. I still use them for much of the hollowing. They do it faster. I use the Hunter tools for finishing or for problem areas especially end grain. They cut just as clean as a well sharpened hook tool or ring tool but they don't need sharpening.
Can you resharpen them. Yes but not the way you think. Mike Hunter polishes the top surface and this is what makes it cut so clean. You could rehone the outside I suppose but The cutters last for a very long time and $20 isn't much. I have lost track of how many things I've turned with the #4 hunter and have not rotated it yet. I know I've competely hollowed 3 large vessels and over a dozen boxes and had people over learning to use the tool. I've turned a lot of other things because I've owned the tool for about a year. That's pretty good for something you don't sharpen.
The tool isn't used flat. You rotate it about 44 to 60 degrees depending on the cut you want. You may also have to rotate it during the cut to keep the bevel rubbing just like using a ring tool.
Sometimes on certain cuts it works better as a scraper. Just flatten the angle out a little, maybe 35 degrees and it still leaves a nice finish.
If you do smaller open vessels the curved tool is the one to have. If you want to do deep vessels the #1 tool in a John Jordan hand held tool or Lyle Jamieson captured bar system is excellent. I have the #3 cutter mounted in a 3/4 bar and use in my boring bar system. The #4 is mounted in a wooden handle and is my go to tool for finishing boxes.
 
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The carbide disk on the Hunter tool does not have a flat top, it has a slightly raised edge. It works like a raised burr on a HSS tool (which doesn't last) or a gouge turned at a angle. If you present the tool at a shearing angle, it cuts nice curls. It leaves a nicer finish than scrapers.
This is not a regular round flat carbide disk that has blunt angle. I don't know how to measure the included angle. It has a sharper angle than scraper, and the top of the disk forced the removed wood to curl up like a gouge flute.
 

john lucas

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Thanks Gordon. I forgot to mention that. I also tried to measure the angle but I simply don't have the tools to do it. It appears to be pretty acute which I think adds to the quality of the cut.
When I first got the tools I turned everything from spindles with beads and coves to bowls and hollow forms. I wanted to learn what all the tools were capable of. Used properly these tools really cut clean.
 

KEW

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Mike Hunter polishes the top surface and this is what makes it cut so clean.

QFT!
Randy at Monster tools sells a similar insert without the polish. I used it and the Hunter side by side and the Hunter produced a much nicer cut.
Please understand that I like Monster tools and the significant savings on the Monster insert may be worthwhile for some. But the Hunter is an exceptional tool.
I primarily use mine inside vessels where I cannot see the cut. I'm not comfortable using a bowl or spindle gouge in this situation. If I was, the utility of the Hunter tool would not be so great.
 
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Even the carbide Hunter cutter stays sharp for a long time. It is still cheaper to grind down a gouge or a tool bit. I save the edge of the Hunter cutter for the finish cut that matters. The lipped edge wears well but brittle.
 

odie

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Howdy Gordon and John......

It appears as you two are sold on the Hunter tool. That's great, but I'm not seeing anything that can't be duplicated sharpening a HSS tool. It seems to me the angle of grind can be duplicated, and the tool can be turned on an angle to the tool rest, producing a shearing cut. Am I not seeing this correctly, or is there something about the shape of the Hunter carbide insert that cannot be done on HSS?

There is no question that the cutting edge of the carbide will far outlast HSS, but for my own purposes, because I've become so fast at resharpening HSS, that it isn't much of a consideration.


otis of cologne
 
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I don't think I know enough about HSS or any metal to answer your question. It is difficult to show the actual shape of the Hunter cutter in picture. To me, it looks like something like the RCGT or RDMT in this page:
http://www.carbidedepot.com/Dynamiclanding.aspx?CategoryID=4285

It is definitely not like RCCW type that came with the Sorby hollowing tool. I know this kind of HSS disk can be sharpened with the Tormek Jig SVG-185.
 

john lucas

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Odie You are correct. As I said it cuts just like a ring a tool or hook tool. A bowl gouge doesn't cut quite the same because the edge is simply blunter. Most bowl gouges are sharpened to about 55 degree include angle. I have one sharpened to 45 degrees thanks to Stewart Batty. It cuts very clean.
My ring tool is much more acute, probably 35 degrees but I haven't actually measured it. The ring tool will clog in green wood if you your not careful. Still it's a great tool. My homemade hook tool is that sharp or more so. It cuts really great and doesn't clog as bad as the ring tool. However both of them are a pain to sharpen to a near razor edge. I grind the ring tool with a white honing tool and it's sharp but not as sharp as the Hunter. I sharpen the hook tool with diamond hones and It is very sharp when done. However it has to be sharpened frequently to stay this sharp and if you let it get slightly dull it takes about 5 minutes to bring it back.
The Hunter on the other hand never needs sharpening. If it does get dull which in my opinion takes a very long time, then you simply loosen the screw and rotate it. Takes about 15 seconds. It has been sharpened by Mike Hunter to a sharper angle than my ring or hook tool and has been polished so the shaving just fly over it.
Is it brittle. So far it hasn't proven to be so. I've used it to cut aluminum to see how it did. I haven't take any special care of it other than to protect the tip when I travel. It is carbide and could chip but all of my tools are close to a year old and have been used a lot and they are all in good shape.
I don't claim this is an everything tool but I really like it and think others will also. The learning curve is shorter than either the ring tool or the hook tool. This tool is very similar to the Eliminator except the eliminator has a triangular shank which should help find the "sweet spot" for using the tool in cutting mode. The Eliminator is a sweet tool but a fair amount higher than the Hunter.
 

odie

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Odie You are correct. As I said it cuts just like a ring a tool or hook tool. A bowl gouge doesn't cut quite the same because the edge is simply blunter. Most bowl gouges are sharpened to about 55 degree include angle. I have one sharpened to 45 degrees thanks to Stewart Batty. It cuts very clean.
My ring tool is much more acute, probably 35 degrees but I haven't actually measured it. The ring tool will clog in green wood if you your not careful. Still it's a great tool. My homemade hook tool is that sharp or more so. It cuts really great and doesn't clog as bad as the ring tool. However both of them are a pain to sharpen to a near razor edge. I grind the ring tool with a white honing tool and it's sharp but not as sharp as the Hunter. I sharpen the hook tool with diamond hones and It is very sharp when done. However it has to be sharpened frequently to stay this sharp and if you let it get slightly dull it takes about 5 minutes to bring it back.
The Hunter on the other hand never needs sharpening. If it does get dull which in my opinion takes a very long time, then you simply loosen the screw and rotate it. Takes about 15 seconds. It has been sharpened by Mike Hunter to a sharper angle than my ring or hook tool and has been polished so the shaving just fly over it.
Is it brittle. So far it hasn't proven to be so. I've used it to cut aluminum to see how it did. I haven't take any special care of it other than to protect the tip when I travel. It is carbide and could chip but all of my tools are close to a year old and have been used a lot and they are all in good shape.
I don't claim this is an everything tool but I really like it and think others will also. The learning curve is shorter than either the ring tool or the hook tool. This tool is very similar to the Eliminator except the eliminator has a triangular shank which should help find the "sweet spot" for using the tool in cutting mode. The Eliminator is a sweet tool but a fair amount higher than the Hunter.


OK John......and thanks for the up-close photo KEW.....

It appears as there might be a shape there that would be hard to reproduce on a regular HSS tool. You're making me think I ought to test one out some day!

g'day gentlemen.......

otis of cologne
 
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OK
It appears as there might be a shape there that would be hard to reproduce on a regular HSS tool. You're making me think I ought to test one out some day!

Look at any ring or hook tool. For that matter, turn a burr on the attached cutter of your choice with the Stewart, Sorby, or other tools. The difference is merely a matter of degree and waste ejection.

Cutter with the gutter available at many places selling tooling for cutting steel or plastics. I get mine from the guy a couple miles up the road.
 

Bill Grumbine

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I'm coming late to the discussion here, but I have been using Hunter cutters for a little over a year now, and I think they are great! Anyone who knows me or who has seen me turn knows I use a bowl gouge for just about everything on a bowl. But I turn more than bowls. I have found the Hunter cutters to be ideal for hollowing vessels, boxes, goblets, etc. I get a very clean, smooth surface faster and easier than with a lot of other tools at my disposal. I even use them in the bottom of very deep, narrow, bowls (aka vases) where my special Thompson bowl gouge has trouble reaching.

Odie is right, a sharp edge is a sharp edge. But what makes the Hunter cutters so attractive to me is the geometry of the tool itself and the way it cuts, as well as the fact that I don't have to stop to sharpen. And so far they are lasting long enough that it is cost effective for me to replace them when they do stop cutting.
 
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Yes, mine has chipped. I don't know when did it happen; may be careless mistake on my part.

I chipped mine quite easily, just the other day. It was an act of careless distraction on my part. I became distracted while removing the tool from a piece and it caught and slammed down on the tool rest. The result was a very small chip in the edge, not to mention :eek: :mad: :eek::
 
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Odie,
I guess I should have clarified about what I ment when I said the carbide cuts better than the HSS. The carbide discs are concave, and the HSS is flat. The concave edge stands up much better than the burr on the flat disc, and you do get a bit of a bevel to ride. Finish quality of the cuts are similar, the concave disc makes this easier for me, and that is why I prefer it.
robo hippy
 

john lucas

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The Hunter cutters have a slight bevel to the outside. I've discussed with Mike about making the shape of the mounting blank follow this bevel or even grinding it away more like the secondary bevel many of us grind on our bowl gouges. This would make it easier to ride the bevel of the tool, especially inside hollow vessels with narrow opening where you can't move the handle much.
 
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I use my carbide/s way more often than HSS, I have HSS gouges but use them very rarely anymore as the carbide stays sharper longer, I have a green wheel for carbide so i can grind any profile / shape I need and make my own bit holders etc.
 

odie

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I'm coming late to the discussion here, but I have been using Hunter cutters for a little over a year now, and I think they are great! Anyone who knows me or who has seen me turn knows I use a bowl gouge for just about everything on a bowl. But I turn more than bowls. I have found the Hunter cutters to be ideal for hollowing vessels, boxes, goblets, etc. I get a very clean, smooth surface faster and easier than with a lot of other tools at my disposal. I even use them in the bottom of very deep, narrow, bowls (aka vases) where my special Thompson bowl gouge has trouble reaching.

Odie is right, a sharp edge is a sharp edge. But what makes the Hunter cutters so attractive to me is the geometry of the tool itself and the way it cuts, as well as the fact that I don't have to stop to sharpen. And so far they are lasting long enough that it is cost effective for me to replace them when they do stop cutting.




Odie,
I guess I should have clarified about what I ment when I said the carbide cuts better than the HSS. The carbide discs are concave, and the HSS is flat. The concave edge stands up much better than the burr on the flat disc, and you do get a bit of a bevel to ride. Finish quality of the cuts are similar, the concave disc makes this easier for me, and that is why I prefer it.
robo hippy





I hate you guys! :D

Darn it......now I'm going to have to get one of these Hunter tools and find out for myself!

otis of cologne




.
 
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R

Ron Sardo

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http://www.wttool.com/product-exec/product_id/41141/nm/RPMM_Gold_Insert_Import_

Turn upside down with the concave part facing a good quality 600 grit diamond hone. Spray a little WD-40 on a hone amke make a couple of circles with the bit and you have a bit that works as well as a Hunter.

I can not say how long this bit will last compared to a Hunter bit, but since you can sharpen this it is irrelevant.

The proper torx screw is a M4x9.0mm Code# 1038-0704, the picture that shows up is NOT what the screw looks like, but if you give these numbers Wholesale Tool you will get the right screws.
 

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john lucas

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Ron I'll have to try that. The Hunter tools are polished on the top surface and I think that's part of why the cut so well. His tools are also recessed into the shaft. If you take off too much on the outside it might cause some problems with wood getting stuck in the recess.
I have one tool I built that doesn't have the cutter recessed. This method would work well for them.
This may not even be a problem because the amount of material you would remove to sharpen would be in the thousandths.
I'm not sure resharpening is even an issue. I've had mine for a year and have only rotated one of them to a new edge just to see if it cut cleaner. It didn't.
 
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I will not argue the merits of one cutter over another as I have no experience with anything but the Hunter.

I use the Hunter tool only for finish cuts and it has done wonders for me in reducing my sanding time on undercut rims in some of my boxes. I do not find the Hunter tool to be "the" tool for fast removal of a lot of wood although it can hollow a box, vase or other end grain object from start to finish quite readily. However if you have one of the new #5 straight shaft tools which is a 5/8" shaft tapering to the diameter of a #3 (3/8") cutter you can hog a lot of wood in a hurry with that configuration.

There is a bit of a learning curve in fine tuning the presentation angle for the tool. I have shown numerous people how to use the Hunter and almost every one has had some difficulty in finding the right angle to present the cutter. Once you do find that angle gossamer thin shavings flow off the cutter as pretty as you please. I find that the cutter needs to be angled downhill slightly and pointing to 10 or 11 o'clock. Higher RPM turning speeds also yield better cuts. I frequently use the tools at 2200 or higher RPM.

Again, in my opinion and experience, the Hunter tool makes for a very fine finishing tool particularly on dense hardwoods such as cocobolo, verawood, etc. which are difficult to sand. Almost any wood that is hard and heavy responds very well to the Hunter. Use of the Hunter tool has saved me countless hours of sanding over the last year I have been using it.
 

KEW

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I'm wondering if you couldn't sharpen/polish it on the Tormek's leather wheel?
I'll try it in a couple of years after mine gets dull, but maybe one of you "power users" might get the opportunity sooner!
Of course that would only work on the outside of the bit. I don't see a way to sharpen the top surface's profile.
 
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odie

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I'm now placing an order for a Hunter tool and replacement carbide cutters.

I see #3, #4, and #6 Hunter tools.

They are 3/8" dia, 1/2" dia, and 3/4" diameters, respectively.

I'm placing the order for a #4 Hunter tool, but am wondering if there is any further input, or recommendations.......?

My main push is for bowls from 5" to 16" in diameter, with an occasional lidded box.

Thanks for your input on this........

otis of cologne
 
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I'm now placing an order for a Hunter tool and replacement carbide cutters.

I see #3, #4, and #6 Hunter tools.

They are 3/8" dia, 1/2" dia, and 3/4" diameters, respectively.

I'm placing the order for a #4 Hunter tool, but am wondering if there is any further input, or recommendations.......?

My main push is for bowls from 5" to 16" in diameter, with an occasional lidded box.

Thanks for your input on this........

otis of cologne

Odie, when the new #5 tool I described comes out you will find it to be extremely useful for the tasks you describe as well as many other things. It comes with the added benefit of increased reach over the tool rest so you can really "reach" in there and remove some wood.

The #6 is a little too large for smaller boxes but would serve you well for bowls.

I use the Hunter tools daily and enjoy using them. They serve me very well in the specialized areas where I use them.
 

odie

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Odie, when the new #5 tool I described comes out you will find it to be extremely useful for the tasks you describe as well as many other things. It comes with the added benefit of increased reach over the tool rest so you can really "reach" in there and remove some wood.

The #6 is a little too large for smaller boxes but would serve you well for bowls.

I use the Hunter tools daily and enjoy using them. They serve me very well in the specialized areas where I use them.

Hi Michael......

Thanks for your input on this....

I chose the #4, because I figured it's would be the best as a "do-all" for learning to use it. I suppose I'll see what it can do for me, and then check out other options. I'm tempted to get the #6, since my main focus would be bowls that have fairly easy access to the interior......but, I just don't know for sure!

I'm curious about the tapered #5 Hunter tool to come out soon. What's the purpose in that? Is the theory behind it to be more stable at a distance from the tool rest.....and allow access into small areas.....??????

I have my order prepared, but haven't "pulled the trigger" on it yet.......any further discussion?

Thanks

otis of cologne
 

odie

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BTW: I'm considering getting a diamond impregnated disc for sharpening the Hunter carbide bits. I believe these diamond impregnated sharpening discs are pretty expensive, but I think I can get a used, but useable one for free at work. This needs to be a fairly slow speed operation, so I don't see why it can't be mounted to the lathe.....and make up some sort of bit holder that securely holds the bit while it revolves around it's axis. This would seem to be the ticket while applying the cutting edge against the diamond disc.

Sounds good in theory, anyway!

otis of cologne
 
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I'm curious about the tapered #5 Hunter tool to come out soon. What's the purpose in that? Is the theory behind it to be more stable at a distance from the tool rest.....and allow access into small areas.....??????

otis of cologne


Yes, it does provide more reach and more stability. You can really remove a lot of wood in a hurry with it exposing more of the edge because it is supported by a larger shaft.
 

john lucas

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The smaller cutter on the new tool is easier to control. When I got my #3 cutter in the 3/8" bar I installed it in a 3/4" bar to use in my armbrace. For all practical purposes this is almost the same thing as the new tool. I love my number 4 tool but the new tool is even better.
 
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Diamond sharpening

Has anyone tried the Jool tool on the Hunter -- 3M makes a selection of diamond discs in different grits?
 

john lucas

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I'm not sure why we keep talking about sharpening the Hunter cutter. In my experience it's simply a non issue. The ones I have are holding the edge quite fine and have not needed to be rotated to a clean edge. I suspect I will get several years out of the cutter before it gets dull enough to worry about. The cutters are $20 from Mike Hunter which amounts to $10 a year if it lasts 2 years. I'll gladly pay that much to keep from sharpening a tool.
Now I don't mind sharpening. Heck I do it a couple of times per project to have a really sharp edge. I'm one of those people that will sharpen a Forestner bit and sometimes even a bandsaw blade. Sharpening is something I don't mind doing and actually relish in learning new ways to put an edge on something. It is a pleasure to just reach for the Hunter tool and know it's sharp. No second thoughts about it I just pick it up and use it. I'm not saying it will stay sharp forever. I don't know that yet. The Hunter appears to be sharpened on the top. The top is polished and sides are less polished. It would be easy to rig up a jig to polish the outside but I think you would spend more time than the cost of the replacement cutter is worth.
 

odie

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I'm not sure why we keep talking about sharpening the Hunter cutter. In my experience it's simply a non issue. The ones I have are holding the edge quite fine and have not needed to be rotated to a clean edge. I suspect I will get several years out of the cutter before it gets dull enough to worry about. The cutters are $20 from Mike Hunter which amounts to $10 a year if it lasts 2 years. I'll gladly pay that much to keep from sharpening a tool.
Now I don't mind sharpening. Heck I do it a couple of times per project to have a really sharp edge. I'm one of those people that will sharpen a Forestner bit and sometimes even a bandsaw blade. Sharpening is something I don't mind doing and actually relish in learning new ways to put an edge on something. It is a pleasure to just reach for the Hunter tool and know it's sharp. No second thoughts about it I just pick it up and use it. I'm not saying it will stay sharp forever. I don't know that yet. The Hunter appears to be sharpened on the top. The top is polished and sides are less polished. It would be easy to rig up a jig to polish the outside but I think you would spend more time than the cost of the replacement cutter is worth.

Thanks for the input, John.......

I wouldn't know, since I've never used, or even had a Hunter tool in my hands......but, I will soon!

From the looks of the Hunter carbide insert, if it's sharpened from the top, that might be a difficult row to hoe!......we'll see. If it lasts me as long as it lasts for you, then you are certainly right that it just won't be worth the effort to sharpen them......that is, as long as Hunter remains in business to produce them......

otis of cologne
 

odie

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The Hunter cutters have a slight bevel to the outside. I've discussed with Mike about making the shape of the mounting blank follow this bevel or even grinding it away more like the secondary bevel many of us grind on our bowl gouges. This would make it easier to ride the bevel of the tool, especially inside hollow vessels with narrow opening where you can't move the handle much.

After reading the instructions that came with the Hunter tool, I see it says to NOT ride the bevel, but rather to use it in a scraper fashion.

However, after practicing some cuts with the Hunter tool, I can see there are times when riding the bevel is an absolute must for preventing catches.......specifically on the inside of a tight curve. Here, riding the bevel gives a solid brace while initiating a cut at the bottom of the curve. After the cut is started, I can proceed with the cut as suggested by the manufacturer.

Is the Hunter better than a properly sharpened scraper? Well, for me, the jury is still out on that one......but, I can definitely see this tool will see some use. Perhaps, once I'm more experienced and familiarized with it's use, and applications, I'll be a true believer.....but, for now, I'm satisfied that it certainly will have a place in my "arsenal".

I've been practicing cuts on a Birds Eye Maple bowl. This has been a particularly difficult wood for me to get smooth cuts across the endgrain.....and the "eyes" are a real bugger because the grain reversals around them. So far, so good.......but, with sharp scrapers and a careful refined light shearing cut, I'm not convinced that I can get a better cut with the Hunter Tool.

This Hunter Tool will definitely work in places where a gouge won't.

It's nice to not bother with sharpening........

Thanks to all for "opening my eyes" to the Hunter Tool......

otis of cologne

BTW: I did make up a little block of wood with a 1/2" hole in it to protect the carbide cutter when not in use. Works pretty good.......has a friction fit. I won't have to worry about damaging the carbide cutting edge from my occasional carelessness!
 

john lucas

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Odie I do rub the bevel as often as possible with that tool. I'm surprised it says not to. Of course some cuts require that you don't use the bevel. I'm able to get cuts much cleaner than with a scraper. Crank the speed up. It's very easy to push this tool through the cut faster than you should. It will give a cleaner cut with lighter pressure and a faster speed seems to help you do that.
 
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