Thompson Turning tools

[Rick Markham]

Hey guys, my Thompson tools showed up today. I wanted to tell you all thank you for letting me know about Doug Thompson! I think I spent about 45 mins on the phone with him just talking story. He is a very cool guy, and it is awesome that he has retired from his "real job", as he put it, to do what he wants and make some really awesome tools. I will say they are beautiful! I'm glad you guys let me know about him, I think it is money well spent to help support an individual craftsman! He had almost everything in stock that I wanted (John Keeton's list on my other thread) A couple were out of stock, but he will be getting my future business too. :D

He is one heck of a nice guy too boot, since I "ordered so much stuff" he was nice enough to engrave the three handles for me, I have to say when I unwrapped them, it made me smile larger than life! Thanks Doug! Thank you guys for being so helpful... SERIOUSLY!

Now I will just wait for my chuck, and other goodies to show up, and I am in business... besides I can't let the "Mustard Monster" distract me this week... ITS FINALS WEEK :(

Oh well... Here is the pic, since otherwise it didn't happen :p

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v295/Rick357/001-3.jpg

[Mark Hubl]

Christmas has definetly come early in Florida this year! Those look sweet. They should make some real purty curlies. The handles are way cool with your name on them. Doug's stuff is beautiful.

[John Keeton]

Wow!! I am impressed - handles with your name on them! First Class!

Nice pile of metal there, Rick, and I can assure you they are superb tools.

[Jim Burr]

Knowing what they cost, I think you made Doug's Christmas very merry indeed! Nice haul!

[Rick Markham]

Mark, yes Christmas for the next decade showed up at my house early this year... and birthdays. LOL

John, after reading what y'all have had to say about them I had no doubt. After reading the metalurgical specs on them and his hardening process there was definitely no doubts. Doug has probably forgotten more about metalurgy than I will ever know about it LOL Thanks John for your suggestions I'm looking forward to learning to use them all now!

[Rick Markham]

Jim, I hope I helped! I know he has made mine unforgettable! After reading about his processes and the type of steel he uses (which is quite expensive type of tool steel) and of course his "breakdown of cost per inch, grind etc. It made it much easier to justify (like I need any help "justifying" anything at this point) Just point me in the direction of the nearest "tool pig's annonymous" :eek:

[Ken Hill]

Very jealous:D

[Doug W Swanson]

I received a few tools from Doug last week. I haven't bragged about them yet because I am going to make handles for them. Doug is a class act and spent some time on the phone figuring out what tools were the best for me. I opened them up when I got the package and the tools are super nice. I can't wait to use them!

[Ken Glass]

Rick,
It is hard to do better than Thompson for tools. Great purchase. Now you can get started making shavings.

[Rick Markham]

Doug, I can hardly wait either... just got to wait on my chuck, chuck adapter and faceshield to show up. I might explode before that happens.

Ken, as soon as I can I am going to fill my small shop with tons of curlies :D

[David E Keller]

Wonderful selection of tools you got there! You don't need a chuck to make shavings... Go mount a log between centers and make a toothpick!

[Bernie Weishapl]

Some great looking tools there Rick. Get your finals done and then it is chip making time.

[Alan Zenreich]

You'll likely have to grind down two of the edges of the large skew's tang to knock off the corners so it will fit into a 5/8" handle.

At least that's what I wound up doing when fitting my skew into a OneWay Thread-Lok adaptor.

A few seconds at the grinder takes care of it.

[Doug Thompson]

Very jealous:D


Me too... I don't have a handle with my name on it... :( Rick, if you any questions just call (after 12 noon EST)

[Michael James]

Nice haul! I've been eyeing his gouges and will probably pull the trigger early next yr, if I make it through the holidaze........:cool:
Quite an exercise in discipline to hit the books while all this is calling you out to play! Hope to see some posts soon!
mj

[John Keeton]

Me too... I don't have a handle with my name on it... :( Now, that is sad!!!:eek: What is they say - plumber's commodes are the last to be fixed.... Apparently, tool makers tools are the last to be engraved!!:D

[Rich Aldrich]

Rick, nice haul. I just ordered a 1/2 V and 5/8 V bowl gouge.

[Bonnie Campbell]

Doug definitely is a class act. He made me smile BIG a few Christmases ago :) He has customer service down to a fine art, along with his great tools!

[Scott Hackler]

Dang it, now I NEED a personalized handle from Doug for my Thompson tools!! :) Congrats, they are great tools.

[Rick Markham]

Me too... I don't have a handle with my name on it... :( Rick, if you any questions just call (after 12 noon EST)


That's funny Doug! My handles all have your name on them too ;) I really appreciate it Doug! It was great talking to you on the phone, I look forward to doing it again soon. I'm sure I will have even more work for ya :D

[John W Dixon]

Rick that is awesome set of tools. Color me green!:D

John

[Ryan Baker]

I love my Thompson tools. They are my most used tools, and there will definitely be more in my future. The new handles look nice. Once word gets out, I think the custom handle engraving is going to have to become a regular service option.

[Rick Markham]

He offers the engraving as a regular option now, It's listed as $5 for laser engraving. It makes me smile everytime I see them, (pretty sure I'd be smiling without it, but its kinda the icing on the cake, so to speak)

[Cathy Schaewe]

I can't believe you ordered a Mustard Monster before finals!!!!!! Wow, are you ever going to have to struggle against the vortex!:eek:

Seriously, you can't beat Doug's tools. I keep 4 tools in the basket below my lathe, so I can get to them right away, and the rest in the tool holder, which might be half a step away. All four of them are Thompson tools, and I don't think turning would be nearly as fun without them!

Enjoy!!!

[Rick Markham]

Thanks Cathy! Yes this is by far the hardest part of waiting is letting it just sit there while I study, It's ok, it will be worth it in the end ;)

[Nate Davey]

Congrats on the first class tools. I love my TT handle.

[George Morris]

Great tools from a good person,enjoy them! G

[Mike Cruz]

Jealous doesn't begin to describe it! I ordered one, yeah ONE, gouge from him. Boy, would I love to have a set like that!

[Rick Markham]

Haha, well I am truly blessed Mike! Now if I can just make it through finals this semester I can get to use them ;)

[Kyle Iwamoto]

Tool envy!

[Ken Hill]

:DWell, im a little bit LESS jealous now:D

[Rick Markham]

Do tell Ken! Now I am curious!

[Ken Hill]

I ordered a 1/2 V Gouge and Handle. They were out of the 3/8 or I would have ordered one of them as well. Had to get the vari grind attachment as well to keep them sharp.

[Jeff Nicol]

Rick, I have 2 of Dougs gouges and will most likely get a couple more in the future, I just need to wear something else out so I can replace it. But it seems with over 100 turning tools I will never wear anything out so I will buy them just because! I had a 1/2"V gouge in the drawer for almost a year before I finally got a handle made for it and now I use it everytime I turn!

Have fun and get good grades!

Jeff

[Rick Markham]

Jeff, I really love mine, I haven't got to try them all out yet, but I've been using my 1/2" U bowl gouge, 1/2" V bowl gouge, 3/8" bowl gouge, and my 1" skew quite a bit. It's kinda neat getting to learn with them. Nothing beats a razor sharp tool! (being a "retired" chef I'm pretty anal about edge tools being sharp) Ken you will love his 1/2" V gouge, the 3/8" is one of my favorites (so far) and worth waiting on. I love the handles too :) they still make me smile everytime I pick them up.

4.0 so far... One more test, and one self portrait to go and the semester is over. I snuck some time in on the lathe and turned my first two bowls... can't wait to show them off! Hehe, y'all knew I wouldn't make it all the way to the end of finals didn't ya?

[Roland Martin]

Very jealous:D

Very jealous indeed!!!

[Wally Dickerman]

Rick, why do you need to wait for your chuck to arrive? Before about 1990 the 4-jaw chuck that most turners are using, didn't exist. We turned a lot of bowls before that! You have a faceplate? Use it on practice wood to get going. In my beginning bowl classes we don't use a chuck at all. We use glue blocks and faceplates. I want students to know that they don't need expensive equipment to turn wood.

In the very old days it was accepted practice to use faceplates directly on the wood. Look at very old bowls and you'll often see small plugs fitted into screw holes. Sometimes felt or cork was used on the bottom of bowls. I've used cork. In Richard Raffan's first book on form, there is a pic of the bottom of one of my bowls that has a plug fitted into the hole I used for a screwchuck. Richard used that to show that it was accepted practice then.

You have those nice new tools. Mount a piece and make some chips fly!!

Wally

[Rick Markham]

Wally I was really trying to find any excuse to study and not "play" but it is too late... I've already dabbled (2 bowls down) and now it is too late for me!:D