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Tools

John Walls

John Walls

Joined
Jan 20, 2020
Messages
343
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157
Location
Larimore, ND
Thanks for suggestions ya'll gave me in a couple other posts! I'll start/ask more on this post. I'm going to take the advice of learning on spindles first before moving onto bowls/vases. I've watched some beginner videos, what I come away with is a list of tools to get as a beginner and go from there. I've had some good suggestions so far (TY for those) so I don't think this is far off from those. I ordered a Tormek T-8 with most the jigs available so hopefully I can turn out some sharp tools. I understand it's also a learning curve, I've going to be busy for a long time. :) Please hammer away at my list, and perhaps manufacturer and store for best results. I am willing to get good steel tools, don't want a box of regrets under my workbench. Not looking for gold plated tools either... LOL, wife said I'm past my... birthday limit!
Anywayz, here's the list:

1" Roughing Gouge

1" Spindle Gouge
1/2" Spindle Gouge
3/8" Spindle Gouge

1/2" Bowl Gouge

3/4" Skew 40/70 slight radius
another said 1"

1/8" Parting Tool (thin and flat)
another said Diamond shaped parting tool

For serious beginner willing to learn on spindles first, which is best? Considering I will also be learning to sharpen on a Tormek with accompanying jigs, nothing fancy/free hand yet. I am going to try to attend a class but I don't think it will be atleast late fall, maybe next spring. Nothing is close to east central Norf Dakoota.
 
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Fine list.
If money is an issue, I would skip the 1" spindle gouge. The skews will do that job, better.
You might want to get a dead center, they are not too expensive.
 
Mark Wollschlager said:
Fine list.
If money is an issue, I would skip the 1" spindle gouge. The skews will do that job, better.
You might want to get a dead center, they are not too expensive.
Click to expand...
Thanks! It's a small issue but not a killer. I'm about at the top of what I've been saving for a while for this but, you can't take it with you and I'm spending my kids inheritance!
 
For the price of (1) high quality turning tool you can purchase an entire set of beginner import turning tools and be on your way with a variety of tools starting out.
The cheap tools are good to learn on with sharpening, grinding and honing techniques and if you mess up on these not a big deal.
Proper tool technique is what makes a superior cut/finish, the wood does not care if it is being cut with a $10.00 tool or $100.00 tool.
If you plan on turning 8-10 hours a day then you can justify the high dollar tools which will hold an edge longer, for the average turner starting out any high speed steel
tool set will work fine.
 
I like your list add a teardrop shaped diamond hone from Alan Lacer. Learn to hone your tools. You can take them to a friends or to a club meeting to get them reground then touch them up with your hone in between grindings. Tool sharpening set ups are expensive learn what you like by using club grinders then buy what you need. You only have to buy one time.
I bought 3 systems before I found the one I liked. An Alan Lacer hone and some training would have saved me time money and heartache.
Wood does care if the tool cutting it is SHARP.
To every thing turn turn turn
Tim
 
Have to disagree with Mike . Those cheap tools will be quickly outgrown. Buy good tools and only get what you need now. I would leave off the 1/2 spindle and get a 3/8 detail. Check out the better brands Thompson is my go to but there are others to I just like the V10 steel.
 
I’ll just share my progression. When I started I bought the red handle HF HSS steel set. The red handle is supose to be better than the white handle, but I haven’t a clue if that is true. That was about 5 years ago. It has roughing gouges, skews, spindle gouges, a 1/4 parting tool. I still use those tools to some degree today. I learned to sharpen with theses tools. Haven’t had a need to buy an expensive roughing gouge. I have bought other skews and detail gouges, but still keep these sharp and ready to use. I use the 1/4” parting tool a lot, but not as a parting tool. The Dway thin parting tool is the best IMO. Most high end tools like Thompson and Dway come unhandled and this set will allow you to make your own handles. Now for bowl gouges it was a different story. I bought a inexpensive set and that was a poor investment. They just didn’t perform at all. I have Thompson bowl gouges now and what a difference.
 
John, I'm not much further along on this journey than you. I would add a round and square NRS. The Tormec system may not be able to take advantage of the V-10 steel, but it will be very slow reshaping any tool. Do you have another grinder for this?
 
I’m in the camp of start cheap and learn what works for you, learn how to sharpen on cheap steel, etc. I bought a set of Benjamin’s best to start- and for spindle turning it was great because I had a roughing gouge, parting tool, a couple of skews and spindle gouges and a bowl gouge right off the bat for under $100. I still use many of those. There’s a basic minimum of tools you need to get up and running. Just getting started I couldn’t afford to spend $100 per tool. I feel like I use a wider variety of tools for spindles.

If I were just going for bowls I might start with nicer tools up front since I really only use a couple of different tools on bowls- and you can certainly get by with one bowl gouge for starters. But I wouldn’t spend the money for high end steel on a roughing gouge or parting tool, for example.

As my experience grew and I figured out what worked for me and didn’t work for me I started getting nicer stuff. My bowl gouges are better steel, I bought some better steel for my neg rake scrapers. As my experience grew I went from one bowl gouge for everything to a 40/40 grind and a bottom bowl gouge. I started with a 1/2” bowl gouge for everything but now I use a 5/8” and save the 1/2” for finishing cuts. I think you need to figure out what works for you before you invest thousands into tools that other people think you need. There’s so much variety in turning- people use different grinds, different flutes, different steels, different sizes to achieve the same results. You go to one demo and the person says this one tool and this one grind are the only way to do it, then the next demo is a different person using a different tool and a different grind and they tell you their way is the only way.

Then @robo hippy tells you just to use scrapers for everything ;)- just kidding. Reed- I still call my regular scraper “Mr Grabby”. I only pick it up when I want to destroy a bowl.
 
Just did the Amazon search and came up with alot of sets! I looked at several, which set in ya'lls opinion would be a decent starter set that will hold up well and not outgrow for quite a while:

(Must be able to sharpen on a T-8 as it's ordered so will be the sharpening system I use, atleast for a while. I went with this as I do wood working and have many non-turning tools it will also be used for)

Crown 285 Woodturning Set, 8 Piece, Boxed, $269.91
This eight piece H.S.S. woodturning set consists of No. 230 3/4-Inch 19mm Roughing Out Gouge; No. 235 1/4-Inch 6mm Spindle Gouge; No. 237 1/2-Inch 13mm Spindle Gouge; No. 245 1/4-Inch 6mm Parting Tool; No. 255 1-Inch 25mm Square End Scraper; No. 261 3/4-Inch 19mm Round Nose Scraper; No. 270 1/2-Inch 13mm Skew Chisel, and No. 271 1-Inch 25mm Skew Chisel. 8-1/2-Inch rosewood handles.
Robert Sorby H6542 Turning Tool Set (8 Piece), $294.14
This 8-Pc. Hss Turning Tool Set Includes 3/4" Roughing Gouge, 1/4" And 1/2" Spindle Gouge, 3/8" Bowl Gouge, 3/4" Standard Skew, 3/16" Diamond Side Cut Scraper, 1" Square Scraper, And 1/2" Round Scraper. Overall Lengths Are 16" To 19".
HSS Woodworking Lathe Chisel Set 8 Piece Set For Wood Turning. Hardwood Handles, High Speed Steel, Brass Ferrules, and Wooden Case For Storage, $64.99 (Benjamin's Best)
The set includes 8 turning tools: 1 each 3/16" Parting Tool, 1 each 5/8" Scraper, 1 each 1" Skew Chisel, 1 each 5/8" Round Nose Scraper, 1 each 1/2" Bowl Gouge, 1 each 3/4" Spindle Gouge, 1 each 5/8" Spear Scraper and 1 each 7/8" Roughing Gouge
PSI Woodworking LCSIXW High Speed Steel Wood Lathe Chisel Turning Set, 6-Piece, $84.99
Includes 1/2-Inch spindle gouge, 7/8-Inch roughing gouge, 1-Inch oval skew chisel, 3/8-Inch bowl gouge, 3/16-Inch diamond parting tool, 3/4-Inch round nose scraper

That's 4 of the sets that stick out to me on Amyzon. The price on the first 2 sets seem good to me but, school me plz. The last 2 seem to be cheap? I don't want gold plated but don't want throw-away either. I have no problem getting one of the first 2 sets if they are best for my application. I can go fancy (?) later if needed as I get a couple years experience. I welcome all thoughts on these, and other suggestions/stores. So far all great suggestions, keep them coming, I can order individual tools if need be, I'm not stuck on sets.

edit: After some more reading, I'm thinking the last 2 sets are out, still leaning towards the Sorby set unless the Crown would be better. Will do more reading as I can.
 
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John, I suggest you re-think buying any tool sets. My experience, the tool manufacturers always pack at least two tools that you will rarely, if ever, use. So that cuts the cost savings, in that you're paying for tools you don't need/use. Don't ask me how I know that. Mine was the oval skew :-/

Add to your tool collection as you see the need, based on what you are turning. If you plan to start with spindle turning, you can do that with 2-3 tools, and they're already on your list.

Lastly, I try to adhere to this policy: buy the best tools/machinery/equipment you can, even if it hurts. It will only hurt once, when you pay for it, and not every time you use it. EXCEPT - if you're a brand new, beginner woodturner, who has never sharpened anything. In that event, buy a cheaper tool, and learn how to sharpen on that. The cheaper set won't hold an edge very long, forcing you to go back to the grinder often. Dull tools don't cut. Avoid the impulse to 'push the tool harder because it's not cutting', and accept that you need to refresh the edge. You will screw up angles,shapes and edges as part of the learning curve. Learn on the cheaper steel. When you grind through that, and if you're sharpening often, it will happen quickly. Then replace that with a good quality steel, and you'll have an appreciation for a well-made tool, that takes a sharp edge, and holds it well.
 
I still have a number of tools from a set that I got from Craft Supplies when I first started.Some I still use. I have always bought tools on the 'best value' principle. That is you buy what will serve you best. I prefer my turning gouges and scrapers to be ones that will last a long time, and to me, those are the Thompson and D Way tools. We had a sharpening 'stations' demo at our club meeting once where maybe 5 of us set up our sharpening stations. One turner came in with a 'high speed' steel scraper he wanted sharpened. It loaded up my CBN wheel. Nope, that ain't high speed steel. Generally you will get longer use and better cutting from the higher end tools, but not always the most expensive ones. My bowl calipers are the D shape that Dave Ellsworth recommends. Cheapest ones out there, and they work as well as any thing I have seen...

Beginning set, well 2 bowl gouges, one a 40/40 grind and one BOB tool. One detail/spindle detail gouge, one SRG/spindle roughing gouge, one skew, at least one scraper, one parting tool. With these, you can do just about anything, and you can add to them as you sink farther into the vortex.... Oh, you do need a grinder and wheels too...

robo hippy
 
Similar to what Donna said
Starting with spindles is a good way to go
Nearly every spindle turner will have
SRG, 3/8 spindle gouge, diamond parting tool, Maybe a 1/2” skew
These are the tools you can use forever on spindles. You may wish to add to these in the future depending on the directions you take. These tools are als useful for boxes.


Bowls - the tools you choose will depend on the training you get. So take a bowl course or find a mentor. Then you know what tools you need; want. Maybe you get taught to turn tenons with a 3/8 spindle gouge. Maybe you get taught to use a specially ground scraper to make tenons.

If you do as Reed recommended and follow the Stewart Batty methods you will want a couple of bowl gouges to get started because the 40/40 cannot hollow a bowl to the bottom center so you must also have a bottom of the bowl gouge with a standard grind.

If you follow the Ellsworth, Michelson, or O’Neil methods you need one bowl gouge to get started because the grind can hollow a bowl from rim to bottom center.
 
Be careful with Amazon. Double check elsewhere. For example last week I went Dr. Woodshop to check on a finish. His cost was $18 plus shipping, while Amazon was $31 with shipping for the same finish.
I agree, stay away from tool sets for the reasons stated. Allyn
 
Lots of variations on tool opinions, which you will find to be typical on almost all woodturning subjects.

My normal recommendation for beginners is the low priced HSS tools, as they will eat through them learning to sharpen. HOWEVER, if you are going to use a Tormek, on which it is very difficult to eat up your tools, better quality tools are reasonable. I don't think you can go far wrong either way. Or on a set vs. not a set.

A 3/8" spindle gouge, a roughing gouge (or a bowl gouge), some sort of parting tool, a stack of wood and time at the lathe will give you a great start. I love my skew, but lots of folks never use one.

The most important thing is to get a solid, safe start, and for that all of us recommend a little time with a coach/mentor, usually from your nearest woodturning club. Those clubs would be in Moorhead, Detroit Lakes, or, if you are willing to drive farther to avoid border crossings, Bismarck. There is an AAW member, but no club, in Grand Forks and another in Grandin, with lots of AAW members in Fargo and suburbs. A few hours with a coach will get you months and months ahead in your learning curve.
 
I'd suggest not getting a skew right away, probably until you get some experience turning spindles with gouges. While I like using one, and am pretty comfortable with one, they can be frustrating without getting some instruction on using it.
That said, I like the Thompson 3/4" skew. I have a larger (non Thompson) one, but rarely use it. My second favorite skew is a 1/2" one I got from Packard.
http://thompsonlathetools.com/
 
Look for a barely used old Craftsman set. I have two sets and they are the go to tools. BTW, for few centuries or more, a gouge was simply that. there were no spindle gouges or roughing gouges or bowl gouges. Just a plain gouge. I have a spindle gouge and a bowl gouge with the fancy grinds and they are nice, but I rarely use them. except for tight curves that the old "gouge" can't do. I made a 100 or more bowls back in the 1960's and never heard of any other kind of gouge until I started turning again a few years ago.
 
As you may have noticed everyone has their opinion on every aspect of wood turning, tools, machines, techniques, finishes, etc. etc. If you turn nothing but bowls you only need several types of tools, if you only turn pens you only need several types of tools. A wood lathe can turn a thousand different items and each one is a little different animal compared to all of the others. If you want to turn bottle stoppers you need a couple of extra tools, if you want to turn pepper mills and grinders you need a couple of extra tools. If you want to turn shaving brushes and accessories you need additional tools. If you want to turn turkey calls, duck calls, goose calls they all require a few extra tools to make these items. Most wood turners will progress into turning various items to build their skill sets on the wood lathe, some of the these items end up being seasonal items that you only turn once a year. Christmas ornaments, kitchen utensils, yoyo's , spinning tops, lidded boxes etc. etc. A basic set of tools and a few accessories for the lathe will expand the potential of items you can make. Mastering these projects one at a time will increase your skill sets and expand your knowledge base for other projects you want to turn, each new project develops skills and techniques that can be adapted to other more advanced projects that come along with the learning curve. For those oddball tools that come in a set that hardly anyone uses, you can modify it and turn it into a specialty tool that you use on an item that requires a relief cut or hard to reach corner tool or turn it into a parting tool or small skew. A skew is one of the most versatile tools you can use if you master the proper use, many turners shy away from certain tools because they never take the time to master each tool and its proper use. If you plan on doing spindle work the skew is invaluable.
 
After much reading and lots of great info/help here, I ordered 4 Sorby chisels. I got a 3/4" skew, 3/16" diamond parting tool, a 3/8" and a 3/4" spindle gouge. I figure I will spend some time learning these before any more tool acquisitions. Next up will probably be face plates/chucks but as long as I can use what comes with the lathe, I will spend time learning with what I have. Well, maybe a face-shield/mask but I think I can find these in town, just wish it wasn't a 30 minuted drive there.
Many thanks to everyone and their suggestions!
 
John I think you said you have a bench grinder along with the Tormek. I have the Grizzly wet sharpener and use Tormek jigs. I love it for resharpening, but it takes forever to reshape tools. The Tormek BGM-100 is a tool bar for bench grinders. I use it to reshape all gouges, and the gouge jig with the tool mounted can be moved over to the tormek without adjustment. Allows much quicker shape changes, and a new turner should experiment with various bevels and shapes. Also reshaping scrapers needs to be done on a bench grinder not the tormek.
 
I hate to open up another can of worms, but you don't get a chuck with the lathe. However, if you're going to stick to spindle turning for a while, you can put off soliciting recommendations and making a major purchase for a while. (Spoiler Alert: you will have folks advocating for all brands)

Before you ever turn on your lathe, take the 30 minutes to drive to town and pick up a good face shield (no metal foil around the edges), safety glasses, a half face respirator and some ear plugs. You will also get lots of recommendations on variations and options for these, but for $50 at Ace or a big box store, you will get a solid set of gear and be ready to fire up the lathe. (3M brand is just fine for any of these, if you want to keep it simple) Everybody on this forum has their story--some of us have several stories and a dunce cap--about how they had a near miss or wished they'd use protection when they were younger because now they're dealing with the consequences. Safety First.
 
John Jordan said:
Great club in Fargo.
Click to expand...
I've searched and found the closest one in Moorehead, MN, what's the one in Fargo? Most the clubs I found did not have much info and did not sound very active. I'd love to attend some classes/demos. I do have a card/phone number of a guy that sells turned items/woodworking stuff around Christmas in Grand Forks every year. I plan on calling him soon, I've just had my hands full working on the house. I'm remodeling the 1st floor and living way out of town, it does not take much to stop progress and slow things down way too much.... LOL :-)
 
Dean Center said:
I hate to open up another can of worms, but you don't get a chuck with the lathe. However, if you're going to stick to spindle turning for a while, you can put off soliciting recommendations and making a major purchase for a while. (Spoiler Alert: you will have folks advocating for all brands)

Before you ever turn on your lathe, take the 30 minutes to drive to town and pick up a good face shield (no metal foil around the edges), safety glasses, a half face respirator and some ear plugs. You will also get lots of recommendations on variations and options for these, but for $50 at Ace or a big box store, you will get a solid set of gear and be ready to fire up the lathe. (3M brand is just fine for any of these, if you want to keep it simple) Everybody on this forum has their story--some of us have several stories and a dunce cap--about how they had a near miss or wished they'd use protection when they were younger because now they're dealing with the consequences. Safety First.
Click to expand...

I've been searching/reading on faceplates and chucks and see those come in all sizes/brands too. I'll cross that bridge in a few months but folks have mentioned quite a few so far in different posts. With what I have going on at the moment, I may not have much of a chance to create with my new lathe for a little bit. It does come with 2 centers I hope, would be enough to make some shavings with for a month or two. If not, I will have to just enjoy looking at it til next month. I'm wanting to just get comfortable using this machine/tools before I actually head into any direction. We are headed to Seattle sometime in April, maybe I need to get online and see if there are any clubs around Kenmore, Washington doing demos/classes?

I don't have face shields but I have several pairs of googles. I don't get near anything when working without wearing those, can't even mow my yard (5 acres that usually create a LOT of dust/debris flying around), that with hearing aids/muffs/earplugs. I buy 3M masks by the box. What I want is a good face shield that blows air across the shield to prevent fogging up and perhaps filtered air for me. I also plan on getting a ceiling air filtration system but that's for this and all the other wood working I do in my shop, er, wife's garage... LOL Summer time I move alot of my equipment out to the driveway so dust is not a problem. My son in law has a face shield with built in ear muffs he uses when operating a chainsaw. I also want to look into something like that.

Thanks for the input, all very good ideas!
 
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