Getting started buying lathe, chuck, and tools

[Gerald Lawrence]

You are getting an overload of info and all I can add is about the SN2. I have 4 and love them . With jaws from 100 down to 25 and pen jaws plus a couple others they can handle anything I can get on my PM3520B. I really like the hex key vs the geared type key in the Oneway.

 

[William Rogers]

Since we were talking about vacuum chucks I found this on you tube for anyone interested

Few things to note from that video. With the Laguna you don't need the thru rod. Just a method to seal it on the headstock. I use a Beall 1-1/4" 8 tpi tap for the base. You could also use a faceplate for the attachment. I use the adhesive back fun foam from Walmart to make my gasket. Wood is very porous and leaks. You should seal the wood to attain max vacuum. I plan to use the plastic composite deck material for my next one. You should have a vacuum gage and a bleed. Normally I want as much vacuum as I can get, but sometimes the part is delicate and I bleed off. I have never measured how much vacuum a shop vac will generate, but suspect not enough for most things.

 

[Ron Vasser]

You are getting an overload of info and all I can add is about the SN2. I have 4 and love them . With jaws from 100 down to 25 and pen jaws plus a couple others they can handle anything I can get on my PM3520B. I really like the hex key vs the geared type key in the Oneway.

Thanks, Gerald. I'm trying to soak it all in and doing lots of research. It seems it has rained for weeks in north GA so I'm reading and looking at videos.

Few things to note from that video. With the Laguna you don't need the thru rod. Just a method to seal it on the headstock. I use a Beall 1-1/4" 8 tpi tap for the base. You could also use a faceplate for the attachment. I use the adhesive back fun foam from Walmart to make my gasket. Wood is very porous and leaks. You should seal the wood to attain max vacuum. I plan to use the plastic composite deck material for my next one. You should have a vacuum gage and a bleed. Normally I want as much vacuum as I can get, but sometimes the part is delicate and I bleed off. I have never measured how much vacuum a shop vac will generate, but suspect not enough for most things.

Thanks, William I have seen several videos about the lamp kit and bearings for the vacuum chuck but much prefer the way yours is set up. I had already added the tap to my ever-growing list of thing to purchase.

 

[Ron Vasser]

My list is getting long but I haven't asked about a starter turning toolset that will get me on my way as I learn to use and sharpen. I'm planning on CBN wheels and the wolverine sharpening system. I do appreciate all the helpful replies. I do have some background in sharpening metal turning tools, building houses, barns, intarsia wood projects, using a chainsaw and all types of welding.

 

[Tom Gall]

Thanks, William I have seen several videos about the lamp kit and bearings for the vacuum chuck but much prefer the way yours is set up. I had already added the tap to my ever-growing list of thing to purchase.

I agree with William as well. Most lathes have solid spindles which serve well as the vacuum tube. I have at least 20 vacuum chucks, maybe more, and can't even imagine trying to store all those with lamp rod/tubes sticking out of them! As I've said before ....with a little thought you can make a vac chuck to hold almost anything.

 

[William Rogers]

I have at least 20 vacuum chucks, maybe more, and can't even imagine trying to store all those with lamp rod/tubes sticking out of them!

I’d like to see a picture of your vacuum chucks. I think I have about 6.

 

[Alex Leibowitz]

Made from old 5 ply oak flooring

 

[Ron Vasser]

I went to a meeting tonight and the club lathe was a Laguna Revo 1836 plus a couple of guys there owned one also. I'm ordering the 2 hp in the morning. I did get a slow speed grinder with a couple of CBN wheels this week. Now I need some tools to learn to turn and sharpen with. I would appreciate advice from some of you experienced guys on starter tools, brand, to get a set, individual tools, which ones, and on and on. I found a good deal on the Supernova2 with 3 sets of jaws that I may get unless someone can offer a reason to buy another brand for my first chuck. You folks have been kind to help and I am researching every day.

 

[hockenbery]

@Ron Vasser Tools you will want depend on the object you want to make and the way you wish to make them.

Take a class or get a mentor then buy the tools you learned to use in the class.

I’m doing a bowl,workshop in a few weeks the tool list is:
Bowl gouge 5/8 dia bar ( 1/2 ok) side ground preferred
3/8 spindle gouge (1/2 ok)
1 1/4 round nose scraper ( 1 ok, 3/4 acceptable)

Somebody else doing a bowl workshop may have a different

For chucks I prefer the vicmarc for bowls the ONEWAY stronghold for spindles.
I can live with either quite nicely. Lot of happy super nova users, I just don’t think the jaws hold as well as the ONEWAY or Vic.

The last workshop we did split hollowforms
Tool list was
Bowl gouge, spindle gouge, square nose scraper, pyramid tool

 

[Ron Vasser]

@Ron Vasser Tools you will want depend on the object you want to make and the way you wish to make them.

Okay, I plan on learning to turn spindles, bowls, boxes, stools, and most anything. I don't intend to make anything until I learn to use the tools. I'll probably start on spindles as I have access to lots of wood, so I can pretty much determine the proper shape an type to buy and will be turning for months until I'm proficient with the tools. For starting I don't think I need to buy top of the line tools that will probably get lots of sharpening as I learn. Hence Benjamins Best 1 in. HSS Roughing Gouge is $20, Hurricane has one for $35, Artisan Spindle Roughing Gouge is $60 and so on. Once I'm competent with the tools I'll move on to better tools.

For chucks I prefer the vicmarc for bowls the ONEWAY stronghold for spindles.
I can live with either quite nicely. Lot of happy super nova users, I just don’t think the jaws hold as well as the ONEWAY or Vic.

What do you base this comment on, have you had problems with chucks other than Vivmarc and Oneway coming loose?
Thanks!

 

[Mike Johnson]

If you are tooling up a complete set of lathe HSS tools would be a good starter set and provide all of the basic tools needed for various turning. You usually get a better price per tool by purchasing a complete set versus individual tools.

 

[hockenbery]

What do you base this comment on, have you had problems with chucks other than Vivmarc and Oneway coming loose?

The nova chuck standard jaws have a little bump( for want of a better term) on the inside rim.
The one way profile jaws are straight on the inside with teeth. - standard on the ONEWAY
The Dovetail jaws have a dovetail notch on the inside standard on the vicmarc.

I have dove tail jaws on my vicmarc and for my ONEWAY and use those on bowls. My wife uses dovetail jaws on hers and after watching her turn big platters with a short short tenon i saw the value of dovetail jaws.

Tenon failures occur from not having a flat surface of the wood touching the tops of the jaws and/or not having a good tenon match to the jaw profile.
Most beginners don’t cut the little notch for the Nova well. Fuzz or missing groove in the corner of the tenon likely results in the tenon walking out of the chuck. Tenons walking out of the chuck can snap off or pull free of the chuck. The notch also cannot be higher than the bump on the Jaws or the tenon will pull out to the edge of the notch and wobble or break.

The dove tail wants a clean corner and a close match to the dovetail. A mismatch will often result in letting the tenon wobble in the chuck. Wobbling combined with and aggressive cut can break the tenon

The ONEWAY likes a true 90 in the tenon corner but can tolerate the tiniest bit of fuzz or tiny round in the corner.

The easiest tenon for beginners to master is the 90 degree. They can see it. They can test it with a square.

Cutting nice dovetail with a spindle gouge requires practice. Scrapers can be made to match a dovetail, however they often leave fuzz in the corner. Too much fuzz and you get a wobbly tenon.

 

[hockenbery]

start on spindles as I have access to lots of wood, so I can pretty much determine the proper shape an type to buy and will be turning for months until I'm proficient with the tools.

Your strategy should work.
You need a roughing gouge a 3/8 spindle gouge and a diamond parting tool.

A 1/2” spindle gouge is good for things over 3-4” in diameter essential for larger diameter.
Could be a detail gouge.
Skews provide the cleanest surface but have a longer learning curve. You can add one later.

I would suggest you go with a less expensive 3/4” roughing gouge. A less expensive diamond parting tool( wider on the center line where the edge is ground. These are less grabby but do require relief cuts( wider kerf so the edges don’t grab)
A good quality spindle gouge made from a round bar. Hamlet, Henry Taylor, Thompson etc....

The flat bar continental Style gouges are a too demanding that their bevel ride for beginners to have consistent success.

You might find them all in a set. I do recommend the round bar spindle gouge’s

 

[Bill Boehme]

With dovetail jaws you really need to size the tenon (or mortise) very close to the perfect circle size of the jaws. The Oneway profiled jaws work well over a wide range of tenon sizes. Depending on the situation I will choose one or the other because each type has advantages and disadvantages.

I thought about making a dovetail scraper until I measured the angles on a bunch of my Vicmarc jaws. The angles are slightly different for every size jaws and for any single jaw the outside angle is different from the inside angle.

 

[William Rogers]

Most beginners don’t cut the little notch for the Nova well.

I don't think you are suppose to cut the notch for the Nova jaws using in compression. I never have cut a notch for mine, just a straight tenon.

 

[Gerald Lawrence]

I don't think you are suppose to cut the notch for the Nova jaws using in compression. I never have cut a notch for mine, just a straight tenon.

I agree with you William . It seems those who do not have a Nova chuck always want to call that bump a problem and for a softer wood it is not necessary to cut that bump in because the jaws compress the tenon and get a better hold.

Oh by the way even straight tenons can also break off . That is a problem for all compression tenons and can be reduced by not doing tenons in punky or spalted woods but are still a possibility no matter what chuck you use.

 

[Ron Vasser]

If you are tooling up a complete set of lathe HSS tools would be a good starter set and provide all of the basic tools needed for various turning. You usually get a better price per tool by purchasing a complete set versus individual tools.

Thanks, Mike.

The nova chuck standard jaws have a little bump( for want of a better term) on the inside rim.
The one way profile jaws are straight on the inside with teeth. - standard on the ONEWAY
The Dovetail jaws have a dovetail notch on the inside standard on the vicmarc.

Thanks for all the info and drawings. I see the bump on their 50mm or regular size jaws and then did a search on the larger Nova jaws and they are dovetail.

With dovetail jaws you really need to size the tenon (or mortise) very close to the perfect circle size of the jaws. The Oneway profiled jaws work well over a wide range of tenon sizes. Depending on the situation I will choose one or the other because each type has advantages and disadvantages.

I thought about making a dovetail scraper until I measured the angles on a bunch of my Vicmarc jaws. The angles are slightly different for every size jaws and for any single jaw the outside angle is different from the inside angle.

Thank you, Bill. I did look at the specs on the Vicmarc jaws and there is a 1° difference inside to outside.

I agree with you William . It seems those who do not have a Nova chuck always want to call that bump a problem and for a softer wood it is not necessary to cut that bump in because the jaws compress the tenon and get a better hold.

Oh by the way even straight tenons can also break off . That is a problem for all compression tenons and can be reduced by not doing tenons in punky or spalted woods but are still a possibility no matter what chuck you use.

I watched some Stuart Batty videos where he broke some tenons completely off because he didn't have location on the face of the jaws.

I looked at the Vicmarc VM100 and the Hurricane HTC100. They are close in price with the Hurricane being a little larger so I'll go ahead and ask about what you guys know about that chuck.