• The forum upgrades have been completed. These were moderate security fixes from our software vendor and it looks like everything is working well. If you see any problems please post in the Forum Technical Support forum or email us at forum_moderator (at) aawforum.org. Thank you
  • February 2026 Turning Challenge: Cookie Jar! (click here for details)
  • Congratulations to Matt Carvalho for "Red Mallee Folded Form" being selected as Turning of the Week for February 9, 2026 (click here for details)
  • AAW Symposium demonstrators announced - If the 2026 AAW International Woodturning Symposium is not on your calendar, now is the time to register. And there are discounts available if you sign up early, by Feb. 28. Early Bird pricing gives you the best rate for our 40th Anniversary Symposium in Raleigh, North Carolina, June 4–7, 2026. (There are discounts for AAW chapter members too) For more information vist the discussion thread here or the AAW registration page
  • Welcome new registering member. Your username must be your real First and Last name (for example: John Doe). "Screen names" and "handles" are not allowed and your registration will be deleted if you don't use your real name. Also, do not use all caps nor all lower case.

Simon Hope Hollowing System Cutters - Cutting Tools

Joined
Jan 11, 2019
Messages
12
Likes
1
Location
Sumter, SC
Christmas brought a Hope Hollowing System. I notices several posts where folks are using these systems. Haven't had a chance to play with it much. Mine came with the 3/4 straight and bent bar with a carbide cutter and steel scraper. Is this what those of you with the hope system are using or have you found different bars/tools that you like better that factory stock with it?

Thanks
 
I use mostly the 5/8 bars usually only going 6-8" deep. His carbide cutter really cut well and fast. I have also purchased the Trent Bosch bars to use and they are very good. I did buy his extreme bent bar. I start with the Hope carbide, then switch to the Bosch for final cuts. I have a couple of homemade cutters also.
 
I’ve used the hope system with Trent Bosch 3/4 bars, just the direction I took at the time. I’ve switched to hand hollowing now using the same bars.
 
I use the 3/4 Bosch bars most of the time and a bar made by CA Savoy.
I had these when I got the hope support.

The hope bars should work well for you especially if you do mostly endgrain hollowing.

The carbides I have won’t take as big a cut as the HSS cutters which can be a good thing, depending.
I hollow mostly face grain and typically take 1/4 to 1/2” cuts when hogging out using th HSS tipped tools.

My suggestion is to master what you have and by other bars when you need them.
 
John, I do have the Hope 5/8 bar with the straight and bent carbide insert. I use those for initial roughing out then switch to the Bosch bars. The Hope 5/8 bar takes inserts in the end. You need to make sure the insert is fully inserted. I put a slight bend in the curved because i didn't have it installed deep enough into the bar.
 
Guys, thanks for the responses. It is helpful to know how others have gone about it. I think Hockenbery has the right of it, master what I've got. Was curious if there was something I should look at though....
 
Back
Top