Quality starter tool set for a person that doesn't have a grinder yet

[Joe Williams]

Hello,

I apologize that this has probably been asked to death in other forms, I didn't find quite what I was looking for.

I received a delta midi lathe for Christmas with a Nova chuck. I would like to start turning chisel handles, maybe some coat pegs and other items to get started. I own mostly quality lifetime tools, like Lie Nielsen or Veritas, not Holte so not insane!

What I am looking for is what you believe to be the right starter set that would allow me to make things and to learn without throwing my money away on junk and without having to grind my own profiles. I need to even learn how to sharpen what I get and it may be that you have to grind them, not sure.

Sorby has a MIDI lathe set that looks interesting but again it's kind of overwhelming.

Thanks all, I really appreciate any feedback you can give me.

Joe

[Roger Chandler]

The absolute best advice is for you to get with an experienced turner and he/she will teach you sharpening. There should be a local AAW chapter within reasonable distance to you if you live in the United States............you can avoid so many mistakes and dangerous situations if you will allow an experienced turner start you off correctly with proper tool presentation, methods to hold work on a lathe and other vitally important aspects of turning.

As far as a starter set, the Benjamin's Best set from Penn State Industries is a fair set and good to learn sharpening, and will not set you back too much. Bowl gouge, parting tool, skew, spindle gouge.........these are the basic tools needed and a roughing gouge to make square stock round.

[George Troy Hurlburt]

In my opinion buy the best money can buy, you won't regret it. You have gone this far, consider getting those high speed tools made in USA or England, not China. Some things we have no choice on, but tools we do. I have many hi speed tools from 30 years ago. The only gouge I ever wore down was the Peter Child Super Flute.

[Jon Nuckles]

Roger's advice to visit with a local turning club is good. It will help you shorten the learning curve.

Unless you use only "easy wood" or other tools with replaceable carbide inserts, you will have to learn to sharpen. Most tools need to be sharpened before first use and they need to be resharpened often. It isn't hard, but you'll need some equipment. Most people seem to go with a low or variable speed grinder with 8" wheels and the Oneway Wolverine jig.

With respect to tool recommendations, many people would advise you to buy individual tools rather than a set. A set is likely to have a tool or two you don't need and may lack one you want. On the other hand, it is tough to make wise selections when you are getting started. If you don't know what you need and want to get started right away, the Benjamin's Best set is very inexpensive. It is what I started with and I still use a couple of the tools on occasion. I think the weak spot in the set is the bowl gouge, and you won't need that for the projects you named. If you decide you like facegrain turning in addition to spindle work, you'll likely want to invest in a bigger and better bowl gouge anyway. Have fun and guard your wallet!

[Reed Gray]

The problem with 'starter' sets, is that they often contain tools that you will almost never use. Probably the best quality tools out there are from Doug Thompson, and Dave Schweitzer (D Way tools), and you can google them. You are buying from the makers. Yes, a grinder or belt sander is necessary for sharpening, and in most cases you do not want the delicate edges that are on your hand planes. As said above, try to find the nearest club. The demos are priceless, and most clubs have mentors. I have a number of videos up on You Tube, and I do mostly bowls. Type in robo hippy.

robo hippy

[Thom Sturgill]

Good advice so far. Get a good spindle gouge - 3/8" for starters and a roughing gouge or heavy bowl gouge. Get them unhandled and use them to make their own handles. You can always make better handles later after you learn to use them. Those will make the items you listed. Maybe a skew, but that has a steeper learning curve. Get a grinder - 8" slow speed and either a wolverine or learn to sharpen on a platform.

There are numerous you-tube videos on sharpening, both with and without the use of a jig.

[Joe Williams]

Thank you all so much, I will see about finding someone to help me out and just make sure I have the right tools and skills before I go hog wild.

[Reed Gray]

I used to figure that the lathe was about half the cost of getting into woodturning. Well, I figure it is closer to 20% of the cost.... More toys! Grinder, grinder wheels, sharpening system and platforms, tools, chucks, abrasives, bandsaw, dust collection, finishes, chainsaw, hand truck, measuring tools, lighting, cabinets to put it all in.... and the list goes on...

robo hippy

[Michael Mills]

I agree with most of the other remarks. I did notice that you stated the Sorby MIDI set. I could only find one listed and it gave the overall length as 13-14" (standard spindle tools are about 17-18" overall); this was a midi set, not a mini set. I would go with the full size regardless of what brand you start with.
As far as individual tools I would go with a Spindle Roughing gouge, a 3/8 spindle gouge, a 1" skew, and a thin parting tool. Sometime a "set" is less expensive than three or four at individual price.

[Stan Calow]

Joe, I am no expert, but if I was starting over, I would get the easy wood carbide tools (or equivalent). Seems they would get most of what you want done, without spending most of your time learning to grind and shape tools. Then add good quality tools as you try different things, or bump up into the limitations of the carbide tools.

[Roger Chandler]

Joe, I am no expert, but if I was starting over, I would get the easy wood carbide tools (or equivalent). Seems they would get most of what you want done, without spending most of your time learning to grind and shape tools. Then add good quality tools as you try different things, or bump up into the limitations of the carbide tools.

This is one approach that can be taken........however, realize that if you want to progress into woodturning any further, you will still have to learn the sharpening and use of gouges and other tools. It seems to me that learning these things up front will allow one to get to the more advanced levels faster, and since the cost of easy wood tools is quite expensive, one can get a middle of the road set of tools to learn sharpening on and produce some pretty nice work with them, and then when their skills are honed pretty good advance to premium tools that will up their game even more.........

That is the route I would take as a beginner...........YMMV! ;)

[Dennis Ford]

I would consider it a waste of money to buy tools that you can not sharpen. Do you have a stationary belt sander? If so, it could be used for sharpening with the right belt. Sharpening equipment and skills are more important than turning tools.

[David Bassett]

I'm still a beginner, but I've started through the process you're facing. First, let me reinterate the advice to find a club, get a mentor, or take a class! See what you actually use and how those tools feel to you. At that point you may have your answers.

If you find yourself debating options, I have some thoughts that may, or may not, help you. First, start slow and add tools as you need (want) them. Next, buy good tools. (Cry once, not everytime you use the tool....)

One factoid that stuck in my mind from my search was about the EWTs. (I'm sorry, I remember the thought, but have lost the link and can't reference the quote.) I found a review of the EWT tools by a turning instructor. Most of the debate is expressed as love/hate and this instructor seemed to put both points of view in perspective. Basically EWT are limited, but they are easier to learn to use. He said he'd started using EWT tools for his introduction classes and had a much higher percentage of his students get good results and stick with turning. Many stuck with the EWT, which will do most things pretty well, and were satisfied with their results. Others, about as many as before I think, wanted better and / or more complicated results and continued on to learn to use and sharpen traditional tools. He seemed really positive with that approach. In my case, I found the traditional tools we used in my class comfortable and don't really need EWTs for turning. (Sharpening, however, I'm not yet comfortable with. It's pretty hit or miss for me still.)

For what you say you want to do, you could probably get by with a EWT Finisher. No sharpening and, while limited, could do simple tool handles etc. You'd have to "part" off the lathe with a saw or something, so I'd then think about a parting tool. I like the "diamond" parting tools and find them a little easier to use (of the ones I've had a chance to try.) Also you can sharpen them with a flat stone. If you are committed to traditional tools, you could start with a 3/8" spindle gouge. That would limit you to round stock, so you'll probably want a "Spindle Roughing Gouge" or heavy bowl gouge to initially round stock soon. And of course a parting tool adds flexibility. With either the EWT or the spindle gouge you can shape handles, from dowels, for additional tools and opens the door to the Doug Thompson, D-Way, or any unhandled tools (e.g. Sorby has some.)

[Dan Masshardt]

In my opinion DO NOT buy the best tools you can afford. You will likely mess up and radically change some grinds or grind off excessive material etc in the learning process. Also you might end up buying expensive tools that you hardly ever use.

I bought the red handled harbor freight set (don't buy any other harbor freight set). I think it was $69 before the 20% coupon. That or a Benjamin's best set from pennstateind.

With that, learn his to sharpen, learn which tools you like and use most, and then gradually replace the tools you use most with high quality tools such as sorby, crown, Taylor, Thompson, d-way...

Incidentally I now own tools buy all those companies and they are great. But I also still use many of my harbor freight set and they still come in handy. No regrets here!

[Lee Reep]

In my opinion DO NOT buy the best tools you can afford. You will likely mess up and radically change some grinds or grind off excessive material etc in the learning process. Also you might end up buying expensive tools that you hardly ever use.

I bought the red handled harbor freight set (don't buy any other harbor freight set). I think it was $69 before the 20% coupon. That or a Benjamin's best set from pennstateind.

With that, learn his to sharpen, learn which tools you like and use most, and then gradually replace the tools you use most with high quality tools such as sorby, crown, Taylor, Thompson, d-way...

Incidentally I now own tools buy all those companies and they are great. But I also still use many of my harbor freight set and they still come in handy. No regrets here!

I'm with Dan. I own that HF set, and have learned to grind them. I also recommend learning to use the skew. It can be intimidating, but I get a far smoother cut with my skew than with my carbide tools. Carbide tools have a place, and I use them, but they are not a turner's panacea like many of the ads claim. By the way, I almost always buy the best I can, but in the case of lathe tools, a cheaper HSS set is a good way to learn to turn, and to learn to sharpen. (I currently have about 5-6 things I want from d-way tools. Really nice stuff!). Check out the YouTube video "The Skew Made Easy" by Brendan Stemp. This video really helped me learn to use the skew.

[Marvin Hasenak]

In my opinion DO NOT buy the best tools you can afford. You will likely mess up and radically change some grinds or grind off excessive material etc in the learning process. Also you might end up buying expensive tools that you hardly ever use.

I bought the red handled harbor freight set (don't buy any other harbor freight set). I think it was $69 before the 20% coupon. That or a Benjamin's best set from pennstateind.

With that, learn his to sharpen, learn which tools you like and use most, and then gradually replace the tools you use most with high quality tools such as sorby, crown, Taylor, Thompson, d-way...

Incidentally I now own tools buy all those companies and they are great. But I also still use many of my harbor freight set and they still come in handy. No regrets here!

I bought a set of HF chisels about 14 years ago to use when teaching newbies, I still have them and still use them. I have also tried the Benjamin's Best, I think they are both made by the same company. I have been turning for over 50 years, and I think the HF and Benjamin's Best are the best bargain to be found for new turners. Like Dan said, they are good to learn how to sharpen and which ones to use for what jobs.

[Dale Gillaspy]

Go to youtube and look at the Easy Wood Tools videos. While I agree with some of the above statements about sharpening (You will have to learn eventually), the Easy Wood Tools will give you a way to start turning right away and get good results. You can then buy some individual gouges as you need them and learn to sharpen them. You will have to buy a grinder, and a lot of people use a sharpening jig to get repeatable grinds. It is cheaper to learn to sharpen by hand, but the learning curve is pretty steep and you don't won't get a repeatable grind.

[Kyle Iwamoto]

I will also say to get a cheapo set of tools BUT get a grinder and sharpener instead of first buying "good" tools. Learn to grind the tools and sharpen. You will need the sharpening jigs eventually anyways, may as well learn to sharpen first. The "good" thing with this theory is the cheapo tools require frequent sharpening and much practiice sharpening. I also do have the HF tools and a large number of the "quality" gouges. My go to gouge is a Oneway which no one else here seems to like..... I finally am about to donate my HF tools to our club auction. Oh yah, find a club and a mentor.

[Prashun Patel]

"...without having to grind my own profiles."

Ok, I'm going to go contrarian here.

Don't take a class yet. Wait until you have some minimal proficiency for that. Watch a bunch of Youtube videos and you'll be able to learn 'enough' to get started. You'll get more bang for the buck from a class after that.

Also, get a grinder. It's not about grinding your own profiles; you need a grinder to sharpen properly. You CAN use a tormek or a worksharp or slip stones, but a grinder with a varigrind is a popular, not-too-expensive set up. Sharpening lathe tools isn't a once-or-twice during the project thing as it is in the flat world; it's an every 15 minute thing. Your sharpening set up is the yin to your tool's yang. You need both.

I would not invest in expensive tools yet before you know what you like to make. I bought the Benjamin's Best starter set, which gives you 5 reasonable tools to experiment with. You will gravitate to a certain kind of turning eventually, like open vessels, hollow forms, ornaments, or spindles, etc. Once that happens, buy good tools.

[Stan Calow]

the reason I suggested the carbide tools is, that it looks like they can do 90% of what a beginner needs to do. At the start of any new skill - playing guitar, golf, pottery, painting - if you don't get some positive results early, you lose interest. I got a bunch of turning tools I bought, new and used, and I end up only using a few on every project. All the time I spent chasing the perfect grind on all those tools, with all the subjective guidance, I wish I had spent just turning something.

[Dale Miner]

OP,

Your title mentions you don't have a grinder. Without a grinder you are stuck with using tools with replaceable edges. That gets exspensive very quickly, even if the claims of edge longevity from the tool supliers are accurate.

A slow speed grinder from Woodcraft cost about the same or less than just one of the carbide scraper type tools.