Newbie - which turning tool to buy first

I would get a spindle gouge and I would get a different size than the one that comes in your Windsor set(?) from HF. You are right about the skew being close to a conventional chisel. You can rough corners off of blanks with a skew but many people are a bit apprehensive about using a skew to do this (or a lot of other things for that matter) and prefer to knock the corners off with a gouge first. Unless you plan on doing very small sized turnings and details I do not recommend you buying "miniature" tools. Pens can be turned with regular size tools with no problem. The more you turn the more you like having a hefty tool rather than a light tool.

billh

I should add, that if you are interested in doing bowls, there is no problem getting a bowl gouge and using it to get rid of the corners on pen blanks. Not the ideal tool but for something like that it works fine and will perhaps be more useful down the road than another spindle gouge. billh

Alan.. pick up a spindle gouge and maybe an inexpensive skew, then wait for the HF Windsor set to go on sale... I got it a few months ago for 50% off.. about $30... it's actually a pretty nice set of tools, which surprised me.. lots of steel, not the thin POS ones like in HF's $20 set..

I bought them because one of the kids was moving back in for a while and I'd promised him exclusive use of the mini.. logic (which NEVER works with your kids) said that if I set the mini up with it's own set of sparkling tools, my existing chisels would be safe... yeah, right.. *g*

Oh.. the "windsor design" tools just happen to be a pretty good match to my "Benjamin's best" chisels from Penn State...

mac

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after picking out some chisels you will need a grinder to keep them sharp

a few years ago my wife gave me a griz lathe that cost $150 new and a cheap set of spindle turning tools she found at home depot. The weekend after my birthday I got a good bowl gouge and a grinder.

the next thing you'll need to do is find a local club or shop that teaches turning. Our local club has videos that members can check out. They also have a mentoring program for new turners.

f> Received my Jet Mini Lathe a couple of days ago, some the worse for

Hi Alan, A hearty welcome. Why rush to judgement unless the pens are an emergency? You will likely be turning for a long time so practice a day or two with your shopmade skew while visiting Darrell Feltmate's and Russ Fairfield's sites for help and AAW's for a list of turning clubs.

If you care to indicate the area in which you live, there is most likely a turner nearby who reads this NG and would enjoy lending or giving you a misbought or outgrown gouge and a parting/beading tool plus chat and chew about turning. :)

Turn to Safety, Arch Fortiter

Roughing gouge. 3/4 would probably do nicely. You can do pretty much the whole process from square to sanding with one, if you're careful.

The chisel is an excellent tool, and can be obtained by grinding back that stupid "spear-point" scraper they include in most spindle sets. Though you can use it as a form of beading tool, it's much better as the chisel.

Alan, try the PennState URL below. The set listed is about the same as the HF set, but the shipping is much better. I have the $69.95 set and have found them good quality.

Deb

========================= Alan, The HF Windsor set is a good starter set, plus you'll need a bowl gouge after you tire of the pen turning. Take a look at the web sites for Packard Woodworking and Craft Supplies USA for an over view of turning tools. If you're handy in your shop, You can pick up some good steel from your local machinist supply house and make a pyramid tool (AKA three point tool"), a skewchigouge, and the wedge shaped tool (can't remember what their name for it is) in your shop with only a grinder. Those are 3 useful tools and that will take up some of your delivery time waiting for the "real" tools to come in. Also check Darrell Feltmate's web site for instructions on shop made tools, especially the Oland tool used for bowls and other hollowing chores.

In regard to the pens, I wouldn't start with Purple heart. It's a very hard brittle wood that is not best for a beginner, IMHO. I'd start with something like maple, walnut, or some other medium hardness domestic wood. After getting the hang of what you're doing, then go on to more difficult woods. Welcome to the group and the addiction.

Ken Moon Webberville, TX.

It looks like an OK set, but really has the wrong mix of tools. They give you 2 parting tools, but no diamond or spear point tool. Also no square or angled scraper, only a round nose. If you are to buy one tool at present, I'd probably go for a ellis or Irish grind gouge, fairly versatile, and woun't be provided in any set.

If I was going to buy a singel tool it would likely be a 3/8" bowl gouge sharpened straight across or a 3/4" roughing gouge. On the other hand, Iwould be more inclined to make 1/8", 1/4" and 1/2" Oland tools with interchangeable tips ground at 45 degrees for faceplate work and 60 degrees for spindle work. The exception being the 1/2" which I would leave at 45 degrees as a roughing tool for either. These are, after all, what I use on a daily basis or at least as often as I can get turning time. I would also take a 3/4" chisel and grind it to a skew.

That's just what I'm getting ready to do, based on your excellent web site. First time I've heard you say 1/8, 1/4, and 1/2" tips though. Maybe I didn't pay attention. I've got to order a few hss tool bits as I don't know of any places locally to obtain them. Looking forward to giving it a go.

Thanks Darrell, Lenny

Thanks for the advise on the list. The Bday fairy brought $50.00 extra so the choices have opened up a bit now.

Further research has determined that a skew chisel is the most difficult to learn, but the good turners can use it from start to finish on many projects, and that it is the easiest to sharpen/hone quickly.

I failed to mention that I already have a high speed bench grinder with a white wheel, and found a picture or two of jigs that can be made to hold at a consistant angle to the grinding well.

A bowl gouge in the 1/2 or so area would work for knocking off the corners I understand, so perhaps that will be the first tool so the pen can get round..

Well, not necessarily. To get the best surface from your deep-flute "bowl" gouge, you would have to use ground-back wings so as to present a cutting aspect similar to your chisel. Difference is, that places your tool handle pretty low. Too low, in most cases, to get support from the toolrest against the rotation of the blank. With a roughing gouge you can keep the handle high, just guiding on the rest and bevel, letting the piece come to it for shaving.

damn, I've gone wrong somewhere.. for me, the skew is the hardest to sharpen correctly...

Not that I'VE ever had a skew that cut better on one side than the other.. lol

If you invest in a few wood turning videos, you'll get a great head start with a low investment..

If you get into bowl or "face plate" turning, I'd recommend Bill Grumbine's DVD... It's $30, which is a lot cheaper than a decent chisel...

Bill's a regular in this group and a very good instructor... I wish that I'd had his DVD a long time ago, it really highlighted a lot of misconceptions that I had about turning... He uses a "swept wing" bowl gouge for most of his turning.... for a beginner, that's a "don't try this at home" tool, IMHO, but watching him use it and describe the relationship of wood and chisel edge helped lot... Since I got back into turning, I've probably spent as much time on Darrel Feltmate's web site as he has.... What a great site and useful information.. Other group folks sites that I check out a lot:

mac

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