# Turning hickory



## crquack (Oct 10, 2008)

Has anyone tried turning hickory? I tried to reshape a handle and boy, was it difficult! The book on woods for turning states that "hickory has a marked blunting effect on tools". No kidding! The wood is so hard that it bent one of the tines of the spur center. But that may be the high quality Chinese butter the center is made of.

So the question is: 

1) Would something like an Oland tool be a good choice for turning hickory? From what I understand Oland tool is basically a metal turning bit adapted for use with a handle for wood turning.

and as an afterthought:

2) If you were to buy a new spur center what make would you go for?


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## BernieW (Sep 12, 2006)

I have turned hickory and dry it is extremely hard. Green hickory is a pleasure to turn. When you dry roughed out bowls to return to the lathe and finish your tools need to be extremely sharp. I sharpen and hone on a Tormek 7 especially with hickory, honey locust, black locust, etc. I am not sure about a Oland tool. Can't help you there. I just use a bowl gouge and scraper. Don't see a need for other tools.


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## crquack (Oct 10, 2008)

Here is an Oland tool:

Wood Turning Tools: Making the Oland Tool

This seems like a version of it in pale blue  :

Easy Rougher - Woodturners Catalog - Woodworking tools and supplies specializing in woodturning.

It should not be too hard to improvise and I got some of that hickory left...


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## BernieW (Sep 12, 2006)

I forgot to say I saw the Easy rougher in action and it does hog off the wood.


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## curiousgeorge (Nov 6, 2006)

I have the Easy Rougher and it is an excellent tool. The shield is actually a needed accessory to have with this tool as well as full face protection. It throws a ton of shavings back at you.


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## crquack (Oct 10, 2008)

OK! OK! Like I have not spent too much on tools these last two days already...:'(


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## BernieW (Sep 12, 2006)

Awwww shucks CR you know you want one.:lol::dance3:


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## crquack (Oct 10, 2008)

I will add it to the ever-growing list...OTOH I have just found a 1/2" HSS tool bit and a pipe it fits into.

After I finished the current stack of tasks I might try to drill and tap the pipe for some set screws and see if it works.

But wait! I have already made one! I did not know then that it was called an Oland tool:

******* Lathe v 4.01 - a set on Flickr

see pictures 2 and 4 in the set.

Unfortunately I think it is too small for the hickory.


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## Glenmore (Sep 10, 2004)

Never saw the easy gouge until George pointed it out to me just incredible to see how much wood it cuts off in one pass. Impressive a little to aggressive for pen turning though


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## crquack (Oct 10, 2008)

I did it. Stuffed a 1/2" lathe tool bit inside a 3/4" pipe previously drilled and tapped for three set-screws. Left one end ground square and the other end in a sort of 80-degree point.

I tried it on what was left of the hickory handle - it was cutting freely but the point is not particularly suitable. I will experiment with other shapes.

Where the tool shone was when I was turning down the soft jaws for the Technatool Midi chuck. The things I learned:

1) 3/4" scraper (only size I could get here) is too wide and too light for this kind of turning. The tool I made being narrower and heavier worked much better.

2) It is still better used as a scraper rather than a true cutting tool. At least on plastic.

3) It needs to be sharpened *frequently*.

4) Catches on plastic are more exciting than on wood.

I wonder how it would work with one of those brazed carbide bits.


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