Boring Bars - was this a good entry level tool

[edspec]

I love to turn bowls and other hollow forms. Just a rookie at it but the passion is there. So I got a case of the I wants for a boring bar :eusa_doh: and after looking at advertisements for great many I just jumped on one I found from a mom and pop type operation with great country charm to their origin. I'am a sucker for the American dream and Made in USA when I can.

I have no idea what I got myself into with this purchase but I used a secure method of payment that should provide some protection. The site in question is http://www.monster-wood-tool.com/default.html .

If I could stand the wait, maybe I should have considdered making one of the OLAN type tools.

The damage is done :BangHead: how bad do you think my choice was?

Steve

 

[DaveO]

They look like well made tools. You should check-out our member Handturnedbowls, as he make his own hollowing tools and some beautiful vessels with them. I believe that he has posted some info on how he makes/designs the hollowing tools in our Downloads Library.
I was watching a show called the Woodturners Workshop yesterday and he was making a baby rattle with some hollowed spheres. For illustration purposes he cut one of the spheres in half and then hollowed it with a swan neck scraper. It was extremely informative to see how one of those tools actually work.
Dave

 

[cskipper]

I think you will be pretty pleased. Either way, please let us know so we can consider buying or knowing not to buy from them in the future.

 

[nelsone]

A couple of the folks on the Family woodworking forum have bought from them and seem quite pleased. Hope you are too! Let us know how it turns out.

 

[Wildwood]

Bowl turners have used boring bars to cut out a cone shapped chunk of wood from the center of their bowl to save time for eons. Normally need to insert a wood wedge or chisel and tap to snap the cone out. Then you went on to finish turning the inside of the bowl with gouge or scrapper.

While still a good technique don't hear about many folks using boring bars on bowls anymore.

Think a lot of serious bowl turners now use, "Oneway Easy Core, or McNaughton Center Saver, or Woodcut Bowl Saver," systems. Some turners have more than one these system. If it's a real old time turner may also have either home made or commerical boring bar too!.

Now days hear more about boring bars used in producing hollow forms, thanks to David Ellsworth.

Think that Monster tool #MW1 for $34.95 or Monster 4 piece tool # ML4 for $99.95 looks like a pretty good deal.

I still just use a gouge.

 

[edspec]

I received the ML4 boring bar today . It was shipped promptly via priority USPS. Heavy construction and well machined. Hope to be able to try it out this weekend.

Steve

 

[DaveO]

Better take some pics...or we won't believe you :-D :-D


Dave

 

[Dusty Sawyer]

Let us know how they work out... looks and sounds like a pretty good rig.

As for ordering online,,, the things I look for are a verisign certificate, the small gold key in the lower right hand corner of your browser, and be very sure that the site you are sent to make the paynent is the actual site it is purported to me,,, for example make sure that you are going to www.paypal.com and not www.paypal.com.ru or some variation.



Boring is fun

-david

 

[NCPete]

funny David, that .ru address came up with a DNS error, and was redirected to Paypal:lol:. but I know what you mean..

 

[edspec]

I tried out the monster boring bar this weekend. I turned a small cherry urn of sorts just to see what she could do. The boring bar is heavy but seems to get into small areas without trouble. Much less chatter when compared to my other scrappers on a long reach. Working between centers was no problem either. I made a cove toward the foot of the piece using the bar and the long handle provided nice control.

Can't wait to try it on a larger piece.


Here is a picture of the bar and the attachments: