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 Post subject: Using a ring tool
PostPosted: Wed Oct 23, 2013 6:24 pm 
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Location: Skagit Co WA
Does anyone have one of these? I think it's referred to as a 'termite' tool for hollowing.

Image

If anyone does, can they give me some tips on its use?! I'm working on a rather deep vase hollow form and man, is this thing grabby! Someone gave it to me ages ago and I'm just not getting around to trying it out. It's supposed to be the cat's meow but I find it more like trying to hang onto a tiger by the tail.

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PostPosted: Wed Oct 23, 2013 7:08 pm 
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I have one, don't use it much.

I borrowed one from a friend and loved it. Bought and had the same issues you're talking about. I think the difference was when it worked great I turning dry wood. When it was grabby I was turning green wood.

I haven't gotten the nerve up to test my theory though.

Did you get the tool to sharpen it with? It's a cone shaped stone you put on a Dremel Tool.

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PostPosted: Thu Oct 24, 2013 12:36 am 
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Dennis,

Check this video. It appears the trick is to hold it so the ring is at 45 degrees.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtMDAmQyBU0#t=34

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PostPosted: Thu Oct 24, 2013 9:02 am 
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Yes, you definitely don't want to approach the wood with the ring horizontal. That is a good way to snap the ring off its shank. One difficulty of describing how to use the tool is defining what is vertical and what is horizontal. I tend to think of a pencil through the center of the ring. When the pencil is vertical the ring is horizontal and when the pencil is horizontal the ring is vertical.

With the ring vertical it won't cut so that is the safest way to approach the wood. Once the bevel is in contact with the wood you can rotate the handle clockwise and swing it slightly to your left to start to cut. The more you rotate the tool the heavier the cut and the tool will definitely become grabby if you rotate it too far.

The tool can leave a glass smooth surface in end grain when used correctly. I personally find it difficult to move the tool smoothly enough to not leave ripples in the surface, but that is not the tool's fault.

Take care
Bob


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Thu Oct 24, 2013 10:16 am 
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Wow! Thanks, guys. Clearly I was using the exact wrong way to go about it.

Back to the shop with a better understanding.

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PostPosted: Thu Oct 24, 2013 6:05 pm 
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Nailed Nailer uses one of those, he seemed to like it.

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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Fri Oct 25, 2013 11:55 am 
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DennisS wrote:
Wow! Thanks, guys. Clearly I was using the exact wrong way to go about it.

Back to the shop with a better understanding.


The same things that work with the edge of a gouge work with this gouge 90 degrees from the shaft. You should skew it a bit to the angle of movement, and let the curvature of the gouge serve for shear.

Couple of personal preferences. When I do green to dry and then re-turn, I make the initial internal passes to regain round with a side scraper. Nature of the beast has the termite fairly far over the rest with a round shank that likes to turn at the slightest overpressure, while the scraper is flat to the rest.

Second, router scares the bejeezus out of me, so I sharpen mine on the drill press at a modest 2k or under.


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PostPosted: Sun Oct 27, 2013 7:57 am 
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I have one and use it quite a bit for small hollowing projects.

Things like Wine Glasses and Drink Tumblers.
I recently bought a "Bunch" of Hunter tools with the round carbide discs.
I got these at a yard sale for super cheap. Bought 4 of them for $40.

Think 3 of them are the #4 and one is a #3.

But about the Termite.......

Use it kinda like a scraper in that the shank should be tilted slightly downward into the vessel from the tool rest.
Cut just at or below center.
If you imagine the "ring" like a coin on the end of a shaft By turning the tool handle so that the coin is at about a 45deg angle to the surface you will make nice cuts. Go for slices vs powder. you can adjust the depth of cut by turning the handle into-or out of the surface.
One other thing.....I find it helps to kind of anchor the tool with the left hand on the tool rest and swing the handle away from you. More or less scoop out the waste from deep to shallow. Center of piece to outside. As you scoop pull the cutter out of the piece.
Hold the tool firmly to the tool rest and don't allow it to chatter.

As for sharpening...I use the grinding cone provided in a drill press.

On more thing about the tool. It seems (never actually measured it)
The ring is of course double sided. In other words there are two cutting edges. It seems that the sides are different diameters/shapes.
The larger diameter seems to cut slower but smoother. The smaller cuts more aggressively but faster.
I use the smaller to rough it out then the larger to smooth it back to nice.

Good luck.
I like mine but think they have been replaced by the Hunter style disc tools.
---Nailer---

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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sun Oct 27, 2013 10:07 am 
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Thanks for the tips, N-N. Been practicing with it the past few days and it's definitely tame-able thanks to all the great ad-vice passed on here.

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