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Just a few thoughts on tool ownership vs use

I was reading over the last couple topics on tool making. One was posted prior to the MI5 deluge on 21 Nov and the latest on 26 Nov. and they got me to thinking last night whilst I was happily turning away about the number of tools I own vs the number that I actually use. Now I am speaking of things like gouges, scrapers, parting tools and the like. I thought and realized that I use perhaps 3 tools on all the bowls I make - a bowl gouge, a scraper, and a parting tool. I use the latter for making a tenon as well as to mark out the top edge of the bowl so I have some idea of where the curve will begin and end. Very rarely do I use a spindle gouge on a bowl but occasionally it does come into play when I want to get at a bit of roughness near the outer edge of the tenon. That I use around three tools is not really news. I recall reading on this group several years in the past that a lot of folks here are about the same. It's not that I am cheap or anything (I believe the better description is frugal) but that up to now I haven't really had any need for more tools. More tools are always welcome. They stand (or lay) in a row and greet you when you enter the workshop and can be likened to old friends. And if you only have a few, well they are really good friends. Lately however I am starting to think that perhaps one or two more would not be an unwelcome thing. I would like to experiment with the Oland tool along the lines of Darrell's design. I've heard it is a nifty little item for bowl making. Another I would like to experiment with is one that will allow me to get under the rim. This would be handy for those bowl designs where the opening in the top is less than the maximum width of the bowl. (Not gonna go to the 'is it a hollow form or a bowl' discussion). Having one would certainly be easier than contorting myself over the ways of my Jet 1236 to get at the inside sides of the object. I think I can rather easily handle the building of an Oland as in a past life was a tool and dye maker. My idea on an 'under the rim' tool would probably be based on a similar design in that instead of putting the tool steel straight in parallel to the shaft, to just crank it over 30 or so degrees. I suppose that if my turning develops any further and I branch out into more esoteric designs (esoteric for me anyways) I may start building my collection up as perhaps some of you have done. I could see having three or four tools just for cutting a groove for inlays, several more for different tenon or mortise designs, perhaps a few more for finishing up rims. The possibilities are really endless.

Reply to
Kevin
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I have at least 2 sets of chisels, the ones that I use daily and the ones that have become reserved for friends and family when they turn something..

Most of my daily tools include duplicates, especially things that I sharpen often, such as bowl gouges and scrapers.. My sharpening stuff is outside and sometimes I'd rather just switch to a duplicate tool that's already sharp instead of going out..

The 2nd set, which are hanging on the back side of my chisel "A frame" are mostly cheaper versions of the ones on "my" side... or duplicates because as an example, I like the skew in the cheap mini-turning tool set that harbor freight has and as I use them up I collect the gouge and parting tool on the non-use side.. IMHO, the skew is worth more than the $10 that the set goes on sale for..

I have 3 shop-made Oland handles and they get a lot of use... each has a different grind on the tip and I know which to reach for when nothing else seems to work.. *g*

I use a lot of scrapers, and if I understand what you're saying about bowl rims, I really like "undercut" scrapers for that..

I have a thin parting tool which gets a lot of use and use a modified version of a standard parting tool for beads and like a small skew...

mac

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Reply to
mac davis

Well, lets see... On bowls, I use mostly scrapers for shaping (round nose, inside, and Raffen skew, but use them all in the same way, and an outside scraper to even up the top of the bowl before reversing and turning the outside). I use 2 styles of bowl gouges; the swept back/ Ellsworth grind a lot (5 that are 1/2 or 5/8 inch which I use all the time, and some other smaller ones that I almost never use, like the

1/4 inch one), and now I am experimenting with the Batty/Mahoney 40 degree nose and 40 degree sweep gouge. I also have 2 bottom of the bowl gouges, for the deep bowls where you can't get the swept back grind in. They are ground to about an 80 degree angle, with the edges only slightly ground back (imagine a bowl roughing gouge ground to 80 degrees, but with a slightly rounded profile rather than straight across). I also use a dovetail scraper to make a recess. I also am experimenting with one of the negative rake scrapers for cleaning up the inside of the bowl. Very promicing, as I can never seem to get the inside as clean as I do the outside. Oh yes, in the interests of research, I own all 3 bowl coring systems. Also several curved tool rests. I have never used an Oland tool. From what I have seen, it is a small scraper, up to about 3/8 inch. Too small for me, I just like bigger heavier tools.

For the Calabash type of bowls, I like a shear scraper to clean up under the rim.

I do turn a few spindles and hollow forms. I have 2 skews that I use (1 and 1/2 inch) 2 spindle gouges (1/2 and 1/4), the sorby spindle masters which worked better when I first got them than they do now, and 4 different parting tools which all seem to have specific uses. I also have some smaller scrapers for box turning, along with some of the cup tools for end grain cutting. I don't have any hook tools yet, but they do seem interesting. I have a number of hollowform cutters, mostly the Mcnaughton ones, for roughing, and some of the sorby tear drop ones for clean up. There have to be others also.

No, I do not have a tool buying problem. This is all in the interests of research.

robo hippy

Reply to
robo hippy

Tools I have used in the last two weeks:

1" 1/4", 3/4" skew 1/2", 1" straight chisel parting tool narrow parting tool 1/8" straight, 90*, 45* hollowing tools 3/16" straight, 45* hollowing tools with 5/8" shaft and offset handle 3/4" roughing gouge 3/16", 1/4", 3/8", 1/2" Oland tools 1" scraper and likely a few I have forgotten. Not to mention a four jaw chuck and stuff like band saw and chainsaw. In other words, my turning time is very limited right now. I find that the guys who use only three or four tools tend to turn the same thing over and over. I like a lot of variety in my turning so it seems to call for a variety of tools.
Reply to
Darrell Feltmate

Tools I have used in the last two weeks:

3/8" bowl gouge 1/2" round-nose scraper 3/4" roughing gouge Homemade 3/8" gouge 6 or 7 assorted files Hacksaw Dozuki saw 3 or 4 assorted width (flatwork) wood chisels Hammer-tacker (had to insulate the attic, ugh.) Utility knife Drill Press Tablesaw Miter saw Router Scroll saw Knee mill Tap arm Anvil/forge Assorted hammers Angle grinder CNC laser cutter Handheld plasma cutter Wirefeed welder Variable speed jigsaw Bandsaw Capacitor-discharge welder Forklift/pallet jack Calipers/mics/etc. Stationary shear Handheld power shear Vise Drain snake Pipe wrench Assorted visegrips, pliers and channel-locks Assorted box-end wrenches and sockets Assorted hex keys Bench grinder Wire wheel & buffing wheels (mounted on the lathe) Probably more I've forgotten.

There's no getting away with just a few for me... :)

Reply to
Prometheus

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