[dannywood]

I have a bad back, and am trying to hollow out a hardwood, still alive in the ground maple tree stump, for use as a planter.

So far I've been able to find two techniques: Using a big horizontal-blade axe, or cutting a ****ton of holes with a wide spade bit, and then a lot of chiseling.

The problem is, due to my back, I can't do the axe, or the chiseling in this material.

My current hairbrained scheme is to first make a lot of holes as close to each other as possible with a 1.5" spade bit, and then use a 1.25" Rotary Tool Circular Saw Blade, plus a bit extender, in a normal drill to cut out the little pieces of wood between the hole saw holes 6" down. Or if those blades won't work with a drill's RPMs, just go down a half-inch at a time with my Dremel.

I feel there has to be a better way / more appropriate tools, but I haven't been able to think of them, thus this post :smile:.

 

[dannywood]

That's a good point, although in this case, and given the diameter of the tree and the top part of a router, it would take care of less than half of the work. What I really need is a router with a 6" deep plain bit or something like that; but if that exists it probably costs $$$.

Or maybe something like this Dremel bit, but like 1" in diameter and on a long shaft, meant for use on a drill, and then just plunge around somewhat wildly to remove material...

 

[dannywood]

I'm missing how the router solutions lead to anything other than a shallow reverse step pyramid, with the horizontal steps much longer than the vertical steps.

Re: Auger, that's interesting.... so like go in at an angle down towards the center from the rim all around, and then compass/jab saw between the holes, hopefully leading to a small point of connection at the center pretty far down, that cam maybe even be twisted off, or another large auger hole from the top center to get or weaken the connection?

I like it, but may have personal newbie-style problems getting that kind of precision; especially since the top of the stump is anything but flat or level.

 

[dannywood]

Looks like a nice bit. But need a bigger one, I think the 16" would work.

Just thought of something that may reduce the need for precision: If I do a line of downward holes from the edge to the center point for each sideways path, I'll be able to see the sideways cut going down, and maybe make minor corrections, esp. with a spade bit.

On the vertical holes nearest the edge could even mark the point the center of the bit should hit. Only thing is I'm not sure how a spade or auger bit will react to the material being on one side of it but not the other. My guess is an auger bit would be fine after it's in a certain length / be self-guiding, while a spade bit will be messy but easier to correct the angle.

 

[dannywood]

Your D-handle comment made me look into new drills, and then I wondered if there were wood chisel attachments for hammer drills. As far as I can tell there aren't, but you can make them, and the combo seems to work fantastically: Chiseling Logs with a Bosch Bulldog.AVI.

 

[dannywood]

I stand corrected; there is a commercial offering: Bosch HS1440 SDS-plus Shank Hammer Steel - 1" Wood Chisel.

 

[dannywood]

Wow, Youtube is more useful for searching this kind of stuff than Google... This looks like the canonically "right" tool, sort of like six lancelots at the end of a maneuverable, long stick: power gouge. Would cost way, way more than I can afford, however - just the gouge is like $700, and I don't have a chainsaw.

 

[dannywood]

Hi NSA, we love you!

Found a probably even better SDS bit: HS1475 10 In. Gouging Chisel SDS-plus® Bulldog™ Hammer Steel "Typical application includes rough wood removal."

In case anyone is interested, here is the list of all their hammer-drill-assist chisels: SDS-plus® Bulldog™ Hammer Steel | Bosch Power Tools

 

[dannywood]

Heavy duty 1/2" D handle drill bar would be needed, there's going to be lots of torque, you don't want to be smacked by the drill.

Thank you *so much* for this sentence. I picked up one of these, and it's clear to me that using my previous drill (no D handle or drill bar, high rpm, not that much torque) would have not worked at all or would have injured me.

:notworthy: