starter set of turning tools?

[Will Blick]

I am considering jumping into the Delta VS lathe, looks like perfect entry lathe for small projects.... have not turned in 30 years :-(

Initially plan to turn spindle stuff, legs, tops, no big chunks like bowls.... no pens for now, but I am sure I will fall victim to those beauties...

I have no lathe tools....

Any input on a starter set of tools? Anything to watch out for? Quality differences between brands, noticeable when using the tools? How important is a sharp edge and the ability to hold that edge? I assume not as critical as something like hand planes?

TYIA

[Jon McElwain]

Several people here have purchased the HSS set from Harbor Freight, or a set of HSS Benjamin's best from Penn State. These are not going to be high end tools, but they are high speed steel (HSS) and will do the job just fine. They are a great value for a starter set and will be perfect for learning. You can figure out what you use and what preferences you might have before buying one really nice tool that costs nearly as much as one of these sets. Thompson lathe tools are really nice - these are my favorite and the favorite of many folks here. Glaser are popular as well - very expensive though. Anyway, hope that helps!

[Marty Eargle]

I got the HSS set from HF for about $40 when I started turning and I still use some of them. They hold an edge fairly well and come with basically all the tools you need for spindle work.

[Charles Bjorgen]

If your initial goal is spindle turning for furniture, a roughing gouge, a 1/2" or 3/8" spindle gouge, a diamond parting tool and possibly a skew chisel would get you started. Tool sharpness is every bit as important as with hand planes and hand chisels so you'll need a bench grinder as well. Try to get some instruction with both turning and sharpening. A sharpening jig such as Onway's Wolverine system can be helpful.

[Will Blick]

thx for contributions, will check them out.....

Charles, interesting info...
For sharpening, what grit to you sharpen to? I run my hand planes blades to 15k or 30k shapton stones... we don't need that for turning, do we?
Do you typically move through the grits when sharpening, or just continually touch up an edge on the same grits. I have a 1" belt sander that would probably be ideal for sharpening these tools?

[Jon McElwain]

I've got the Oneway system with 80 grit and 120 grit 8" wheels. Occasionally I'll run a skew chisel over a wet stone up to 8k.

[Jamie Donaldson]

Will- you'll find a world of difference between sharpening your carbon steel flatworking tools and the HSS turning tools in use today. The slow speed grinders with Al Oxide wheel grits of 60 and 100 are standards, and no honing for most tools except perhaps skews. The turning process with a bowl gouge in much more abrasive than the slicing of a plane or chisel, and a finely honed edge is not going to last long in such duty. You would be well advised to see if there is a woodturning club in your area and hook up with them for some guidance before jumping into the bottemless pit of turning and the tool/toys we enjoy these days, but as a woodworker you're already aware of some of those hazards!

[Will Blick]

Here is the sharpener I was thinking of using? Mine has the adjustable table on it... free hands real easy

210695

[Will Blick]

jamie, thx for the insights....yep, as I just start poking around the sites the early posters mentioned, I can see the slippery slope already.... argggg... I want to keep this relatively simple and low budget.... so often I need a lathe in my shop, was just trying to fill that gap...then, come the accessories... sheeeeez...

Your sharpening levels make sense, as these tools get beat down on pretty hard, I didn't think I would have to sharpen to levels I do on my hand planes, which I ask a lot from when working with knarly wood, hence the high grits, which make a huge difference.

any "must have" DVD's or books to give my mind a good refresher?

[Kyle Iwamoto]

DVDs, for spindle work, I would say Alan Lacers Skew series. I still can't use a skew, unless it's a scraper. For bowls, Bill Grumbine is teh most popular reccommendation you'll get.
I would also add that the HF tool set is a really good buy. 40 bucks shipped to your door, if you find coupons or a sale. That set has everything but a bowl gouge. Your bowl gouge should be a high end tool, it gets the most workouts from me, so dollars spent on a good bowl gouge is money well spent. Thompsons are really a good buy, Glasers are good but really expensive. Oneways are also really good but expensive. Sorbys are good too, but pricey. After you get better, you can get better tools, and save the HF tools to regrind into specialty chisels.
Get a sharpener of some sort. I hand sharpened my chisels, and was oblivious to what a sharp chisel really was. I took the plunge for a Tormek and was amazed at what a SHARP tool did. I spent years turning with dull chisels, because I knew no better. I THOUGHT they were sharp.

[Jamie Donaldson]

Your belt grinder can work, but it doesn't have the jigs available that really help standardize the sharpening process. The better alternative is the Woodcraft 8" grinder with the white AO wheels for about $80 regularly on sale, and the Oneway Wolverine jig system that will pay for itself in saving wasteful grinding on your HSS tools. If you are going to start mostly doing spindle type turning, a basic few tools should include 1/2" spindle gouge, parting tool, spindle roughing gouge, and if you have a mentor who can show you the basics, a skew. I have been turning for 25 yrs. and do little real spindle turning, but a skew is not my friend, and I can do all the turning I need without that beast!

[Will Blick]

OK, ordered Lacers DVD, (thx for tip) and next maybe a book....maybe for once, I will venture slowly into something.... I recall when I started into hand planes, and I was warned by everyone of that slippery slope....well, not me, I just want to clean up some edges... 4 years later, I would be embarrassed to show my collection.... I can already see how turning has some of the same ingredients....

BTW, I also have a Veritas sharpener, which they tout as being excellent for turning tools.... just trying to reduce the amount of stuff... no space... this should work OK?

210704

210705

[Charles Bjorgen]

When I started 10 years ago I bought the book "Woodturning:A Foundation Course" by Keith Rowley. I selected my first basic turning tools from recommendations in this book. It's a book for beginners and will give you a good start on things you need to know ranging from lathe and tool selection to turning safety. His rules for turning can save you lots of trouble as well as some injury to your body. There's also a companion DVD to the book.

But I concur with those who recommend locating a local club or an experienced turner who might help get you started.

[curtis rosche]

you will want a bench grinder for most tools as the "hollow" created by the radius of the wheel is important to the tools

[Will Blick]

Thx Charles... I will look into Keiths book next....

Curtis, is the hollow mandatory? its only the edge that makes contact with the wood, right? I know with plane blades and chisels its just for convenience so you can hand hone...

[curtis rosche]

for certain tools like a roughing gouge and a few others, depending on how you are using it, you have the concave surface rubbing on the wood while cutting, this can give a smoother cut. its called riding the bevel

[Bernie Weishapl]

I second Charles's recommendation of Keith Rowley's book. It is full of beginning info.