rolly munroe critique

[cornucopia]

hello folks- i have saved up and treated myself to the rolly munroe tools, here are my initial thoughts on them.

the mini tool with the 1/2" shaft is perfect- weight size balance is just right

the bigger tool is good but not what i was expecting, my two main gripes are the length of useable shaft and the handle size/weight
the handle needed to be about 2" longer and slightly heavier- the knob that tightens the handle onto the shaft is a daft idea and just gets in the way- the shaft is 3 to 4" too short- i had the shaft at full reach (which i don't like doing) and hollowing a 11" deep vase is about its limit. now i know 11" is allot to most turners but i often go to 12-14" with the hamlet

heres a pic to show you what i mean

now its not all negative- the cutting tip is perfect, well designed easy to get razor sharp results and doesn't pull you into the cut

what i will do to resolve my issues is to fit a new handle and use the hamlet shaft (which is a exact swap)with the munroe tip.

conclusion: a great tool but let down by minor cheap fix issues- in my opinion

 

[Bodrighy]

I have had a couple of goes with one of these and must admit I fell in love. I found it so easy to use and as you said it cuts really well. The length wouldn't be a problem for me so I can't comment on that. I found the knob actually a comfortable way to use it. Biggest problem I have with it is that I can't afford one and it's on a pretty long 'one day' list of things that I would like to get.

Pete

 

[CHJ]

I take it you find the Munroe head itself a step up in performance over the Hamlet George.

Like Pete I too have the smaller incarnation on my wish list having played with one several times curtesy of Mark Hancock, it's reluctance to bite back is just what I need to ease the limited hollowing I do. In the mean time I'm afraid home grown experiments will have to suffice.

 

[Paul.J]

Glad you got one sorted George.
I found that i didn't like the knob on the tool when i was having go's at the shows etc,but now i own the tool myself and use it more i find the knob to be useful
I am a little dissapointed on the length i can reach comfy but perhaps that might come in time with confidence,even though it's only a couple more inches.
I have also recently now invested in the Lyle Jamieson rig,but haven't got round to using yet :roll:

 

[cornucopia]

I take it you find the Munroe head itself a step up in performance over the Hamlet George.

the munroe tip is far superior to the hamlet- but for the money i'm dissapointed in the munroe and i feel i shouldint have to be swapping handles and shafts to make a good tool into a perfect one.

 

[NickWelford]

I have both the Hamlet and the smaller Munroe. I agree that the Munro is much the better and more forgiving. If you really want to be aggresive, the Hamlet works well, and I do like the weight of it.

I guess one could just buy the Munroe end and put it on the Hamlet - I haven't tried it. It's true that these kinds of tools are very expensive - I guess one is paying for the idea and the limited market - in material and engineering terms, there isn't a great deal for your money.

 

[CHJ]

the munroe tip is far superior to the hamlet- but for the money i'm dissapointed in the munroe and i feel i shouldint have to be swapping handles and shafts to make a good tool into a perfect one.

I guess it's down to the fact that the originally developed design met the needs of the designer and few other exponents of deep hollowing were involved or provided an objective enough critique to cover the shortcomings for your type of work George.

Although I fully appreciate the marketing decisions that lie behind the selling of bespoke systems I pray for the day when cutting systems are marketed readily as spares with common fixing interfaces that can be used with an end users preferred tooling.

 

[duncanh]

I have to agree about it being a little on the short side. When I reach the limit of it's reach I put the head onto a piece of longer, wider bar without a handle - it gives me more reach and less flex.

The knob can get in the way sometimes (I have it on top aligned with the cutting head) but I haven't got round to swapping it for a grub screw. When I first got the tool the knob came off the screw thread and needed gluing on. Since then it's been fine.

One minor problem I have with the tool is that I find it difficult to cut the dead centre of the timber (eg. if I've got to the bottom of a form and there's a slight rise or dimple) - it would be useful if the cranked head rotated further back on itself.
To ease this problem I've slightly ground back the far edge of the cutter guard (can't remember where I read about this tip)

Other than that I really like it. I'm still on my first (sharpened) cutter after using it on and off for about 3 years.

Duncan

 

[Anonymous]

I've got the Hamlet little brother but don't use it that much (I don't really have the time to do enough hollowing). I've played with the little munroe and found it very sweet at cutting. Are you saying I could buy the head from the munroe and stick it on the hamlet? Any idea of price for just the head?

Cheers,

Dave

 

[SVB]

Dave,

I think they are wise to that one - I have asked Les Thorne (who used to be the sole importer I think?) that several times and he refused to sell the head alone. Not sure if this is his or the manuf. policy though as I would expect he made a margin on either.

Simon

 

[CHJ]

Dave,

I think they are wise to that one - I have asked Les Thorne (who used to be the sole importer I think?) that several times and he refused to sell the head alone. Not sure if this is his or the manuf. policy though as I would expect he made a margin on either.

Simon

It's certainly a frustrating sales policy, I for one would have purchased the cutter/sheild assemblies some time ago but still gib at having to pay such a high premium for shafts and handles that I do not need.

 

[Anonymous]

Simon, Chas,

cheers for the info. I'll keep my eyes open for any opportunities to buy just the head.

Dave

 

[leswoody]

Hi everyone,

just seen this post and thought i better write on the fact why rolly only ever sold the complete tool. I was never the importer of the tool just the uk demonstrator, that was for initially Brimarc associates and more recently axminster power tools. I was paid a small commission for ever tool that was sold in the Uk. Rolly at the outset decided to only sell the tool complete, reasons given by him were that the majority of the cost was in the stainless steel casting also the light handle compliments the balance of the tool. i have used the tool in heavy handles and light handles and prefer the lighter ones up to about 10-12" deep. Over that size i would resort to much heavier boring bars( 1 1/8" diameter bars with small nibbler type cutters, rather than a ring or disc cutter like the big brother, woodcut, rolly or exocet of which i have them all. A 5/8" diameter shaft is just to bouncy that far over the tool rest in my experience. i hope in all my years of demonstrating the tool i have not mis-led any body on the capabilities of the tool.

Les Thorne

ps. still think the rolly is the most complete hollowing tool on the market

 

[Paul.J]

Hello Les and welcome

 

[cornucopia]

well heres how i've had to sort it out

i've had to swap the tip over from hamlet to rolly- i had to grind a thou of the end of the hamlet but other than that it was a straight swap

 

[leswoody]

Hi George,

Didn,t know they were that easy to change over. if you ever come across the old promaster handles from woodcut they are brilliant, they were about 3 feet long and 1 1/8" diameter, the tool ie woodcut, rolly or big brother fitted right inside so just the cutter head exposed, this means you are putting a 1 1/8" diameter bar on the toolrest, not so good for going through small holes but loads of support even a long way of the toolrest. I will have a word with Simon and see if he can make something similar, we are demonstrating together at the end of the month.

Regards

Les