Wood Turning Tool Set - Which one should a beginner get?

[Glen Blanchard]

Upcoming midi lathe purchase. Will be turning finials and such for the most part (at least to start off).

Any specific recommendations for an initial tool set?

[Jason Ritchie]

I started off with the Harbor Freight HSS set for around $40. You can often find 20% off coupons for Harbor Freight to make the price even lower. I still use theses tools to this day although I have added in some bowl gouges and others over the years. These tools have always sharpened and held an edge well. I also like the Benjamins Best line from PSI which I think are an excellent value for the money. Just my 2 cents....

[Glenn Barber]

Personally, I'd skip buying the set of tools and get two or three invidual tools that you are going to use for your learning curve (both turning and sharpening). Sounds like you will be doing spindle work to start with. If so, look for a spindle roughing gouge (SRG), a spindle gouge, and maybe a skew. The skew is not the easiest tool to learn, but very useful once learned. If you get a skew, IMO, avoid the oval skews as they are a sharpening nuisance all unto themselves.

You can always look for used tools to begin with. I would start with HSS (high speed steel) and avoid the older carbon tools that can easily lose their temper for the beginner sharpener.

Glenn

[Glen Blanchard]

I know the handles on the sets used when doing larger stuff are long. They are held close to the hip, no? Is there a preferred handle length for doing smaller stuff? (finials for boxes, etc) Should I be looking for shorter handles?

[Marty Eargle]

I will 100% agree with what Jason said. I learned with the Harbor Freight set, and still use many of them to this day. I also have a Benjamen's Best scraper. Not only are the quality of these tools great for the price, but the set will enable you to broaden the types of tools you're comfortable with.

Another main reason why I would go with the HF set, you're going to be learning to turn, as well as learning to sharpen. Personally, I felt a lot better about learning to grind my $20 tools than my $80 tools.

Edit: As far as the size of the handle goes, the HF set is a little small for serious turning on a midi lathe. When you do end up buying your upgraded gouges, the handles will be longer so you can really use leverage to make your cuts. Then, if you get the desire...breaking the HF or BB set out of their current handles and seating them in larger ones isn't much trouble.

[Tim Rinehart]

if you are starting with nothing... I'd do what many of us did, and what I'd do again in a heartbeat. The 6 piece set of PSI tools (Benjamins Best), identified in Amazon by "LCSIXW". The set has following and my opinion on each after having for 3+ yrs:
- Spindle roughing gouge. Good results, still used often. Good size.
- Skew. This is my favorite of small skews. It's rounded sides and glides over tool rest easily.
- 3/8" bowl gouge. I wore this little puppy out. Loved it.
- 1/2" spindle gouge. Least used of my spindle gouges, but I'm not a big user of spindle gouges. Shallow flute would make a nice long detail gouge from this I think.
- Diamond parting tool. It's ok. I've acquired others I like to use more.
- Scraper. One of my favorites also. Good size for small forms...not a heavy scraper, but adequate for small stuff.

[Glen Blanchard]

Thanks guys. Considering that I will be doing fairly small, detailed work (finials, handles, and other accents for boxes), do I get smaller/shorter tools than that PSI set? Perhaps something like this?

http://www.amazon.com/PSI-Woodworking-LCMINI2-5-Piece-Turning/dp/B000KIAE08/ref=sr_1_5?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1335193882&sr=1-5

[Tim Rinehart]

May as well. I have a similar small set that came with my Delta, and it's handy for finial work and smaller details in general. The smallest gouge in there is almost worthless to me though, as it's a bugger to resharpen with my eyes!

[Glen Blanchard]

I have a similar small set that came with my Delta

Does the 460 come with some tools?

[Scott Hackler]

I think it depends on how delicate you want to eventually get with the finials. For me, I use an 1/8" detail gouge almost exclusively for the super fine, detail stuff on the tips of my finials (think 1/32" - 1/16" range). For everything else on the finial I use a 3/8" spindle gouge ground with a detail gouge profile. For most of my finials I start out with 3/4" stock so a roughing gouge ISNT needed or used. I generally just grab my goto 1/2" bowl gouge and make it round REAL QUICK! Keep in mind that you can generally turn any finial with a 1/2" gouge....BUT.... it's a lot easier with the smaller tools! I might also mention that the handles on the smallest gouges are pointless to me, as I hold the steel, not the handle, when doing the small stuff.

That small set would likely work OK, but the middle size set might be of more use... overall.

[Tim Rinehart]

Does the 460 come with some tools?
Not standard equipped, part of total package order when purchased lathe.

[Jeff Hamilton Jr.]

My 460 didn't come with tools. I got this set from LV, a bit priceier than those mentioned, but very good quality I've found http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.aspx?p=56745&cat=1,330,49233&ap=1.

I also have some carbide insert tools which I've found I really like. The pen turner pro from Ken @ Woodchuck tools is one of my favorites for small work - very easy to use and cheaper than any other similar tool out there http://www.woodchuck-tools.com/.

My personal experience with trying to buy cheap has been that I've almost always regretted it later. The old adage of "buy the best and cry once" certainly has held true for me.