Cindy Drozda, based in Colorado, USA, is renowned as a creator of hollow forms, boxes and similar decorative items and more especially for decorating those items with the most equisite of finials (see DVDs ).  In pursuit of this goal, she has designed a number of tools to simplify the task of creating these beautiful objects.

I guess that if your web address is bowlturner.inc there's not going to be a lot of doubt about what you do for a living.  If you do something for a living, then you're likely to get pretty good at it.  If you're that good at it, you'll know exactly what tools you need to make your task as simple and efficient as possible.  That's the story behind this group of tools from Henry Taylor Tools, which bear the name of that doyenne of bowl turners, Mike Mahoney.  If you want to turn great bowls, owning tools like these will be a very good start.  If you wish to know how Mike makes bowls , then check out his DVDs.

It probably doesn't take a lot of working out that these tools were created under the guidance of one of the "Grand Old Men" of US woodturning, Dale Nish.  As an author, entrepreneur, teacher and creative artist, Dale had contributed hugely to the development of woodturning not only in his own country but worldwide.

These tools were created as Dale's answer to the need to hollow small box forms quickly and easily, giving adequate access to all areas of the box, with an easily controlled action to create smoothly rounded internal shapes.  They will work equally well in a number of similar situations in bowl turning but are especially effective in end-grain timber, as one would expect from a box hollowing tool.  Three sizes are available as listed, and as photographed, left, reading from left to right: HCT211; HCT212; HCT213; HCT214.  Fitted with ash handles, not as shown.

Dainty skew chisels are fine for dainty jobs - but if you have some real wood-shifting to do, then a decently-proportioned tool makes life one whole lot easier.  Alan Lacer developed these special and substantial radiused skews, with a curved cutting edge and rolled edges, in order to make using a skew simpler and more pleasurable.  Not the sort of thing you'd use much making doll's house furniture, but if you do any spindle turning for projects such as furniture-making, then one of these could make the difference.

Tobias Kaye has been turning and teaching for a very long time!  Not that he is yet of an age to be called venerable, but I doubt he'll be seeing his eighteenth birthday again!  During his long period of learning - which is something you do a lot of when you teach - Tobias realised that although many people were using shear cutting tools to refine surfaces, they were doing so using either adapted tools or tools which require a high degree of proficiency to use properly.  Because a lot of his own work involves producing sounding bowls, which are both relatively large and require an excellent and consistent curvature, he has developed a tool which, whilst simple to use thanks to its unique cross-section which allows it to rest stably on the toolrest, is excellent at allowing long sweeping curves to be cut to leave a clean, ripple free surface that barely requires a touch of abrasive.

Eli Avisera is an Israeli woodturner who became very popular as a demonstrator and teacher both in the UK, USA and elsewhere.  Eli's formative period in a location somewhat removed from the mainstream of woodturning gave him an independent approach to tooling which led to Hamlet creating a series of tools produced to Eli's specifications.  Please note that these tools are no longer generally available and we have only limited stock, as listed below.

Chatterwork is a simple method by which end grain work, especially, can be decorated.  Whilst this is attractive as a finish in itself, it can be further enhanced by adding colour either with felt pens or by the use of coloured waxes.  The Hamlet chattertool is more than simply a chattertool though as one can also use it with the accompanying range of exquisite small-section blades, perfect for box-making and miniature work.  Buy either the basic chattertool and build up your set progressively by adding the extra blades, or treat yourself to the whole kit of chatter tools complete with a full set of miniature turning blades.

©1997-2010 P. Hemsley.  The information on this website is the copyright property of Peter Hemsley. 
Coeur du Bois and The ToolPost are trading styles of Peter Hemsley.  Whilst reasonable efforts are made to ensure the accuracy of information presented, no liability can be accepted for errors in this information nor for contingencies arising therefrom.  If you are inexperienced in any aspect of woodworking, we would strongly counsel that you take a course of formal instruction before commencing to practice