1st time lathe, looking for correct tools on budget
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I looked through your thread, but I don't know what I need. I was just going to buy the set at Harbor Freight, but after looking at the set I realized that I don't know what half those tools are for.
All I know is that I need a gouge to give the knob its rough shape.
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I ordered a piece of 1/2" square steel bar, some cutters from capt eddies website, and turned my own handles. I can get you links tomorrow when I am at my conputer. If you have access to a bench grinder, metal band saw or some way to cut the bar to length, and drill press you can make these. They are very easy to use and very cheap to make.
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I have this set from HF.....http://www.harborfreight.com/8-piece-high-speed-steel-wood-lathe-chisel-set-69723.html
I wouldnt recommend the cheaper sets from there as they are not HSS. This set is a decent set though. It comes with 2 spindle gouges, 2 skews, a detail gouge and 3 scrapers. I dont use the skews, I havnt figured that animal out yet. The rest of the tools get a regular workout. They hold a decent edge.
You can turn your knob start to finish with a spindle gouge.
Be advised that if your going to invest in turning, at some point you need to invest in a sharening system. Its a must have and sooner rather than later. Dull lathe tools are a safety hazard not to mention they create lots of headache with your work.
I wouldnt recommend the cheaper sets from there as they are not HSS. This set is a decent set though. It comes with 2 spindle gouges, 2 skews, a detail gouge and 3 scrapers. I dont use the skews, I havnt figured that animal out yet. The rest of the tools get a regular workout. They hold a decent edge.
You can turn your knob start to finish with a spindle gouge.
Be advised that if your going to invest in turning, at some point you need to invest in a sharening system. Its a must have and sooner rather than later. Dull lathe tools are a safety hazard not to mention they create lots of headache with your work.
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For most new turners a low speed grinder with a soft composition wheel will be the most cost effective solution. You can get away with a regular high speed grinder but you will be wasting metal trying to control it and the hard grit stones will leave a rougher edge than you will like to use.
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Start with one or two good high speed steel tools , and as suggested above , a reasonable bench grinder and a fine wheel .
A medium size ex. round stock bowl gouge and a mid sized parting tool will get you started on both spindle work and faceplate turning.
Attempting to make tools yourself when you have as yet absolutely no idea what you are doing is not a good idea .
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The HF set is priced right enough you could get a feel for what appeals to you and then later replace them with better chisels where you can buy them individually. The eight piece set HF sells myself personally I wouldn't use the 1/4" or 1/2" gouge and the 3/4" gouge I would rather have a 1" one. I would use the 1/2" and 1" skew. I would not use the 1/2" spear point, the same work could be done with the skew. Then the 1/2" round would be very useful.
Basically the gouge is used when you first start turning, when the wood is a uneven out of balance chunk of wood and you turn it into a smooth cylinder. The rest of the chisels are for the details you would put into the wood. The skew you use to shape flat areas or you can turn it edgewise and use to make very fine details and get into smaller places. Since it is such a small point there is such little friction there is less chance of tear out. The spear point is like two skews back to back. It would just put a V shaped detail into the wood. You could use the skew to do one side and turn it over and do the other side and in turn control the angle of the detail. The round nose is self explanatory. If you have a round inside curve to the detail you are making you would use round nose to make that.
Basically the gouge is used when you first start turning, when the wood is a uneven out of balance chunk of wood and you turn it into a smooth cylinder. The rest of the chisels are for the details you would put into the wood. The skew you use to shape flat areas or you can turn it edgewise and use to make very fine details and get into smaller places. Since it is such a small point there is such little friction there is less chance of tear out. The spear point is like two skews back to back. It would just put a V shaped detail into the wood. You could use the skew to do one side and turn it over and do the other side and in turn control the angle of the detail. The round nose is self explanatory. If you have a round inside curve to the detail you are making you would use round nose to make that.
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This may be a good starter set. I don't have them but they get good reviews and don't break the bank. I deal a lot with Penn State and have had good luck with their products.
http://www.pennstateind.com/store/LCHSS8.html?prodpage=1LC
http://www.pennstateind.com/store/LCHSS8.html?prodpage=1LC
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My set of lathe tools I found at a flea market, I think less than $20. They are HSS, and likely similar to the HF set. I used a 1" belt sander, and shaped stones to keep the edges dressed. Not that difficult to maintain an edge. If you're looking, get a long handled lathe set, not a carving set.
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To the OP, sorry, for whatever reason I said there are 3 scrapers with this set. There are only 2. A round nose and a pointed. There is also a parting tool that I forgot to mention.
The advise to buy tools individually isnt bad advise. The individual tools I have purchased are much better tools than what come in the set. That said, I still use the set regularly and it was great to have a set of cheap tools to practice sharpening on.
As for the skew, Ive been turning for over 2 years now and I still dont use a skew. Some turners never master that tool. I hope to one day but I might not so, I wouldnt bank on that being a primary tool right now. If you buy just a roughing gouge and a skew, you might get frusterated with turning real fast. Id highly reccomend you have a spindle gouge in your arsenal untill you learn how to use a skew. I dont even have a roughing gouge yet. I rough my blanks with a spindle gouge. If I could only have one tool, id either choose a 1/2" spindle gouge or a small radiused edge sqaure carbide.
Be advised again, if you decide to buy higher quality tools individually, one tools is going to cost you more than this whole set.
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Well I’ve given up on the $18 HF set and I’m going back and forth between the HSS set at HF and the Benjamin Set at PennState Ind. I can drive to HF and not pay shipping. I’m now looking for maybe a 3 piece set or individual pieces on eBay, but haven’t seen anything yet.
I spent the last hour looking for HSS stock to make my own and the good M2 stuff is pretty expensive compared to just buying the HF set. Plus I noticed that you have to be real careful on eBay because they are selling A2 grade as HSS for the same price as M2. The steel suppliers are cheaper but you have to buy 3ft pieces and the shipping is a killer.
I think I want at least 6” long steel pieces and the more reasonable prices are for 4”, so I’m going to wait till another time for that project.
I spent the last hour looking for HSS stock to make my own and the good M2 stuff is pretty expensive compared to just buying the HF set. Plus I noticed that you have to be real careful on eBay because they are selling A2 grade as HSS for the same price as M2. The steel suppliers are cheaper but you have to buy 3ft pieces and the shipping is a killer.
I think I want at least 6” long steel pieces and the more reasonable prices are for 4”, so I’m going to wait till another time for that project.
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The advantage to the BB set at PSI is that it comes with a bowl gouge.
Yeah definately pass on the non HSS set that HF carries.
I would assume that when you talk about making your own tools, you mean carbide insert tools? If thats the case, you dont need to worry about HSS for that. The bar stock used for that is just holding the carbide that actually does the cutting. Cheap carbon steel bar stock works great for that purpose.
Onlinemetals.com has really good deals on metal if you need to order some. I purchased enough aluminum angle from them to frame a boat deck and even with shipping was almost 40% cheaper than buying from a local supplier.
Yeah definately pass on the non HSS set that HF carries.
I would assume that when you talk about making your own tools, you mean carbide insert tools? If thats the case, you dont need to worry about HSS for that. The bar stock used for that is just holding the carbide that actually does the cutting. Cheap carbon steel bar stock works great for that purpose.
Onlinemetals.com has really good deals on metal if you need to order some. I purchased enough aluminum angle from them to frame a boat deck and even with shipping was almost 40% cheaper than buying from a local supplier.
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:huh: Oh I didn't realize that it was two pieces. The reason I wanted at least 6" was so that there would be enough to fit inside the holder. I have about a dozen metal lathe bits from when I took metal shop years ago and maybe I can use some of those.
Update
Ok I just went back and took another look at ddiamondd's thread and now I understand how its being done.
I'm a recently new turner. I got the BB from PSI and love them.
However, the grinder you get is more important...well, it is more important you get a grinder. I would suggest the Rikon at woodcraft. Had for 100 on sale (miss the sale? Just ask to price match).
Otherwise you'll have dull tools after the first few turnings. This makes decent work impossible. Trust me. I made the mistake.
However, the grinder you get is more important...well, it is more important you get a grinder. I would suggest the Rikon at woodcraft. Had for 100 on sale (miss the sale? Just ask to price match).
Otherwise you'll have dull tools after the first few turnings. This makes decent work impossible. Trust me. I made the mistake.
You may want to take a look at these also. This is their web site but they sell through the bay and Amazon also. As yet they do not sell through retail store in order to keep the price down. Their chucks have had a lot of praise but not much on their tools yet. I purchased seven for my daughter and they seem fine; probably about the same quality HHS as the PSI, WC, and others.
I would go with the 1" roughing gouge, 1" skew, and 1/2" spindle gouge. You can make a parting tool easily or add that to you want list.
http://www.thewoodturningstore.com/products/Hurricane-HSS-1-Skew-Chisel-HSK1-54.html?cPath=4_15
I would go with the 1" roughing gouge, 1" skew, and 1/2" spindle gouge. You can make a parting tool easily or add that to you want list.
http://www.thewoodturningstore.com/products/Hurricane-HSS-1-Skew-Chisel-HSK1-54.html?cPath=4_15
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4 Posts
I have bought a lot of different quality, and brands of lathe tools over the years. However, the best investment over the years was my
first high quality gouge. It imediately made lathe work more fun.
This is not because the high dollar tools are that much better, but
when you are just starting out, and really "just learning", a tool
that has the proper usable grind, and will stay sharp for a reasonable length of time right out of the package, allows you to learn and have fun at the same time. I would spend the money for a 1/2 inch bowl gouge, and a 1/8 inch parting tool from high quality steel, and then when you find out how much fun it is you can build from there. I think that the tools from Doug Thompson are first rate, and are reasonably priced. They are in the 50 dollar range, and will last a
lifetime. Doug is a nice quy, and would be glad to advise you on
the proper choices to start you out.
first high quality gouge. It imediately made lathe work more fun.
This is not because the high dollar tools are that much better, but
when you are just starting out, and really "just learning", a tool
that has the proper usable grind, and will stay sharp for a reasonable length of time right out of the package, allows you to learn and have fun at the same time. I would spend the money for a 1/2 inch bowl gouge, and a 1/8 inch parting tool from high quality steel, and then when you find out how much fun it is you can build from there. I think that the tools from Doug Thompson are first rate, and are reasonably priced. They are in the 50 dollar range, and will last a
lifetime. Doug is a nice quy, and would be glad to advise you on
the proper choices to start you out.
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I have a couple of grinders and one that I could use to sharpen tools although I haven’t been so successful with sharpening flat chisels.
Thanks, that narrows it down some.
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