Cheap Turning Tools

[Gregory Hickman]

I do the same and can confirm that both Thompson and D-Way tools are heat treated the full length of the tool.



I have ground a second flute into the tang ends of both Thompson and D-Way gouges. The 2nd flute doesn't need to be very long as CBN wheels grind so little steel away compared to the old style sparky wheels.

Besides giving you the option of having two different bevel angles on the one bar, an additional benefit of doing this is that you can grind whatever other flute profile you fancy into the 2nd end... :~}

Thread 'Grinding short flutes to make new bowl gouges'

Apr 13, 2023

This thread is a companion to one that I have added to the main discussion forum. This one is how I went about it while the other one covers the background and the results of my efforts. That other thread in the main discussion forum is titled DIY bowl gouges and flutes.

Prior to now the method I used to adjust flute profiles was to use diamond burs in my Dremel, but I have recently adopted fellow forum member Hughie’s method of using a thin cut-off wheel on my angle grinder to begin making a flute to make a new bowl gouge.

Initially I fixed the gouge down and handheld the...

• Neil S
• Replies: 6
• Forum: Tutorials and Tips

• 

I would think turning the back end of these tools into detail spindle gouges could be a great choice. Flute depth is much shallower and would be easier to grind. Additionally, adding this to your bowl gouge you could have a tool that would more than likely stay in it's tool rack in use with the detail side. If course there are also many tool shapes that could be ground on these round bars that don't even require a flute.

Gregory

 

[John Grace]

I would say that the quality of tools you buy depends on how much you are going to use them. I started with a set of "Artisan" tools from Craft Supplies. They worked, though I do not use any of them any more. If you intend to sell, then I use Thompson and D Way only in my shop. Other than that, I use the Big Ugly tool which is a scraper and my go to tool for all roughing. I knew I was going to be selling, and the V10 and M42 tools were not available way back then. I don't know if Doug makes any double ended tools. I think Oneway used to.

robo hippy

You're memory is correct...Oneway still offers double-ended gouges.

 

[Bill Blasic]

To the best of my memory Doug Thompson never tried making a double ended tool. I ended up with a lot of his newly designed tools. I did try a Oneway double ended tool 3 or 4 years before Doug started making his but after one use I passed it on to someone who loved Oneway tools, it was about vibration for me. Probably 80% of my turning is done with V gouges and using the Vector Grind Fixture as long as there is 1/2" of flute I can grind a new edge and with CBN wheels I will never get a gouge down that far so no need to make one double ended. Doug Thompson sells a tool that is called the travel pack and all the tools are held inside the handle. 4 tools and an allen wrench contained in one Thompson handle. One of those was a blank round that can be ground to any shape needed and I would tell folks that perhaps that tool could be double ended.

 

[John K Jordan]

...Thompson... One of those was a blank round that can be ground to any shape needed and I would tell folks that perhaps that tool could be double ended.

Those blank rounds are fantastic! I've bought them from 1/4" to 1/2" and grind round skews, point tools, and negative rake scrapers.

One minor thing to consider... I'm not in the shop so I can't confirm, but I THINK the rounds are ground to a slightly smaller diameter on one end, as shown in the shorter NRS I ground from a 3/8" round in this photo. I think the steel is slightly oversized and he reduces the diameter on one end to fit into certain tool handles, as on the shallow detail gouge to the left I ground into a double-ended NRS.



I could check other rounds and verify this if anyone cares. Doesn't make much difference to me since I usually use them unhandled.
(BTW, a small NRS is perfect for smoothing certain tight detailed areas - no sanding required, end or side grain)

Doug Thompson sells a tool that is called the travel pack and all the tools are held inside the handle. 4 tools and an allen wrench contained in one Thompson handle.

Thanks, I didn't know about that! (Couldn't find it on his web site). I'll ask at TAW if he's there.

JKJ

 

[Mark Jundanian]

I did try a Oneway double ended tool 3 or 4 years before Doug started making his but after one use I passed it on to someone who loved Oneway tools, it was about vibration for me. Probably 80% of my turning is done with V gouges and using the Vector Grind Fixture as long as there is 1/2" of flute I can grind a new edge and with CBN wheels I will never get a gouge down that far so no need to make one double ended.

Fortunately we live in a turning world where turners have a lot of good choices in tools. I have some Thompson tools, too, and I'm very happy with them.

For me the virtue of the double ended tools is not so much the additional flute length, but that I can have two different grinds on one tool. So I have a hatmaker's on one end and an Ellsworth on the other. A person could put a 40/40 on one end and BOB on the other. There is some cost saving, not only because you get two tools for the price of one, but one handle can serve for multiple tools. If you travel with your tools a lot, this is big plus. Of course these "virtues" are not going to be important to everyone.

 

[hockenbery]

For me the virtue of the double ended tools is not so much the additional flute length, but that I can have two different grinds on one tool. So I have a hatmaker's on one end and an Ellsworth on the other.

It’s a nice combination of grinds.
The only downside I see is both tools get shorter at the same time and faster than 2 separate tools.
Woodturning has so many trade offs.

Traveling sure has changed with weight restrictions.

 

[John K Jordan]

Those blank [Thompson] rounds are fantastic! I've bought them from 1/4" to 1/2" and
...I THINK the rounds are ground to a slightly smaller diameter on one end...

I checked - the Thompson 3/8" and the 1/2" round rods have a slightly smaller diameter ground on one end. The 1/4" rods do not.

One odd thing I never noticed before - in checking the spare rods in my drawer, some of the 3/8" rods came a little shorter than the others. The one spare 1/2" round rod is longer than all of them.

JKJ

 

[Bill Blasic]

Those blank rounds are fantastic! I've bought them from 1/4" to 1/2" and grind round skews, point tools, and negative rake scrapers.

One minor thing to consider... I'm not in the shop so I can't confirm, but I THINK the rounds are ground to a slightly smaller diameter on one end, as shown in the shorter NRS I ground from a 3/8" round in this photo. I think the steel is slightly oversized and he reduces the diameter on one end to fit into certain tool handles, as on the shallow detail gouge to the left I ground into a double-ended NRS.

View attachment 71246

I could check other rounds and verify this if anyone cares. Doesn't make much difference to me since I usually use them unhandled.
(BTW, a small NRS is perfect for smoothing certain tight detailed areas - no sanding required, end or side grain)



Thanks, I didn't know about that! (Couldn't find it on his web site). I'll ask at TAW if he's there.

JKJ

JKJ the travel pack normally just sells at symposiums.