Simple Turner and Hollower

I have been a woodworker for 50+ years and an off and on wood turner. This is my first carbide lathe tool I always have used my 50 year old carbon steel tools (not HSS) and wanted something to start bowl turning. I wasn't ready for a bowl gouge so I opted for the Simple Turner and Hollower (unhandled). I turned a white ash handle from an old broken baseball bat and used a Sorby ferrule. I used the new tool tonight in some spindle work and it was flawless. It was sharp and easy to maneuver. With my baseball bat handle, I now have a tool to start bowl turning.

I had to shave it down a little bit to fit it into my aluminum holder, however it is awesome it works great, it's got the perfect length for any size and you can also feel a lot safer knowing you have your weight into it.. When creating the hole it gives you the right distance and a nice clean cut, a+

The tool itself is very well made, much better than other carbide chisel brands I’ve gotten. The steel is well machined, and sturdy to boot, and it shows its strengths well while I’m in fairly deep on my vases. The only complaint I have is that the bit I got with the tool is garbage. I don’t know if mine was defective off the line, but it wasn’t even remotely sharp enough so it’s job correctly.

I purchased this because I've heard that carbide cutters are easier to use for turning bowls than say a bowl gouge. And you know, They were right. No need to sharpen so it you have more time to turn. The quality of this tool is pretty good. I've had no issues with it cutting. My only 2 complaints are it only comes with one blade and no handle. I used it for about a month before I ordered a handle for it. It worked fine for smaller bowls. But once I got started on a bigger bowl it was pretty hard to keep a hold of. I haven't had to replace the blade yet but I think I will have to in a little while. I've loosened it a couple times and rotated it for a clean sharp edge. But you can only do that so many times. All in all if I had the money I would get a full set of carbide cutters from Harrison Specialties.

I've purchased more turning tools then you can shake a stick at, e.g Benjamin's, Best Sorby, Easy Tool, for the price you can't beat this. It was delivered yesterday, by bed time I had turned a handle and today I used it to turn a madrone lidded box. This tool was very easy to turn with and cut though the madrone like butter. The tool is heavy duty stainless steel, squared to prevent the tool from twisting. It's shaft is long enough to reach a fairly deep bowl. The shaft is 1/2 inch so you will have no problem turning your own custom handle. Once you add the handle, this tool compares to a $140 Easy Tool but at half the price. Here is a photo with the handle I added.

I'm a lifer at woodworking, doing it 42 years. I have every turning tool but a nephew is visiting and apprenticing for the summer and I wanted to provide him with excellent turning tools without buying outright the Easy Wood finished tools and providing him with the ability to make handles for his own. These tools are beautifully machined and polished. Additionally, they are even heavier and longer than Easy Wood Pro shafts, a value to say the least! I highly recommend them to novices and pros alike.

Works better than I anticipated. Have used both inside and outside a large segmented bowl. Used the simple turner and hollower in place of my usual 5/8 bowl gouge. Cut more effectively, quicker and as I learned to use it cut cleanly. Also bought the handle from Simple Woodcutting tools. Size, balance weight are perfect for the intended use. Will buy more tools from Simple Woodworking.

Fantastic tool! Stays sharp, and, for me, hollows bowls better than a gouge. The square shaft rests perfectly on the tool rest for optimal performance. I’ve read reviews complaining about it not coming with a handle. To that I say: Aren’t you a wood turner? Turn yourself a beautiful, meaty, hardwood handle and make it your own. I used 14 3/4” of walnut, and made a ferrule out of a piece of 3/4” copper pipe. It’s gorgeous, solid, steady and compliments the tool nicely. I’ve included pics of it, as well as a bowl I just turned last evening using STH. Happy turning!