ADVICE NEEDED ON TURNING TOOLS

Don't buy a set. Buy the individual tools for your project, one at a time.

djb

If you are after a good beginners set that will handle a lot of different tasks, then something like the Robert Sorby 67HS 6-piece set will be a good starter set. It's not the cheapest set going around, but it is high quality and has all the tools you need to get started with both bowl and spindle projects (and many more). Basically, it includes a roughing gouge, bowl gouge, spindle gouge, skew chisel, parting tool and a round scraper.

-- Regards,

Dean Bielanowski Editor, Online Tool Reviews

5 Reviews:- Woodworking Techniques & Projects- Kreg Right Angle Clamp- Bosch 3912 (GCM12) 12" Compound Miter Saw- Dowelmax Doweling System- Ryobi CDL1802D Pro Series 18v Cordless Drill------------------------------------------------------------

Woody's suggested set seems a good idea to me. Unlike many sets of the past, this one is good quality and selection. There are many rcw threads without consensus, about buying sets up front vs choosing individual tools as you go (all threads are available in rcw archives). Unless you have a tool to try how do you know that you do or don't need it? You will get conflicting opinions here. For many, buying tools from catalogs or driving to a store is often just enough trouble so as to make do, and thus never to know. This set seems a reasonable way to find out with little risk of buying useless tools, and if you do use them all, there will be a saving. Just MHO, which changes wth the weather. Arch

Fortiter,

I use only four tools in my turning business, in which I make mostly bowls, but also turn spinles and the like using the same tools.......

1/4 inch Bowl gouge 1/2 inch bowl gouge 1 inch scraper 1/4 inch parting tool....

BTW, These are the same tools I demonstrate how I use and sharpen in my Bowl turning videos....

Good turning to you and have fun with it...... Ken...

-- Ken & Debbie Bullock (Woodturners)

Woodturning videos at:

# 82323

After reading Woody's review, I retract my humble opinion. The weather changed. I didn't know an _oval skew was included. It is _not an improvement over the traditional skew, and the person that perpetrated this crime on unsuspecting novices ought to be strung up.:( Just my mildly stated opinion. Arch

Fortiter,

Just make sure you buy high speed steel. You might want to get a sharpening jig for the bowl gouges before you grind them up trying to learn how to sharpen them. Just trying to help. Glenn Hodges, Nashville, GA.

We agree on oval skews -- they suck. Buy a regular skew and ease the edges on your grinder to make it less likely to gouge your tool rest. And, for smaller sizes (3/8 and under) make your own from round hss drill blanks. The round shape makes the tool much more predictable when rolling beads.

Bill

I also think that the 3/4" roughing gouge is too small. 1 1/4" is better.

Bill

Dave Balderstone's advice to buy good quality tools as you need them is good. But, being a newcomer to turning, you probably have little idea what tools are available and what they are for. I would recommend that you get the cheapest set of six that you can find (ebay usually has loads on offer), and play with them. You will soon get a better understanding of what each of them can and can't do. THEN go and buy the good quality ones as you need them.

The cheap set will be rubbish and will require constant sharpening (you'll learn a lot about that too, but mistakes will not be costly). You'll learn a lot using them but should be pleasantly surprised at what you can accomplish with them. Finally, they will make you really appreciate the good ones when you get them!

-- GB Extract digit to email.

For a novice turner I would recommend a cheap set of HHS tools to learn turning and sharpening. You will find out which tools you want to use and how to sharpen them without the fear of ruining an expensive one. Only then can you replace these tools with quality knowing what you are doing and have more confidence you will not waste money.

I fear many of our esteemed experts here have forgotten what its like to be a novice and will happily tell you to spend lots of money on their favourite tools which you can then wreck by sharpening incorrectly. I'm still on my cheap set so far, I still haven't got the sharpening right yet.

My policy when buying tools for any specific job is to buy cheap, one which will do the job you want it to do only. If it proves itself useful for general use I will then pay for a quality version for long term use. I've got lots of useless oddities which did their job and nothing else.

Dave Laws>I use only four tools in my turning business, in which I make mostly bowls,

Fair point, GB. In fact I almost did that. But rather than the cheapest set I bought this one:

I've since added another a roughing gouge, four bowl gouges, an oval skew and a bedan one at a time depending on need and whim.

(Yeah, the oval skew was whim)...

djb

Well, I would recommend the "good" set that Harbor Freight sells. They are decent quality steel, and are pretty inexpensive. Here is a URL to them...

am not sure if this is the same sort of set i bought last year,but, I suspect it is...and, I am pretty happy with mine. Not high end...but pretty decent. Regards Dave Mundt

I was wondering if anyone else had noticed these tools. I just happened to see them the last time I was at the Akron HF store. There's another set in a similar box for $39.99 that has dark colored handles that make them look like they were made for the Crown label.

At less than $5 apiece, if the high speed steel is any good at all, I'd be interested just for the metal. They could be reground for special projects.

ARM

Alan, I agree. That 1/2 in. parting tool might better be used for other than parting. :) Arch

Fortiter,

Dave, Unfortunately, the words Harbor Freight make most of us cringe. I have been using the Harbor Freight HSS turning tools since they first started selling them. I purchased the set because I needed a

1/4 " spindle gouge. I thought what the heck do I have to lose? I was quite pleased then and I am still using the tools. The steel is very good regardless of the price. By purchasing the set I was able to buy a complete set of tools for the price of a name brand gouge.

I discussed the steel quality with a friend who has been a tool maker for many years. He agrees that the Chinese HSS is very good quality steel(but he does it quietly). Bill Sullivan Fort Myers, FL

Yeah Bill, but you are turning those soft easy to turn NIP blanks. Just kidding, I have that set.....and you make nice stuff. Arch

Fortiter,

Yea...I have the dark handled ones (but could not find them on the website, which is why I put the pointer to this set). I have had them for about a year now, and I have to say that I am still pretty pleased with them. They are a TAD lighter and shorter than more expensive tools, but, not all that much different. They take a good edge, and keep it for quite a while. My turning experience improved QUITE a bit when I got them. I would recommend them for a starter/upgrade set any day. They are not as good as my Sorby, for example, but, they are pretty darned good. Regards Dave Mundt

I also have the dark colored set. The tool maker that is on the handles is Windsor Design. The beauty of this set is the large skew is pretty massive and can be reground into a nicely sized round or flat scraper. I still use the 1/4" spindle gouge as my primary detail gouge and have reground the skews (after buying better quality ones) into scrapers of different shapes and sizes which have all worked out well. Long story short, the $39.99 price tag is worth it, as I have come out with 5 good tools I use very often that would have cost me over $200. The tool steel is fairly decent and holds a burr and edge quite well.

Chris

Arch, you read my mind! that was exactly what I was going to do! If you think like me all the time you're in deeeeeep trouble! ARM -