this post was submitted on 23 Mar 2025
24 points (100.0% liked)

Woodworking

7210 readers
83 users here now

A handmade home for woodworkers and admirers of woodworkers. Our community icon is submitted by @[email protected] whose father was inspired to start woodworking by Norm and the New Yankee Workshop.

founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
 

Hi woodworkers

I've recently picked up a few tools to get into artisanal woodwork, and I want to do 1 or 2 projects that entails hollowing out natural branches.

The "perfect" outcome would be something similar to bamboo shoot, which have a narrow edge and hollow center. I'm not really expecting to be able to do this by hand with millimetric accuracy, but it gives you an idea of what I'm aiming for.

I own a high-speed rotary tool that is "technically" able to carve wood, but the bits I own atm are more of a finish toolkit. I successfully used a sanding head to carve out some wood, but I don't think it's remotely optimal for projects any bigger than what I was working on.

So all this context leads to this question: What would be the optimal tool to efficiently hollow out a branch? I can't reliably use a drill, because there's no certainty that the branches I'll work with will be remotely straight, I'm guessing that a mill file could get me some mileage but it sounds like a last resort kind of tool.

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] [email protected] 15 points 1 month ago (6 children)

Depends on the type of branch but you could split it in half, carve out the insides and then glue it back together.

[–] Kinperor 5 points 1 month ago (5 children)

Indeed, I think splitting the branch will be mandatory to get some carving done.

I'm not sure what would be the best tool to do the carving, however. I'm considering getting some wood scissors, because it's not immediately obvious to me which power tool could carve out material with a nice mix of accuracy and efficiency.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 month ago (2 children)

Router with a round nose bit. Not sure what size bore you're aiming for, if it isn't too massive you could make short work of the carving

Something like this: https://www.homedepot.com/p/DIABLO-1-4-in-Carbide-Round-Nose-Router-Bit-DR18108/100660642

[–] Kinperor 3 points 1 month ago (1 children)

This is a new tool to me, I might look to nab a used one off market place or something. Thanks for the suggestion!

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago

No problem! Happy building!

load more comments (2 replies)
load more comments (2 replies)