Raffan Upper Cut......???

Stuart Ablett

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OK, in the Andre Martel video >> HERE << (click on the AAW tab, and the Andre Martel Endgrain Hollowing video) he talks about and shows the "Raffan Upper Cut" with the bowl gouge, I had heard of this before, but until this video, I'd not seen it in action.

Wow, that is way cool! :thumb:

I had to give it a try, so I had a few chunks of Beech sitting here that should be perfect for doing this.

raffan_upper_cut_1st_try.JPG

I know I need some more practice at this, but man when you get them long stringy curls flying off the gouge, boy, is that way cool! :headbang:

Now, does anyone have any more info on this technique.??
 
You know Billy, I looked at making one, but the ones Andre makes are made from some special D2 tool steel, and the elbow he has in his really works well.

The has three sizes.

martel_hook_tools1.GIF martel_hook_tools2.JPG

You can see the price list here.........
martel_tools_price_list.jpg

..........but for the money, I'm thinking that the small and medium hooks are well worth it. I'd make my own handles.:D

he also has a DVD coming out.........

martel_dvd.jpg

....should be worth a look :thumb:

Cheers!
 
stu, i sent an email and received the price list after watching his video on the woodworking channel as well. i'm just not clear on what he's listing. what parts do you really need to try out his hook tool? would those tools fit into a monster tool holder, for instance? or do you need a 'shank' as well? if you have his hook tool maybe you can answer.

his hollowing technique is very impressive, just as richard raffan's was on his videos.
 
Stu that is pretty cool way to hollow a box. I have been using Raffan's back cut for a while now. You can hog some wood off with that cut. Has a bit of a learning curve but once you have it wow.
 
Very elegant. I've gotta try that. I've been doing the opposite, starting at the edge, and pushing in with the bowl gouge. I get long shavings too, but its far from elegant, I have to push hard, and if I take too much, the wood wants to wobble or fly. Bizarrely, when I get to the middle, the gouge is above center. I'll have to take pictures, its hard to describe.

That hook tool seem like its essentially a termite. I wonder if Randy makes a hook tool end for the monster?

Thanks,

Bill
 
Interesting. I have seen this clip before and I did not recall that he was making the cut with a bowl gouge.

Raffan actually uses a side ground spindle gouge to make the cut in his box video. Same technique different tool....

I use a Henry Taylor detail gouge with a shortened bevel which approximates the bowl gouge and is somewhere between the spindle gouge and the bowl gouge.
 
Mike, I have a tool from Hamlet called "A long strong spindle gouge" that is a much beefier spindle gouge, that is supposed to be for this technique, but I've not done the side ground on it yet, I think I shall! :D

Clark, send Andre an e-mail asking him all them questions, I do not have his hook tool........ yet :D

Shipping charges always suck, so I'll just be ordering the small and medium tools, with the diamond sharpener and hone, not the handles (shanks he calls them) I'll make those myself :thumb:

Cheers!
 
Mike Darlow discusses it in one of his books. I'll try to find it when I get home so I can tell you which book & page (and some sense of how much useful info he provides).
It caught my eye, but I couldn't stomach actually trying it. Looking at the forces involved, it seems like you could get in serious trouble really quick if you lost the "balance".
When you tried it, what happened when you had problems? As far as the cutting edge is from the tool rest, it doesn't seem like the tool rest would take the force of a catch, etc.
I don't understand the cut well enough to attempt it!
 
Kurt, indeed the initial few attempts are high in pucker factor and the worst thing that happens is the tool is thrown out of the cut rather violently.

I suggest trying it first on junky green wood until you get it down pat. When you move to dry wood I recommend some more practice on wood that is not going to result in shed tears if the results are not good. The cut does feel different on dry wood.
 
Thanks for the comments Mike.
I don't regret not trying it as I'd only been turning for about 7 mo. when I came across it. It looks a bit more intriguing now.

Stu,
Mike Darlow devotes four pages (p.71-74) to this cut in his "Woodturning Techniques" (the third of his series). About 1/2 of a page is solid text and he has 18 captioned photos. He refers to the procedure as "the flute down method of cupchuck hollowing". To paraphrase some points:
Darlow uses a detail gouge.
Tougher to learn than flute up (normal) end grain hollowing.
Cannot be used for deep or larger diameter
Cannot be used for final cuts (I think because the forces on the wall are to high for final wall thickness)
More efficient because you are cutting rather than scraping of the flute up approach.
They are a good photo presentation.

If you come across the book, you might want to flip to page 71.
 
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