Hi Arch,

If you are working within the limits of a standard Stewart or similar
armbrace, there is nothing that hollows endgrain faster and easier the
Soren Berger's hollowing tool, he calls it the Viking tool. If you
already have the armbrace, or any boring bar, you just need the tip.
After I wore out my first Viking tip I ground my own from the shank of a
5/16 or 8mm allen wrench. That's a good size to fit in the end of the
Stewart straight shank. The steel in allen wrenches is good stuff, and it
hogs out end grain at a seriously rapid rate. You don't need a large
pilot hole, either. My current deep drill is only 3/8", so that's an easy
pilot hole to make. I use the tip only in the straight shank and I don't
bother with it for hollow forms because I am working through a 1" hole,
but for end grain vessels with a wider mouth the Viking style tip really
makes a big hole in a hurry.

-mike paulson, fort collins, co