Any woodturners ever use the "easy wood tools"?

Will

I came across them a while ago, didn't really think much of it. I watch a turner on youtube who updates weekly and last week he use their easy scraper and was really impressed. The only downside I can see is having to replace the tips every so often and not grind new ones.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41fHxF9yBjc

I splashed out on one so waiting on it to be delivered. I'd love some feedback from those who may have tried it, otherwise will give an account of my experiences once I'm used to it.

slowburner

Will wrote: »

I came across them a while ago, didn't really think much of it. I watch a turner on youtube who updates weekly and last week he use their easy scraper and was really impressed. The only downside I can see is having to replace the tips every so often and not grind new ones.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41fHxF9yBjc

I splashed out on one so waiting on it to be delivered. I'd love some feedback from those who may have tried it, otherwise will give an account of my experiences once I'm used to it.

I haven't used the tools from 'Easy Wood tools' but I have something based on the same principle from Sorby - although the tips are HSS not carbide.
To be honest, it is gathering dust.
These days, I find that I really only use two chisels - the bowl gouge and the skew chisel.

One advantage of an interchangeable tip system is the heavy mass of the shaft. This can be useful when hollowing a long way from the tool rest.

It is certainly not a tool that I would use for roughing out a blank. I like my bowl gouges - there is very little that can't be done with them. I would not see any advantage in the use of a scraper on a small bowl, as in the video. I could rough out that bowl with a gouge in half the time he took with the scraper. And I guess I wouldn't have to do as much sanding later.

I am mean so it would give me a right royal pain not to be able to sharpen the tip. Or can you get a grinding wheel that will sharpen carbide? I expect replacement tips would be pricey too.

I am not against scrapers by any means, in fact I make my own for various tasks such as profile cutters for production runs. I make them out of files.

Having said all that negative stuff, I must say that I like the idea of a carbide cutter - I'd imagine it would last a good while.

I'd say it would be a great tool for deep hollowing - the likes of vase shapes etc. - probably the one place beyond the reach of the bowl gouge.
It would probably be a good tool too for undercutting deep rims.

Have fun with it - you can't beat new tools

Alun

It's difficult to say without seeing a close up of the tip being used in that video. If it's a simple 90 degree scraper tip like on the Sorby tools then I just don't believe he's getting cuts like that with it, it's just impossible. I have seen similar tools though with, for want of a better word, 'cupped' tips that I suppose might work in such a situation.

Regarding the Sorby tools, I have a couple, and use them extensively for hollowing small items, and occasionally in shear scraping mode for troublesome pieces of wood that tear a lot.

Will

I mainly use my bowl gouge, parting tool and roughing gouge. Not much else but will see how it goes. Will give a review of it once I'm familiar with it. Yeah I want to try doing some hollow forms and figure this will be almost ideal.