Need some experienced advice for newb...

[Jack Gaskins]

I am going to order my first bowl gouge and detail gouge this weekend and am having a difficult time trying to decide which brands. I was going to go for the Thompsons, since they are a newer metal and supposedly stay a little sharper longert, but they are unhandle and my lathe is only jet 1014 so I dont think I could try and make any handles. I had thought of getting a Paul Bennett handle to go with the thompsons but the handles are $25 plus shipping. Is there a good brand of M2 steel gouge to get or should I just go ahead and get the Thompsons and order some handles?


What about roughing gouges, does it really matter if you get one of the PSI rough gouges or should I buy a "quality" one? Same for a scraper, or do I even need a scraper (to many posts on using a bowl gouge to shear scrap has me doubting whether I should get a scraper or not).

As for sharpening, I have the wolverine system and the varigrind jig but I only have it set up on a 6" variable speed grinder. Will I need to buy an 8" grinder? Any particular brand that I should look at?

I have a Vicmarc VM100 sscroll chuck on the way but I want to get a good live tail center system, can you guys recommend a good set (currently I just have a double bearing 60 degree live tail center for turning pens).

Spur drives-recommendations?

I also have the PSI collet chuck on its way.

Callipers, what size/brand should I get? Granted I only have a jet 1014.

My future plans are to order the PM 3520B around July already have most of the money saved up for it.:D.

If Im missing anything just throw it in. Thanks.

[John Fricke]

About the only thing I see missing from your list is a source for steady flow of cash to fund your fall into the vortex.

I and i'm sure many others highly recommend the Thomson tools. You can make a shorter handle on your Jet for now then when you get the PM you can make longer ones. Another option would be to locate a local turning club, I'm sure you could find a member willing to let you turn a handle or 2 on their lathe.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Jack....Welcome to the Vortex!

Don't run down your Jet 1014. They are solid, be it little, lathes. I started with a 1014VS. Eventually I went to the PM 3520B.

First...you could turn a handle upto 14" in length on your lathe. And....frankly, a roughing gouge could be used to turn it.

2nd.....While I use a Sorby 3/4" roughing gouge, there are others out there just as good for less dollars. If you look locally you can probably find dealers locally that handle Robert Larson tools. Robert Larson tools are Sheffield steel tools manufactured in UK but they are handled here in the US. They are a good quality tool and less money. That being said, there are number of Creekers that started using PSI's Benjamin's Best and really like them for the quality and the price. So do you need a BRAND name?....Nope.

You can get by with a 6" grinder. Some folks do. It just makes for a more concave grind on your tools.

Good luck with your endeavors in turning!

[Jerome Hanby]

Ditto on the Thompson. I'm not the turner in the family, but I did turn a handle for a Thompson bowl gouge. Just handling it to set it in the handle ws enough to see it's a serious piece of metal!

[Jim Kountz]

You can also make handles from iron pipe either 1/2" or 3/4". All you need is a couple of fittings and Im pretty sure Doug has the how-to on his site although I could be wrong about that. I made a couple from pipe and then wrapped them with Tennis Racket tape, the real spongy kind from Wally World. Comfy and easy to grip!!

[Richard Madison]

Jack, Can you turn a full 14" between centers? Turned a 14" handle yesterday for Thompson 1/2" V and it's about right for me. Plenty of leverage and control. Bigger tools might need longer handles.

[Jeff Nicol]

Jack, It sounds like you have thought this out a lot and are not sure of your skill level. The handle is the simplist thing to make and 14" would be just fine for a Thompson tool. Since you have a small lathe right now you don't need giant tools yet. Give things a try and see what works for you, like said by others a handle can be made from steel or aluminium pipe, just get the pipe to fit the tool steel. But if you are not confident in making a handle then buy the one that you like the looks of and go from there. Lots of these decisions are made by your eyes and not your wallet! Just get a lot of wood curls under your belt and you will figure it all out, we all have little differences in our styles, tool selection, and most important our wallet size!

Have fun and get in there with both hands and get dirty!

Jeff

[Bernie Weishapl]

Jack I wouldn't let the fact that Thompsons are unhandled. If you are unsure about making a handle for them here are some you could use. Cheap and are very good although your 1014 would easily make them.

http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/store/Turning_Materials___Assorted_Blanks___Ash_Tool_Han dle___ash_handle?Args=

Here are handles from Dave Peebles that I bought when I bought my first Thompson gouges. These are excellent and are not priced out of the ballpark. They feel good and are well balance.

http://www.bowlturner.com/

Just some idea's.

[Jerome Hanby]

I cut a piece of hard maple a little longer than the handles on our Shopsmith turning chisels, turned it more or less dowel shaped, then tapered it to a slight wasp waist, turned the tenon for the ferrule, rounded off the shoulders, and used the Shopsmith's jacobs chuck to drill the hole in the end with everything still in lathe mode. One of those 'If I can do it, it can't be screwed up" operations. Only thing that was a bit tough and go, following the Thompson instructions, the brass tapered nut I bought, didn't let me leave too much wood at the end of the tenon. Drilling it left me with a very thin wall. I think I may have been too concerned with the tapered end of the brass ending up close to the diameter of the tool's shaft when I selected the nut. Next time I'll go with a larger nut.

[Jack Gaskins]

Jack I wouldn't let the fact that Thompsons are unhandled. If you are unsure about making a handle for them here are some you could use. Cheap and are very good although your 1014 would easily make them.

http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/store/Turning_Materials___Assorted_Blanks___Ash_Tool_Han dle___ash_handle?Args=

Here are handles from Dave Peebles that I bought when I bought my first Thompson gouges. These are excellent and are not priced out of the ballpark. They feel good and are well balance.

http://www.bowlturner.com/

Just some idea's.


Well, guess I will go ahead and order a couple of Thompson gouges and a couple of the Burnett handles.

[Jack Gaskins]

Jack I wouldn't let the fact that Thompsons are unhandled. If you are unsure about making a handle for them here are some you could use. Cheap and are very good although your 1014 would easily make them.

http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/store/Turning_Materials___Assorted_Blanks___Ash_Tool_Han dle___ash_handle?Args=

Here are handles from Dave Peebles that I bought when I bought my first Thompson gouges. These are excellent and are not priced out of the ballpark. They feel good and are well balance.

http://www.bowlturner.com/


Just some idea's.
Should I order the U shape or the V shape first. I plane to start turning dry small woods, making very small bowls and such until I get comfortable with that then moving up to say a 9" size bowl. Since I have no chainsaw I will mainly be ordering or purchasing more or less dry woods. I read that the v shape hogs or more wood efficiently but the U shape gouges leave a cleaner cut.

[Reed Gray]

I would recomend the V gouge. There are other V gouges out there, and they are fairly steep sided. Dougs is more open and I like it. His U gouge is more open as well. The only real difference for me is that I work the V gouge with the flutes more up at a 10 to 15 degree angle away from what I am cutting, and the U gouge with the flutes more at a 45 degree angle.
robo hippy

[Jack Gaskins]

Jack....Welcome to the Vortex!

Don't run down your Jet 1014. They are solid, be it little, lathes. I started with a 1014VS. Eventually I went to the PM 3520B.

First...you could turn a handle upto 14" in length on your lathe. And....frankly, a roughing gouge could be used to turn it.

2nd.....While I use a Sorby 3/4" roughing gouge, there are others out there just as good for less dollars. If you look locally you can probably find dealers locally that handle Robert Larson tools. Robert Larson tools are Sheffield steel tools manufactured in UK but they are handled here in the US. They are a good quality tool and less money. That being said, there are number of Creekers that started using PSI's Benjamin's Best and really like them for the quality and the price. So do you need a BRAND name?....Nope.

You can get by with a 6" grinder. Some folks do. It just makes for a more concave grind on your tools.

Good luck with your endeavors in turning!


Thanks, I went ahead and ordered two gouges from Thompson and I wil get a handle from Bennett. Would you be able to recommend a good tail live center set. All I have is a large 60 degree tail center for using on my pen turnings. I was thinking of the set from PSI or maybe the nova set and then I was going to get a tiny live center for holding small spindles. Thanks.

[Kyle Iwamoto]

I've turned handles on my 1014. Just need to drill the hole on a drill press.

An added benefit is you can drill an angled hole to get around corners.:o

While you're making handles, do a search for the home made easy rougher. Someone posted how to make one on this forum. I made one, it's not too hard. Good roughing tool. The hardest part is getting the spiral cutter. Cost about 12 bucks.