Turning Chisels

If you have any "make it yourself" visit "around the woods" and make some tools.

Personally, I use old tools until they are pretty well gone, and I'm cautious about buying new ones. I do like the Jerry Glaser gouges I've bought, but they are pricy as heck, no doubt about it. I also find that the typical 8 piece "set" has 3-4 tools I'll use a lot, and 4-5 I won't use much.

I'd likely go with the Great Neck, of your choices for that set at that price point.

I disagree. I'd go with the HSS rather than the tool steel. In fact, with price a limiting factor, I might go with these:

set-47066.html

The conventional wisdom is to not buy a set. You really only need a few tools - a set will include some you virtually never use. Get HSS though. I'd recommend a 1/2" bowl gouge, maybe a 3/8" bowl gouge, a parting tool, and maybe a 1/2" scraper. Add to the arsenal as need and budget dictate. As the saying goes, "buy the best and only cry once".

Doug Thompson -

- makes some good tools at a good price. The last 1/2" bowl gouge I got was one of his. Note they come unhandled, but you can either make a handle or buy one. See his links page for a source.

Keep the bevel rubbin'...

...Kevin

An updated link

Then I would go with the Hamlet 1/2" bowl gouge I started out with this set and still use them almost every time I turn. Good qualilty, or were lo those many years ago when I bought them. I see no reason they still are not. I bought a set of Benjamin's Best. He needs to try harder.

The above set, with a half inch bowl gouge will get you going very nicely for less than $135, which should include shipping.

As Kevin said, "buy the best and only cry once". These may not be "the best of the best," but they are very serviceable tools and will last a long time.

Deb

> > I started out with this set and still use them almost every time I turn. > Good qualilty, or were lo those many years ago when I bought them. I see > no > reason they still are not. >

Hi Larry,

Dr. Deb is correct. This set from HF is a great set. They also have 2 other cheaper set. The $40 is ok, but spent the extra $ and get this one. The tools are heavier steel and the handles are better. What ever you do, do not buy the $20 set. That's just a waste of money. The bowl gouge is a good choice to. Good luck.

Dan

Interesting - I got my link just before posting. Now, less than 24 hours later, it's gone and yours works. I do note that the sets were different.

The set referenced by the current link looks just like the one I bought many years ago. I've replaced a couple of the handles when I had nothing better to do as I disliked the appearance. But like you, I found the quality good. I'd go so far as to say unmatched at the price.

I've also had good luck with some of the house brand at Woodcraft and the carbide roughers at:

there is a philosophy that says buy some cheap tools, find out which ones you use alot and then replace them with good ones - if you get carbon steel tools you can sharpen to a better edge but you will need to do it more often - maybe every few minutes.

> > I started out with this set and still use them almost every time I turn. > Good qualilty, or were lo those many years ago when I bought them. I see no > reason they still are not. >

LOL. I concur. Love the way you phrased that.

One thing to note, the set is primarily spindle tools. Nothing wrong with that if you're going to be doing spindle work. I focus mostly on bowls so I'd probably pass those by. But that's just my personal bias. Get the tools you'll use. No matter what the quality of the tool, if you don't use it, it's useless...

...Kevin