I have a bit of a dilemma right now. I've been turning with the tools I got with the lathe from the previous owner, which I believe are some cheap-o harbor freight tools. Watching videos, and from first hand use I can tell they aren't great, but they've worked. My 3/4" roughing gouge recently broke, fortunately not while I was turning. I felt the uhh.. blade, for lack of a better word, was loose, and found out I could easily remove it from the handle, and was starting to bend. I immediately got rid of it because I didn't wanna risk that coming out while turning. I've been meaning to buy a bowl gouge anyways, so I figured now would be a good time to do so. I'm most likely going to go with Benjamin's best tools because I've heard good reviews on them. So here's where my dilemma comes in. Should I:
a) buy the BB 8 piece set, which comes with 3/16" Parting Tool, 5/8" Spear Scraper, 1" Skew Chisel, 5/8" Skew Chisel, 5/8" Round Nose Scraper, 1/2" Bowl Gouge, 3/4" Spindle Gouge, 7/8" Roughing Gouge. This would run me ~$70 w/ shipping.
b) Just buy a bowl and roughing gouge since I technically have everything else that comes in the set, even though they're poor quality hf stuff? I was going to get a 5/8" bowl, and 1" roughing. I'm expecting this will probably cost ~$55 for the two
or c) buy the BB "anniversary set", which includes a 1/2" bowl gouge, 3/4" spindle gouge, 1" roughing gouge, 3/4" round nose scraper, 1" oval skew, and a 5/32" diamond parting tool, all in a rosewood display box. This would run me $90 after shipping.
For reference,
This is the 8 piece BB set - http://www.pennstateind.com/store/LCHSS8.html
This is the 8 piece HF set - http://www.harborfreight.com/8-piece-wood-lathe-turning-tool-kit-3793.html
This is the "anniversary set" - http://www.pennstateind.com/store/LCAN6S.html
a) buy the BB 8 piece set, which comes with 3/16" Parting Tool, 5/8" Spear Scraper, 1" Skew Chisel, 5/8" Skew Chisel, 5/8" Round Nose Scraper, 1/2" Bowl Gouge, 3/4" Spindle Gouge, 7/8" Roughing Gouge. This would run me ~$70 w/ shipping.
b) Just buy a bowl and roughing gouge since I technically have everything else that comes in the set, even though they're poor quality hf stuff? I was going to get a 5/8" bowl, and 1" roughing. I'm expecting this will probably cost ~$55 for the two
or c) buy the BB "anniversary set", which includes a 1/2" bowl gouge, 3/4" spindle gouge, 1" roughing gouge, 3/4" round nose scraper, 1" oval skew, and a 5/32" diamond parting tool, all in a rosewood display box. This would run me $90 after shipping.
For reference,
This is the 8 piece BB set - http://www.pennstateind.com/store/LCHSS8.html
This is the 8 piece HF set - http://www.harborfreight.com/8-piece-wood-lathe-turning-tool-kit-3793.html
This is the "anniversary set" - http://www.pennstateind.com/store/LCAN6S.html