ring tool

[david]

hi all
not been on for a while
thought i would make a few goblets with some beech end grain i have,
my problem is what is the correct procedure for using a ring tool,
only aquired it yesterday from hamlet,
"but" i now feel like an absolute beginner again with snatches and dig in's
any advice would be greatly appreciated regarding speeds, techniques,
angles ,,etc,
best regards
david.

 

[Bodrighy]

Can I suggest that you use it on a bowl first. That way you can see what is happenning. It can be quite a viscious toolas you have found out and iy is very easy to end up going straight through the side. I use it for mass removal of material in goblets and holow forms but always use a gouge or scraper for the final cuts. As with gouges you need to keep the bevel rubbing and not being able to see the cutting edge can make this difficult until you get used to the sound and feel of the tool.
Hope this helps

Pete

 

[david]

thanks for the swift reply pete,
yes i never thought about using it on a bowl first to see what is happening,
it seems a very good tool in the right hands for removing material fast,
so shall give it a go this afternoon.
thanks again for the advice
regards
david.

 

[Blister]

As with most chisels its important to get the bevel rubbing first , in the case of a ring tool its the area "lower than / underneath " the cutting edge , Then very slowly turn / twist the chisel anticlockwise until it starts to cut , Tool rest needs to be as close as pos to the work to give maximum support the the cutting edge of the tool , Hope it helps

 

[david]

thanks for the reply blister
i had another go with it this morning and have managed to work with it albeit a bit slow,
hopefully it will come easier as time goes by.thanks again for your advice
regards
david.

 

[jonbikebod]

I am in much the same situation as David. I bought a (Crown) ring tool and it took quite a while to sharpen in the first place. I will have to double check the profile as my experience with it is rub, rub, rub, DIG (and quite violently so).
By contrast I made the tool suggested here a while back, I have forgotten the name of the creator but ¼” HSS square bar mounted on some ½” bar stock with a handle. This is very forgiving and still removes wood at a rate of knots.
Using a ring tool deep inside a hollow vessel and therefore well away from the rest isn’t something I see myself doing in the near future.
Jon.