New guy asking for equipment advice

[Chris Dryden]

Hello everyone. I am getting ready to purchase some equipment to start my wood turning hobby. to start with I am getting;

Jet 1221VS 12'' x 21'' Variable Speed Wood Lathe with stand (im not 100% sure about the stand)

Nova 23245 SuperNova 2 Chuck with Popular Chuck Accessories Bundle

California Air Tools 365CR 5-Gallon Pressure Pot for Casting

Rikon 82-100 8'' Wet Sharpener

Oneway Wolverine Grinding Jig

Turning Tool Set

Im also considering the Laguna 12x16 but im not crazy about the length compacity. I prefer the 21" of the Jet.
I have zero experience with both lathes so I would appreciate your input and thoughts.

I plan on turning a variety of things and possibly pool cues some day ) although I would have to get an extension for cue work.

Is there anything that is missing from the list that jumps out at you?
Does anyone make a router jig that can mount to a lathe?
Is the lathe tool set I picked a good choice for general work?
I am sure there are several things I will get in the future but I am hoping that this will be a good start.

Chris

 

[Dan Stromberg]

I've never tried those tools, but the "high carbon alloy" in the description makes me suspicious. As a rule I would recommend at least M2 HSS, but I'm sure others will chime in with more specifics...

 

[Tom Gall]

I assume you already have a grinder to use with the Wolverine jig?

 

[Brian Gustin]

1) tool set - I would NOT recommend that set- You can buy a 8 piece Benjamin's Best set with a 1/2 inch bowl gouge (which isn't in that rockler set) on amazon for around $89 or so last I knew of, and the Benjamin's Best would be HSS Steel, far superior to high carbon alloys.. But I'd probably suggest even better, look for a "basic" brand such as Benjamin's Best and pick out just a few tools (Spindle Gouge, Spindle Roughing Gouge, Parting Tool, Scraper, Bowl Gouge at most... you could probably actually get away with nothing more than a spindle roughing gouge for most all spindle turnings and a bowl gouge for bowls/side grain turning) instead of a set (Although for the cost of the 8 piece set I got last year, and use maybe only half of the tools that came with it, still beats the price of buying individually)

2) Rikon Wet sharpener - you may wish to consider if that wolvering jig will work with the sharpener... Note the wolverine is designed to be bolted to the bench underneath (just about centered under) the grinding wheel and it may not fit under a wet grinder with tank.. not to mention most wet grinders grind on the "top" radius of the wheel or the most part, while the wolverine will generally be expected to be grinding at the "front" face of the wheel.. (in which case, Rikon low speed 8 inch bench grinder would be more suitable to go with wolverine)

3) as for pressure pot and other accessories, I think it depends on what exactly you want to be turning. (AND I might suggest hold off on that and get a small sampler kit of regular tabletop pour epoxy to make a couple of blanks and try turning those first - Not everyone likes the mess created from turning epoxy/resin... I know I hated it, so I was glad I ended up with a blank out of leftover scraps of resin from a different project pour, before I went and splurged on a pressure pot!.. now I know I won't need one since I do not plan to do any resin turning.)

4) along with the above, your #2 item on your list (after lathe and tools) should be PPE - Face shield and respirator or PAPR or some means of dealing with the dust, but absolutely a face shield.

 

[Chris Dryden]

I assume you already have a grinder to use with the Wolverine jig?

No but I plan on buying one.

 

[Chris Dryden]

1) tool set - I would NOT recommend that set- You can buy a 8 piece Benjamin's Best set with a 1/2 inch bowl gouge (which isn't in that rockler set) on amazon for around $89 or so last I knew of, and the Benjamin's Best would be HSS Steel, far superior to high carbon alloys.. But I'd probably suggest even better, look for a "basic" brand such as Benjamin's Best and pick out just a few tools (Spindle Gouge, Spindle Roughing Gouge, Parting Tool, Scraper, Bowl Gouge at most... you could probably actually get away with nothing more than a spindle roughing gouge for most all spindle turnings and a bowl gouge for bowls/side grain turning) instead of a set (Although for the cost of the 8 piece set I got last year, and use maybe only half of the tools that came with it, still beats the price of buying individually)

2) Rikon Wet sharpener - you may wish to consider if that wolvering jig will work with the sharpener... Note the wolverine is designed to be bolted to the bench underneath (just about centered under) the grinding wheel and it may not fit under a wet grinder with tank.. not to mention most wet grinders grind on the "top" radius of the wheel or the most part, while the wolverine will generally be expected to be grinding at the "front" face of the wheel.. (in which case, Rikon low speed 8 inch bench grinder would be more suitable to go with wolverine)

3) as for pressure pot and other accessories, I think it depends on what exactly you want to be turning. (AND I might suggest hold off on that and get a small sampler kit of regular tabletop pour epoxy to make a couple of blanks and try turning those first - Not everyone likes the mess created from turning epoxy/resin... I know I hated it, so I was glad I ended up with a blank out of leftover scraps of resin from a different project pour, before I went and splurged on a pressure pot!.. now I know I won't need one since I do not plan to do any resin turning.)

4) along with the above, your #2 item on your list (after lathe and tools) should be PPE - Face shield and respirator or PAPR or some means of dealing with the dust, but absolutely a face shield.

I will definitely take your advice on the tools. I will also reconsider the grinder and guide. Do you have a sharpener setup that you recommend?

 

[Charles Cadenhead]

I've never tried those tools, but the "high carbon alloy" in the description makes me suspicious. As a rule I would recommend at least M2 HSS, but I'm sure others will chime in with more specifics...

I have used those tools and they're fine but will require a lot of sharpening and they're aren't very long (I can post a pic of them if you want). For the same price you can buy 2 really good quality gauges. IMO you only need 3-5 tools for basic turning.

I noticed you have a pressure pot on your list, are you going to do some pen blank castings? If so, you may want to consider picking up Rockler's mini carbide turning set. They're great for turning pens and small objects. I've gotten a lot of use out of my set.

I have the 12/16 laguna lathe and while I love it I think the Jet is a good pick. I almost bought that one. And you're right, the stand is not included. You're going to have fun unboxing and setting everything up.

 

[Chris Dryden]

I have used those tools and they're fine but will require a lot of sharpening and they're aren't very long (I can post a pic of them if you want). For the same price you can buy 2 really good quality gauges. IMO you only need 3-5 tools for basic turning.

I noticed you have a pressure pot on your list, are you going to do some pen blank castings? If so, you may want to consider picking up Rockler's mini carbide turning set. They're great for turning pens and small objects. I've gotten a lot of use out of my set.

I have the 12/16 laguna lathe and while I love it I think the Jet is a good pick. I almost bought that one. And you're right, the stand is not included. You're going to have fun unboxing and setting everything up.

Not sure if I will do pen turning or not, probably at some point. I like the variety that casting offers and there are other uses other than turning that I will use it for.

 

[Charles Cadenhead]

The nova chuck is a good one. Buy a second, identical, chuck and set them up with two different jaw sizes. You'll think me later. Seriously, everybody thinks "oh I'll just switch out the jaws as needed" but it's a pain and I think can interrupt your flow. Buy a second one when you can.

The wolverine jig is good, lots of people use it. The You need a 8" grinder for it. The Dewalt one at Rockler is fine and in the same price range as the wet sander you listed.

 

[Charles Cadenhead]

Not sure if I will do pen turning or not, probably at some point. I like the variety that casting offers and there are other uses other than turning that I will use it for.

I started my journey of resin turning from a request from my wife. She wanted me to turn a vase made from colored pencils. It didn't turn out well but I learned a lot and got hook on it.

 

[Tim Starliper]

I would go with an 8" slow speed grinder and put at least 1 CBN wheel on it, and use that with the Wolverine setup for sharpening. I have a 120 CBN wheel on one side of my grinder, and that is where all my sharpening happens. Pick up some diamond hones as well to bring back a nice sharp edge between sharpenings on the grinder. I have a set of diamond cards, a curved hone (works well on some of the gouges), and one that is flat and double-sided with a coarse side and a fine side. That is the one I use most after sharpening. The cards are used mainly for the carbide inserts for my carbide tools.

PPE was mentioned. Face shield, respirator of some sort, safety glasses as well would not be entirely out of line, either. Related, think about the dust you will be creating when sanding and how you are going to deal with that. You do NOT want to breathe it.

The Nova chuck is a good choice, as someone else mentioned - get a second chuck and put a different set of jaws on it. You will thank yourself later. I use the Nova G3 chucks, myself. I understand the Nova jaws fit any Nova chuck, so if you ever change to a different Nova chuck, your current jaws should still work. The chuck you linked is an insert chuck - which means it is not ready to mount on any lathe 'out of the box', you have to purchase the appropriate insert for the chuck. I believe that Jet is a 1 x 8 thread, so that is the insert you need. The nice thing there is that if (or, rather, when) you get a bigger lathe that has a different spindle thread, you can just buy the appropriate insert and use the same chuck. When I went from my Delta midi to my Nova DVR, that is exactly what I did - swap the 1 x 8 insert for a 1-1/4 x 8 insert.

I agree with everyone else on the tools. You want high speed steel tools, the high carbon would be good for one thing - you will learn how to sharpen fast out of necessity. Pick a couple of tools to start, get some inexpensive hardwood spindle stock, and start practicing cuts. When you get decent with a tool, add another and practice some more. Carbides are nice, they can be very aggressive, and generally are just scrapers - they do not cut the wood fibers as much as they scrape them off. When I turn, I will often use a carbide for the main 'hogging out' of material, then switch to HSS to finish the piece.

I would hold off on the pressure pot for now, and focus on becoming proficient with wood. Wood is much more forgiving than resin is - even the easy to turn stuff like Alumilite (urethane resin) or epoxy resins. Acrylics are not as forgiving of a bad technique or being too aggressive. Get wood down, then move to resin. If you buy resin blanks, avoid the commercial ones if you can (I.E. Woodcraft, Rockler) and go for more 'artisan made'. The former are typically acrylic acetate. It is cheap, and tends to chip rather easily. The small batch variety that people make in home shops (or small businesses) are usually a urethane or epoxy resin, both of which are much easier to turn. Not as forgiving as wood, but many times better than acrylic. If you are on Facebook, there are some casting groups that will be able to help you when it comes to casting.

My final thought (for now) is to look for a local AAW chapter you can join. You will find a lot of people there from all skill levels from where you are all they way up to, and including, "I have been turning since before they invented dirt". And every skill and level in between. Most will be more than happy to share their expertise with someone just starting out with wood turning. Good luck on your journey, and welcome to the addiction that is wood turning!

 

[Brian Gustin]

I will definitely take your advice on the tools. I will also reconsider the grinder and guide. Do you have a sharpener setup that you recommend?

I have the Rikon 8 inch slow speed grinder (watch for it on sale and/or coupons from Rockler = $129-ish) and the wolverine jig (and vari-grind for my bowl and spindle gouges - I just don't have the ability to do freehand sharpening...) if you feel confident in your own ability to achieve fine motor control (3-dimensional movements that are smooth , consistent and repeatable, after practice) you could even do without the jigs at all.

If at all possible, to be honest your best bet ideally would be if you can find a local woodturner's club or AAW chapter (if you havent signed up to the AAW Membership, it's well worth it) and go to a local meeting and/or visit woodturner's shops , maybe take a test drive or demo on different lathes turning different things , if you can find more than one or two local turners who might like your visits... Especially if you have a tight budget - otherwise you may find as much as half of what you buy eventually just sitting collecting dust... plus you can learn what you might like or dislike about different shop layouts, and more importantly hands-on safety (assuming the turners you visit are as safety conscious as most of us in the forums) and maybe even get a feel for what sort of face shield (or PAPR, if you got the money for it) and dust control/collection you might be happy with.

 

[Dean Center]

The supernova is pretty hefty for that lathe. The Nova G3 would be a better match sizewise. If you're buying for the future, when you'll have added a Big Lathe, then the SN2 is fine.

 

[Doug Freeman]

Agree a nova g3 chuck (not direct thread, one with insert that can be changed when you get a bigger lathe) is all you need for that size lathe and will be used on the next bigger lathe.

Cutting tools - Benjamins Best (PSI) is the best place to start. You can afford to try different types and sizes of tools, change grinds, etc and learn what you like, then buy hi $ tools once figured out. I still use my BB’s for the lightly used tools.

Sharpening - I use a wet grinder (Grizzly) and tormek gouge jig, and really like it, but you want an 8” slow speed for shaping new tools, and I use it for all my non gouge tools ( and home scrapers and skews). Ken Rizzo has good packages for rikon grinders with cbn wheels. Rocommend you go with either the tormek jigs and bench grinder tool arm (if you want the wet grinder) or go wolverine and bench grinder only. I like the greater capability of the tormek gouge jig, but its a lot of extra $ up front to get both grinders.

Pressure pot - dont recommend you go down that rabbit trail out of the gate for turning, but if you have other uses go for it. It should already be on its way if not just turning related.

 

[robo hippy]

Most tool 'sets' will leave you with a couple of tools that you will never use. You will want 2 bowl gouges, most likely. One being a BOB tool, meaning bottom of bowl. Getting through the transition and going across the bottom is not easy for some gouges. The swept back design can do both walls and go through the transition on most bowls. You will want a SRG spindle roughing gouge, preferred tool for taking square blanks down to round. You will want a detail gouge for coves and beads on spindles. One round nose scraper is good, but I use scrapers more than most. A parting tool. A skew chisel. This is just a starting list.

As others have said, you may want a standard slow speed grinder. The 1/2 hp Rikon is pretty popular because of price, but it isn't powerful enough for me, I went with the 1 hp model which has plenty of muscle for the CBN wheels. The Wolverine jig set up is by far the most popular set up for sharpening tools out there. I do all of my sharpening on a platform.

Find a club. Even is it is a long drive, they may have some one close by you who will mentor you. That is HUGE in learning. You can also probably find used tools. I have a bunch of videos up on You Tube, mostly dedicated to bowl turning.

robo hippy

 

[Mark Jundanian]

Just going to add one point. The Wolverine jig is generally used in conjunction with the Varigrind jig. Kinda need both. For the Varigrind most turners use the original model rather than the Varigrind 2.

 

[Chris Dryden]

Most tool 'sets' will leave you with a couple of tools that you will never use. You will want 2 bowl gouges, most likely. One being a BOB tool, meaning bottom of bowl. Getting through the transition and going across the bottom is not easy for some gouges. The swept back design can do both walls and go through the transition on most bowls. You will want a SRG spindle roughing gouge, preferred tool for taking square blanks down to round. You will want a detail gouge for coves and beads on spindles. One round nose scraper is good, but I use scrapers more than most. A parting tool. A skew chisel. This is just a starting list.

As others have said, you may want a standard slow speed grinder. The 1/2 hp Rikon is pretty popular because of price, but it isn't powerful enough for me, I went with the 1 hp model which has plenty of muscle for the CBN wheels. The Wolverine jig set up is by far the most popular set up for sharpening tools out there. I do all of my sharpening on a platform.

Find a club. Even is it is a long drive, they may have some one close by you who will mentor you. That is HUGE in learning. You can also probably find used tools. I have a bunch of videos up on You Tube, mostly dedicated to bowl turning.

robo hippy

Thanks for the advice. I have redone the majority of my list since seeing the input from everyone here. I am trying to educate myself so I can make some more informed decisions. A big thank you to everyone who has offered advice.

 

[Mike Johnson]

The turning tools in a set that never get used in daily turning can be modified into special turning tools that we all end up needing
for special turning applications. A few minutes on a grinder wheel and you can modify the profile of the tool cutting edge.

 

[Chris Dryden]

So I have decided to go with the Laguna 18-36! Im also going to try to piece together a set of turning tools instead of buying a set. I am going with good quality HHS instead of carbide but I may end up getting a carbide hollowing tool. I cant wait till I get to order everything.

 

[Marvin Jones]

Doug mentioned Benjamins Best, Penn State Industries carries this line.

 

[Bill Boehme]

1) tool set - I would NOT recommend that set- You can buy a 8 piece Benjamin's Best set with a 1/2 inch bowl gouge (which isn't in that rockler set) on amazon for around $89 or so last I knew of, and the Benjamin's Best would be HSS Steel, far superior to high carbon alloys.. But I'd probably suggest even better, look for a "basic" brand such as Benjamin's Best and pick out just a few tools (Spindle Gouge, Spindle Roughing Gouge, Parting Tool, Scraper, Bowl Gouge at most... you could probably actually get away with nothing more than a spindle roughing gouge for most all spindle turnings and a bowl gouge for bowls/side grain turning) instead of a set (Although for the cost of the 8 piece set I got last year, and use maybe only half of the tools that came with it, still beats the price of buying individually)

2) Rikon Wet sharpener - you may wish to consider if that wolvering jig will work with the sharpener... Note the wolverine is designed to be bolted to the bench underneath (just about centered under) the grinding wheel and it may not fit under a wet grinder with tank.. not to mention most wet grinders grind on the "top" radius of the wheel or the most part, while the wolverine will generally be expected to be grinding at the "front" face of the wheel.. (in which case, Rikon low speed 8 inch bench grinder would be more suitable to go with wolverine)

3) as for pressure pot and other accessories, I think it depends on what exactly you want to be turning. (AND I might suggest hold off on that and get a small sampler kit of regular tabletop pour epoxy to make a couple of blanks and try turning those first - Not everyone likes the mess created from turning epoxy/resin... I know I hated it, so I was glad I ended up with a blank out of leftover scraps of resin from a different project pour, before I went and splurged on a pressure pot!.. now I know I won't need one since I do not plan to do any resin turning.)

4) along with the above, your #2 item on your list (after lathe and tools) should be PPE - Face shield and respirator or PAPR or some means of dealing with the dust, but absolutely a face shield.

I agree with everything that Brian Gustin said.

 

[Allen Mattsen]

Doug mentioned Benjamins Best, Penn State Industries carries this line.

I started w/ that set and it's been fine. Amazon w/ free shipping. I quickly upgraded to a usable bowl gouge and spindle gouge. I still use the skews and scrapers occasionally. Beginning w/ that set allowed me to learn to sharpen while figuring out what I liked to make and upgrading & adding along the way. It's a good place to start, but the bowl gouge is trash.

 

[Marvin Jones]

I believe the tool set Chris was referring to is supplied by Great Neck...

 

[Gary T Egbert]

I started turning two yers ago with a used Rikon 70-100 mini lathe, a Nova G3 chuck set, and a variety of tools including some old Craftsman gouges my father used 75 years ago. I have several gouges and scrapers from BB, Hurricane, and even one Doug Thompson spindle gouge. I also have a set of three carbide tools I got from Harrison Specialties in Minnesota. All have served me well and as I have turned more I realize I need something a bit more powerful motor wise, variable speed, and reversible. I am currently considering the new Rikon 70-1420 lathe when it becomes available and also the Record Power Coronet Herald. Good luck in your search. You have received lots of good suggestions in this bog.

 

[Omer Klee]

I have a Jet 1221 that I want to upgrade from. You can turn on it but is falls short for accuracy, power and ease of use.

 

[Larry Komroff]

If you are going with the Laguna 18-36 then I would agree on the SN2 chuck. You might want to look at https://woodworkerspecialties.biz/ for the chuck. I just purchased a spare body and their pricing couldn't be beat and they shipped quick. No affiliation with them.

Larry

 

[Spike Cornelius]

A big plus for woodworkerspecialties.biz, I found them through Amazon, could not be happier with them!

 

[Gerald Rutledge]

I started w/ that set and it's been fine. Amazon w/ free shipping. I quickly upgraded to a usable bowl gouge and spindle gouge. I still use the skews and scrapers occasionally. Beginning w/ that set allowed me to learn to sharpen while figuring out what I liked to make and upgrading & adding along the way. It's a good place to start, but the bowl gouge is trash.

Allen,

I just got this set to start out with, and figured I would need another bowl gouge very soon anyway, but I did not see this comment yet because it did not exist. Can you elaborate on the qualities that make it "trash"?

Instead of ordering another bowl gouge right away -- because of sage advice I've been given here to try things for a bit before making too many decisions -- I ordered a couple of side scrapers since the BB set doesn't have any sideys at all. Now, after getting a chuck, rounding out my sharpening gear, and a couple of odds and ends, my startup budget really is exhausted I only have one bowl gouge which is allegedly "trash". Why do you say that?

It looks a little smallish to my inexperienced eye, and I don't like the spindle roughing gouge-esque factory grind on it, but I have been thinking I would put one of the longer bevels on it that sweeps to the side more -- not sure which but one that I can do with the varigrind I just ordered. If that chisel is trash only because of the factory grind, that can be fixed and the loss of metal is acceptable since the whole set is so affordable. If it is trash because it just loves being dull all the time, or has a tendency to break, or has an unfavorable flute geometry, I cannot fix that. I can "easily" change the grind.

 

[Brian Gustin]

Allen,

I just got this set to start out with, and figured I would need another bowl gouge very soon anyway, but I did not see this comment yet because it did not exist. Can you elaborate on the qualities that make it "trash"?

Instead of ordering another bowl gouge right away -- because of sage advice I've been given here to try things for a bit before making too many decisions -- I ordered a couple of side scrapers since the BB set doesn't have any sideys at all. Now, after getting a chuck, rounding out my sharpening gear, and a couple of odds and ends, my startup budget really is exhausted I only have one bowl gouge which is allegedly "trash". Why do you say that?

It looks a little smallish to my inexperienced eye, and I don't like the spindle roughing gouge-esque factory grind on it, but I have been thinking I would put one of the longer bevels on it that sweeps to the side more -- not sure which but one that I can do with the varigrind I just ordered. If that chisel is trash only because of the factory grind, that can be fixed and the loss of metal is acceptable since the whole set is so affordable. If it is trash because it just loves being dull all the time, or has a tendency to break, or has an unfavorable flute geometry, I cannot fix that. I can "easily" change the grind.

One possible reason, if you got the SET version of that bowl gouge (like I did) then the flute is rather short, and you may find it sharpens away very quickly with the varigrind so a short life span.. However, I fashioned a wooden jig to hold the gouge so that I could grind a new flat (to match the flute) so I could keep using the varigrind on it , giving a great deal more life span to it. I also turned a new handle for it, to give more length and leverage control...

However the gouges themselves are not too bad (I believe they are M2 HSS) and they hold an edge decently (in my limited experience, I have yet to try anything beyond M42) but I find if I want a perfect cut, I do need to re-sharpen about 4 to 5 times for every 8 inch-ish bowl I might do... I finally got an entry-level Hurricane gouge set (3/8,1/2,5/8) on a flash sale (paid about the same as for the BB set) and a higher end 1/2" detail gouge (Hurricane) and find they hold edge far better than the BB set does ..

But still, I'd never refer to the BB gouges as "trash" other than their obvious limitations (the set gouges naturally come quite relatively short due to needing to fit in the set box!)

 

[Gerald Rutledge]

I did also notice the flute section was only a very few inches long. Par for the course for an $89 set, and not surprising if one or all of them are relative "trash" compared to the overall field. As a hungry novice, I just wanted to delve a bit deeper into why he would characterize it that way, which informs me what to look for in my future tool choices. I did look at one of the Hurricane Cryo chisels, cry-o'ed a bit over the price, but learned (was reminded, really) that toughness and hardness are not the same thing.

So these wear faster, apparently. I expected a lower grade of steel for 90 bux, and that's not a good thing when paired with a short flute that fits in the set box (which is somewhat lame). As someone mentioned earlier, though, it's a cheap way to get some initial sharpening practice, and I think I will put a more swept back grind on it almost right away. I don't know exactly why I have that urge yet, it just feels like the right thing to do. I don't know which grind yet either, but something -- anything -- with a longer edge. That blunt tip just doesn't look like it has a lot of ability for a wide range of "expression", if that makes sense. I bet it has it's own special niche, though, and I don't know that yet either. If so, and it is not as commonly used, I'll put the blunty one back when I get a better swept back tool a little later. The thing only cost $11.12. Meh.

 

[Gary W Miller]

The nova chuck is a good one. Buy a second, identical, chuck and set them up with two different jaw sizes. You'll think me later. Seriously, everybody thinks "oh I'll just switch out the jaws as needed" but it's a pain and I think can interrupt your flow. Buy a second one when you can.

The wolverine jig is good, lots of people use it. The You need a 8" grinder for it. The Dewalt one at Rockler is fine and in the same price range as the wet sander you listed.

At least one Cubic Boron wheel for your grinder - not too coarse. You can do heavy grinding with the Aluminum Oxide wheel but finish and touch up on the CB wheel.

 

[Dean Center]

Gerald, the Benjamin's Best bowl gouge that came with my set 13 years ago was definitely usable. It may not have the longest flute or the longest handle or the perfect flute shape, but it will make bowls. Your first bowl gouge is going to be a "sacrificial" gouge as you learn to sharpen, so why not learn on the cheap? Others would advise that you should have a really good bowl gouge as you will have more success early in your turning career, and there's some sense to that way of thinking. But I suggest you don't mortgage the farm to buy a SuperDuper Famous Turner Bowl Gouge, when you have a serviceable one to start on.

 

[Doug Freeman]

I have 1/2 dozen BB bowl gouges, 2x each size. Had them 5-6 years. Couple of 5/8” were purchased again. They are parabolic, though the flute is a tad shallow, but very usable. Originally purchased to learn turning - sharpening, different grinds, dropping tools, etc, etc. I still use all of them, for certain tasks, such as a 3/8” for the 1st inch of a bowl ID, and a 5/8” in traditional grind for some finish cuts, and one recently shaped like a Trent Bosch finish gouge. Great to have to try things, great for learning. Recent thread claimed the flute shape has changed, IDK?

Hurricane plain m2 are ok also. Not a believer in cryo being better. There are better choices in that $ range. As a noob dont worry about the best tools, steel, etc. You will be finding your way over time. I used value tools for the 1st 5 or so years I had a lathe, as I figured out what I liked to make and how I liked to do it, then I purchased the few hi $ tools that do 90% of the cutting. Hate to think the 20 or so low use tools could have cost me $80-$110 each, vs $20 or so each.

 

[Gerald Rutledge]

This is the approach I am taking. I see chisels as disposables, like sandpaper. You can buy a box of expensive sandpaper, and it will cut a little better, stay sharp longer, and all that. Or you can buy two boxes of the cheap stuff and probably get the same value overall for maybe a bit more money. Cheap tools are generally more expensive than pricey ones, and time spent on additional sanding with cheap paper might cost real money in a production environment, and so on). But there are times when economizing makes sense, and times when good, or good enough value can be had without taking out a second mortgage. I splurged on my lathe and first chuck, for example, and sprung for a shapening jig setup instead of making one, which are all lifetime purchases and have a long time to amortize their costs. Chisels die, and die faster in the hands ov a novice, so it is truly a waste of money to start with the God's Best chisels.

I know that I'll be throwing away some steel in the beginning. I'm also the kind of person that will try to hand-grind my own profile and experiment with bevels once I find that a certain grind is just not for me or just doesn't get used enough to keep giving it space in my tiny shop. That experimentation and grind switching is more affordable with sacrificial items than with top-o-the-line Limited Edition Big Name Turner Platinum Collection chisels.

This same idea applies elsewhere, and I've heard it on other threads (haven't I?). Honestly, I was expecting a lower quality than what I got with these BenBest tools. The BB stuff I have looks not half bad. That's just the looks of them of course, but the heft is decent, and the handles are nothing to jump up and down about, but still exceeded what I expected for $11 a tool. The two scrapers I got are also BB, and have nice long-ish handles and even a cheesy little fabric carrying case. Yes, it's cheesy, but it's something, and they didn't need to do that at all with a budget item. I do have enough of a background in woodworking and tools to spot poor quality, as well as top-line quality and the places in between. I don't have the exact context for assessing turning chisels, but I do have some general principles covered.

Also, I was wondering why Allen singled out the bowl gouge from the other seven tools. If it were something like a softer steel or some other reason they go dull faster -- besides simply getting the most use -- I'd be looking for more trips to the sharpener relative to the others and the usage level, and I would have a clearer frame of reference for my own observation/confirmation that yes, this tool is inferior to the other ones in the set, just like he said. It's a help in the learning process to observe and confirm in the lab what you've been taught in the classroom.

 

[Dean Center]

Actually, Gerald, sandpaper is one place where I personally would avoid the cheapest stuff where the grit sizes on a given piece are going to vary a lot, the backing is not going to hold up well, etc. I'm not advocating for a particular or super expensive sandpaper, but spending a bit more on it to get consistent grit sizes and durable backing is well worth it in reduced time and aggravation. A few grains of 100 size grit on your 220 paper can ruin your whole day.

 

[Gerald Rutledge]

Actually, Gerald, sandpaper is one place where I personally would avoid the cheapest stuff where the grit sizes on a given piece are going to vary a lot, the backing is not going to hold up well, etc. I'm not advocating for a particular or super expensive sandpaper, but spending a bit more on it to get consistent grit sizes and durable backing is well worth it in reduced time and aggravation. A few grains of 100 size grit on your 220 paper can ruin your whole day.

Dean, stop that. You mentioned sanding and now I don't know which thread I'm in anymore.

I was using sandpaper as more of an example, and I see it was a bad one. In the actual current sandpaper thread, I mentioned that same evil, day-ruining over-sized grit, and how I actually don't like ANY paper that is perfectly fresh out of the box, especially not at the end of working on that grade.

 

[Rusty Nesmith]

After starting with cheap tools and having to work up to good tools knowing what I know now I would buy 1 or 2 handles and a few different tools from Robert Sorby, Thompson or D-Way. They will all fit the same handles and it is much easier to sharpen them when they are out of the handles. I actually bought the handle adapters and used shovel handles for my handles. You can get two handles out of one shovel handle.

 

[Marvin Jones]

Nothing like buying cheap or cheap made sanding discs and while sanding have the paper separate from the hook and loop...

Though I have been turning for many years, I've stayed secluded, not connected to a club or even other turners. Always sharpened freehand, never checked for newer grinds, just had my old way and stuck to it. I have one Sorby and one Crown gouge each, the rest are Benjamin's Best. This year I joined a club and the AAW because of the help I found on this forum with a lathe issue.

Upgrades to my methods this year include a Rikon 1hp slow speed grinder, 2 CBN wheels, Wolverine Jig with original Vari-grind. I'm learning the grinds I can make with this set up and how to use them now. One more item on the list is the Hannes Vector Fixture, that should round out most of my sharpening needs, at least for now.

For tool upgrades, I have chosen to buy adapters, make my own handles and put the Benjamin's Best gouges in the new longer handles until they are worn out, then buy quality gouges that meet my needs when replacing them. I should be fair at sharpening by then. I think a new turner, after a bit of research and some advice from guys here, could make his own longer handles and put cheaper HSS chisels in them then upgrade when ready. At least to start and not break the bank...

 

[R Henrickson]

For tool upgrades, I have chosen to buy adapters, make my own handles and put the Benjamin's Best gouges in the new longer handles until they are worn out, then buy quality gouges that meet my needs when replacing them. I should be fair at sharpening by then. I think a new turner, after a bit of research and some advice from guys here, could make his own longer handles and put cheaper HSS chisels in them then upgrade when ready. At least to start and not break the bank...

Interesting -- I've been moving to shorter handles, especially on spindle gouges, where the longest I use are 7-8". I've found most manufacturers' handles on most gouges, whether spindle or bowl, are too long and often interfere with cuts I'm trying to make. I've mostly bought tools without handles for years.

 

[Marvin Jones]

My turning interests have been bowl forms for the most part and in this I've found I like longer handles than some tools come with. The two expensive gouges I own have long robust handles but the Benjamin's Best gouge handles work okay, but would like them to be a little longer.

Retired now and am developing interest in smaller turnings. I'm with you on spindle tools having shorter handles.