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Help Deciding On Beginner Equipment

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Oct 7, 2018
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Hello! I'm getting set up for the very first time and could use some input as I weigh expenses against quality and ease of use.

Firstly, I already have a dust air filter but I've been advised to get a collector as well. This is a hobby for me that I'll do maybe a few hours a week, so I don't want to invest in an expensive collection unit. Currently I'm looking at either a cyclone bucket to go with my wet/dry vac or a basic Shop Fox bag-style collector. I'd like to spend no more than about $200 on this if I can. The wet/dry vac is unappealing because of the noise.

Next, is a jig setup like the Wolverine worth it right from the start? If yes, is the full Vari-Grind set worth it on top of the base unit? On that note, will the gray grinding wheels that came on my bench grinder be okay to start? I got Sorby HSS tools.

I was interested in the Nova grinding wheel attachment for the Comet II lathe but it has pretty mixed reviews, especially with their jig. Anyone have experience with those? I bought a simple WEN grinder but it could be returned.

I'm just trying to start with minimal expense, but I don't want to make rookie mistakes that'll cause frustration because I didn't know any better.

Thank you all!
 
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First off welcome. Seems like you are interested in dust collection. What ever you end up with will not be 100% effective. The cheapest and one of the better options is personal dust mask like a 3M, I think they run around $30. Sharpening is important and the wolverine set up is used pretty much by most people. When I started I sharpened with a belt sander that had a flat wheel that used stick on sanding disks, worked but not great. I got a cheap, like less than $100 grinder from Woodcraft. I still use it many years later. One of the best options for a beginning turner is to find a Woodturning Club within driving distance and visit them. They are always willing to help with hands on teaching.
 

hockenbery

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Next, is a jig setup like the Wolverine worth it right from the start? If yes, is the full Vari-Grind set worth it on top of the base unit? On that note, will the gray grinding wheels that came on my bench grinder be okay to start? I got Sorby HSS tools.
Gray wheels are probably ok if one of them is around a 100-120 grit.

You will need a wheel dresser to flatten and true the wheels there is a learning curve with the handhelds.
Set the dresser flat on a horizontal platform at the center of the wheel. Be sure the wheel contactis at the center of the dresser where the diamonds are and never on the edge where the wheel will grind away the metal under the diamonds. Work on a corner of the wheel first with the dresser at about 45 degrees to the wheel. Push into the wheel gently until there is a smooth feeling against the wheels corner edge. The corner is now true. Now make repeated passes toward the center of the wheel turning the dresser a tiny bit toward aligning the dresser straight on to the wheel. The idea much like turning is to work from smooth to rough and true into the rough area smoothing and truing a tiny bit more of the wheel’s surface using the stability if the smooth surface to approach the rough surface.

The woulverine is the most used sharpening system. The varigrind is used by lots of folks for sharpening gouges.
I use the Ellsworth jig to sharpen my bowl gouges and a platform for the spindle gouges.

Check prices on the woulverine and varigrind direct from ONEWAY. I get a 15% discount from local store not known for cheap prices.
Ordering from ONEWAY with shipping was about $20 less than the local store price with my discount.

Alsoa great help to beginners comes from lessons or mentoring. Using the class equipment give a lot of insight as to what you will want to buy first. See how the class tools are sharpened and what you need to accomplish that
Denver has a nice club the Front Range. They may have some learning opportunities.
Click mentoring on the web site below.
http://www.frontrangewoodturners.org/

If you live toward the north the Rocky Mountain Club meets in Loveland and in any given day their meeting audience looks like a mini-symposium.
 
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Joined
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Fred, thank you for your response. Along with the 1-micron air filter on the ceiling I will be using a good mask and/or respirator.

hockenbery, thank you for all the info and advice! I took a beginner's class at WoodCraft to get at least a safe start with some basic knowledge. I plan to take more classes as I go and advance to more techniques. I'm in the Southwest Denver area and I'll look in to that local AAW chapter. I think I'll at least get the Wolverine base and consider the Vari-grind attachment as I go.
 

Bill Boehme

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I would highly recommend the Varigrind or the Ellsworth jig for sharpening bowl gouges. The Varigrind jig also is used to sharpen spindle gouges. I basically use the Wolverine as a holder for the Varigrind and Ellsworth jigs.

Regarding lessons, you can pay high dollar for a class at Woodcraft or you can join a club and get free one-on-one mentoring.
 
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Since you really need the point source dust collection when you sand, the shop vac does not need to be on that much while turning.
The ceiling air cleaner is designed to remove 'ambient dust' over a period of time.
Just a minute or two of sanding on the lathe will fill the air if you just let it go.
The bucket chip collector is a real help when cleaning up to keep the shop vac ( or any dust collector ) from filling up with shavings and pieces of sand paper and stuff.
The mask is a must. But I wouldn't waste my money on an inexpensive bag collector. They do a poor job of collecting the really fine dust.
The hepa filter on the shop vac Will get the fine stuff. The down side is noise and that the HEPA filter will clog up and need to be cleaned fairly often.
 
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You could send me $30,000 and I'll take care of everything for you. Or you could do like the others say- go to a Woodcraft store for lessons and/or join a local AAW club. The membership is worth every penny plus the information you get from the local club members is invaluable. Our club has guys who belong to at least three clubs. They are retired and I think their wives give them the memberships to get them out of the house. Another thing is the demonstrations by other woodturners at the local club meeting. Welcome!!!
 

Bill Boehme

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Not all shop vacs are created equal. There are some low cost vacs that are horribly loud and aren't very good at collecting dust. I have a Fein Turbo III which is no longer available, but it is very quiet and has a very powerful suction (it has sucked screwdrivers up the hose). It has several different options for collecting the dust ... I am using the 1 micron pleated filter and paper bags. The bags catch all of the dust and the pleated filter has barely a trace of dust. This shop vac was rather expensive, but I feel like it was worth the extra expense.
 
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Alan Jay is a turner in Littleton who sold out his entire shop recently. You could ask him if he still has anything you might need.

Both the Front Range Woodturners (Denver) and the Rocky Mountain Woodturners (Boulder/Loveland/Ft. Collins) are active clubs with outstanding resources. If memory serves, the Denver club meets at Rockler in the heart of the city. Both clubs have classified ads for their members and you can access them on their web sites. Craigslist is also an excellent source for reduced cost gear on the front range.

You are blessed to have many terrific turning teachers in your area and I would encourage you to take advantage. (If you're in VERY southwest Denver, check on Keith Gottschall in Salida :D)
 
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Learn to sharpen before you learn to turn. Except for the high end tools, the rest need to be sharpened before using them for the first time. So yes, something like the Wolverine and Vari-grind are necessities. If you turn properly, you'll only need to worry about dust during sanding. Trying to collect curls is an exercise in futility. They go everywhere and can be too long and heavy to pull through a hose when roughing out green wood bowls. A shovel works must better. Personally, I don't want grinding wheel dust anywhere near my lathe. Slide the tool rest along the bed after doing that and you'll understand what I mean. Now find a mentor at a local AAW chapter. It will cut your learning time by 2/3 and will save you a ton of money since they will tell you what not to waste your money on.
 
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Evan,
Several above advised getting hooked up with a mentor at a local (Denver?) club - that's great advice.
Regarding equipment, you're on the right track: The wolverine and varigrind can be considered long-term tools - you'll not outgrow them.
Regarding tools, don't buy a set. Go with the best - the difference in cost is tiny. If I had one tool, it would be the D-Way 3/8 or 1/2 bowl gouge - lot's of guys will recommend Thompson. Either way, they are quality tools. My next tool would be a Thompson parting tool. Then stop - learn to use the two tools.
To my thinking, a CBN 180-wheel is next - your turning will take an incremental jump just with "nailing" the sharpening process.
Good luck and keep in touch with the forum.
John
 

Emiliano Achaval

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Not sure if anybody mentioned it, but the best thing to do, make sure you join the AAW. My favorite benefit of it is 30 years of the Journal in digital format, available to you anytime. Probably the best resource available in the world available to you for a very modest yearly price. Then of course, join a AAW chapter club. With these 2 things you will be getting a great start. Good luck!
 
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Very good advice from Tisdale, I would further nail it down to a 1/2" V from Thompson or D-Way, the parting tool and add a 3/8 spindle gouge. The grinder, look at the 1HP Rikon as when you go to a CBN wheel you want one that is 1 1/2" wide. Buy the Wolverine System (2 bases, support arm and platform $90) and a Vari-Grind Jig ($53). The two stones on the grinder will do you until you are ready for CBN wheels. Learn to sharpen with a light touch of the tool and they will last a long time. A club and a mentor will save you huge amounts of learning time. Practice, practice, practice!
 

odie

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Evan.....

Keep the WEN grinder. The wheels are ok to start, but you'll eventually want to upgrade.

Sharp is key.......sharper=better. Resolve to resharpen often.....very very often!

Consider hand honing, and raised burs.

Get the Wolverine basic outfit.

Off the shelf tools from Sorby, Henry Taylor are fine.

Decide what you want to do, and concentrate your efforts.

There are plenty of very fine DVD's, and books available.

Stay off the YouTube for awhile.

Mentors are fine, but it's easy to be side-tracked by "tunnel vision"......your own vision is key.

Opinions are like AH's.......everybody's got one.....(including me! :D)

odie, the eccentric old guy!
 
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Evan.....

Keep the WEN grinder. The wheels are ok to start, but you'll eventually want to upgrade.

Sharp is key.......sharper=better. Resolve to resharpen often.....very very often!

Consider hand honing, and raised burs.

Get the Wolverine basic outfit.

Off the shelf tools from Sorby, Henry Taylor are fine.

Decide what you want to do, and concentrate your efforts.

There are plenty of very fine DVD's, and books available.

Stay off the YouTube for awhile.

Mentors are fine, but it's easy to be side-tracked by "tunnel vision"......your own vision is key.

Opinions are like AH's.......everybody's got one.....(including me! :D)

odie, the eccentric old guy!
Good advice Odie........ Sharper is better for sure! ;)
 
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Opinions are like AH's.......everybody's got one.....(including me! :D)
Unless you have a colostomy. ;)
Good advice- decide what you want t o turn and buy the appropriate tools. I bought a Harbor Freight set and only use the skew, spindle gounge and 3/4 inch roughing gouge. Parting tool is used occasionally.
 
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Another benefit of the club is mentors, who won't cost as much as the classes at the Woodcraft store, and can be a lot better. The clubs are also good sources for used tools... They usually have work shops as well. I have a bunch of bowl turning videos up as well, just type the nick name into the bar on You Tube...

robo hippy
 
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Our Christmas party always has tools for a silent auction. I bought a bowl gouge last year.
 
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