Suggested Tools for First Time Turner?

[Matt Schrum]

Hi,
I'll keep this short and sweet: I've been around woodworking since I was a kid, but I have never dabbled with a lathe. I recently placed an order for a Grizzly G0766 (yes, big for a first lathe, but less expensive than upgrading 3 times to get there) that should be here near the end of May.

While I am planning on finding a class locally, which should be a big help, what tools would you suggest I have on hand for turning? In the grand scheme, I am hoping to work up to doing bowls, platters, and items along those lines.

Thank you in advance for your suggestions!
-Matt

[Roger Chandler]

First off.....welcome to the vortex of woodturning! Also, we have a group of Grizzly lathe owners, so I hope you will visit the Grizzly Green Monster Group [GGMG] go to the community tab at top of page click, then groups......you will see it.

I would recommend you find the closest chapter of the AAW to you and they will have a mentoring group that can teach you tool presentation and sharpening, form and many other skills that are essential, as well as crucial safety issues.

You will need a sharpening system, spindle gouges, bowl gouges, parting tool and scroll chuck, but can use a faceplate to mount blanks. You are certainly going big with the G0766......welcome to the club......I am waiting on one as well.

[Marvin Hasenak]

I would wait on buying tools until after you take your first class. The better informed you are the better your tool choices will be, or you might be buying some "stuff" that will start collecting dust after you get some basic instructions. Do some reading and watching You Tube videos. These used to be highly recommended books for beginners. Not sure of what is considered the best starting books for today's new turners. A Foundation Course, by Keith Rowley and Tauntons Complete Illustrated Guide To Turning by Richard Raffan.

[Mike Holbrook]

I think the tools you may need will depend on the type projects you plan to do. You may not know enough to figure out what you will end up liking to do which can complicate matters. I have a post below this one "A few questions about turning tools" that mentions a good variety of places to find such tools. It will probably help to watch videos on YouTube and tool vendors sites to learn more about what various tools are designed to do & how they do it.

[Matt Schrum]

Thanks guys, that's sort of the direction I was leaning (watch as many videos, find local classes, etc before buying tools), plus I was eyeballing prices this weekend and it's pretty easy to drop a ton of money awfully quick. Hopefully once I figure out what I've gotten myself into, I'll be able to buy some specific tools without first wasting money on a bunch of tools I'll never touch.

Either way, it should be another fun set of skills to add to my arsenal!

[Mike Holbrook]

Another way to save a little money is to buy just the front/working part of the tool and use a few of those to make handles. There are connectors you can buy and attach to home made handles which make the working ends interchangeable. Cindy Drozda has a video on making your own handles on her web page. I think there are other videos on YouTube. Doug Thompson has an article on making handles on his site. I think you may end up with a more versatile and mobile set of tools using this system. Most of the vendors of tools that separate into working end and handle, make their own removable handles. They tend to use attachment systems that work on other vendors tools.