Ready to take the Thompson plunge

[Sam Beagle]

So I'm a few years deep into turning. I have gone through a couple lathes, have a new 3520B that I plan on using the rest of my life, so now I'm ready to get some higher quality tools. I have bought basically every tool sorby makes, while I like them, I feel there are better tools to try.

So my questions.
1. Do you guys buy each tool and handle, or switch them up??
2. Any thoughts on the scrapers. I'm a big fan of scrapers. I really wanna try the Thompson big guy. Any thoughts??
3. I'm still not the best w a bowl gouge, that being said, which should I get?
Thanks. Sam

[Bob Bouis]

Sam,

No point in buying handles when you have a $4000 handle-making machine already. IMO of course.

I have a Thompson v-shaped bowl gouge (5/8") and love it to death. I kept the grind it came with. The only downside, IMO, is that it never seems to get quite as sharp as HSS. It sure stays "pretty sharp" for a long time, though. I keep an HSS gouge in reserve for finish cuts.

I have one Thompson scraper (the 5/8 fluteless gouge) and it works really well. Not going to trade in my others, though. No real point to it for what I use them for. Others have reported that the Thompson scrapers with their fancy steel last longer.

[John K Jordan]

So I'm a few years deep into turning. I have gone through a couple lathes, have a new 3520B that I plan on using the rest of my life, so now I'm ready to get some higher quality tools. I have bought basically every tool sorby makes, while I like them, I feel there are better tools to try.
So my questions.
1. Do you guys buy each tool and handle, or switch them up??
2. Any thoughts on the scrapers. I'm a big fan of scrapers. I really wanna try the Thompson big guy. Any thoughts??
3. I'm still not the best w a bowl gouge, that being said, which should I get?
Thanks. Sam


I like the Thompson scrapers reground with negative rakes. Here are some I did recently:

340494

I also make tiny scrapers out of his round, square, and even one from one of his detail spindle gouges. These are great on bottoms of bowls and end grain alike.

340495

I can't possibly advise as to what to buy without knowing what you like to turn and how you work. Maybe just get one of each to start.

I do not buy his handles. I have been making my own handles and aluminum and steel adapters for round gouges and use the "burn the square hole in the wood handle" method for some tools.

For the gouges I use the most I keep two or three of one size and sharpen them all at once. When one gets dull, I swap it out in the same handle for a sharp one. I hate to stop in the middle of something and go sharpen.

I do love the little 5/8 St Leger roughing gouge he sells - I use it without a handle. I also use some spindle gouges without handles for detail work and slipped a small rubber handle on one. It is enough.

JKJ

[Sam Beagle]

Great replies. I have made my own handles already. But I'm a sucker for some things. And I really like the look of his handles. Regardless I will place an order and get some samples of these tools.

[Alan Trout]

Doug's handles are nice. The have a good weight and are square so they will not roll off the bed which is s big deal for me. They are not real expensive and just work well. I use them in my shop and I always use them to travel with when I am out doing demos. I have several of them in different sizes. His tools to me sharpen fine particularly with a CBN wheel I think they are every bit as sharp as HSS. Good luck and have fun with Doug's tools. You will enjoy them.

[Doug Ladendorf]

I get his handles too. They are nicely weighted. If traveling you can put the gouge in point first to protect it.

[allen thunem]

sam I sent you a pm

[john taliaferro]

{Maybe just get one of each to start} JKJ . Yep being impatient shows i don't stop to sharpen tell their is a pile of dull tools . The tool with out the handle on is faster and easer to sharpen on my tor mack . I put a ball handle on my Thompson detail gouge and like it , a knot 1 1/2" x 3 ".

[Brian Kent]

So I'm a few years deep into turning. I have gone through a couple lathes, have a new 3520B that I plan on using the rest of my life, so now I'm ready to get some higher quality tools. I have bought basically every tool sorby makes, while I like them, I feel there are better tools to try.

So my questions.
1. Do you guys buy each tool and handle, or switch them up??
2. Any thoughts on the scrapers. I'm a big fan of scrapers. I really wanna try the Thompson big guy. Any thoughts??
3. I'm still not the best w a bowl gouge, that being said, which should I get?
Thanks. Sam

I would recommend a phone call to Doug Thompson. Tell him what you have and what you want to make next. He will make a recommendation. My guess is that he will recommend a great bowl gouge, with emphasis on sharpening it right and learning how to present it to the piece, so that it will become a favorite tool. I would also guess that he will recommend one of the mid-range scrapers rather than the biggest. But you and he together are the experts and he really knows how to give good advice over the phone.

[Geoff Whaling]

Tool handles are a personal preference thing, either you like wooden handles or you like synthetic with or without ergonomic profiles. I use both but for different reasons. My regular shop tools all have wooden handles that are turned to various profiles, some to the Sorby handle profile. Most are scaled versions of the Hamlet handle profile because they are the tools I used when I re-learned turning with. If turning your own handles please leave adequate timber to support the tang and a good quality ferrule to prevent the handle splitting under load.

One of my favourite tool handles though is a Woodcut ER16 collet handle that I initially purchased for use when travelling to participation style wood turning events. A simple twist of the knurled collet nut allows me to change tools and even permits me to use skews in it if the corners of the rectangular tang profile are rounded slightly. It is standard length for bowl gouge use and will take anything from a 5/8" (15.5mm) round shaft down to a 1/4" (6mm) even less and will take my 1" thompson skews. Iam considering purchasing a second handle to shorten for spindle work. Another bonus is that you can vary the length of the tool shaft protruding past the collet, long for long overhangs over the tool rest for bowls or choke it up short for delicate spindle work with the Woodcut double ended spindle gouges.

One very handy bonus is that you can carry a handle and 10 or 12 bowl & spindle gouges tool shafts all with various grinds (bottom feeder to Ellsworth / Irish grinds) in a relatively small tool roll whereas that number of handled tools would be very bulky.

Replacing the tools from M2 HSS to more efficient V10 etc tool steels is also a preference thing, nothing wrong with HSS as the improvement in wear resistance is not as great in practice as many tool vendors say. Yes they do last longer between sharpenings / honing but not as much as stated by many in my experience. Wear properties / edge performance depends greatly upon the properties of the timber you are turning and your turning style, tool profile etc. In saying that, I have a range of Woodcut, Thompson, Sorby, P&N, and Hamlet tools but I find I do not have a strong preference for any particular tool manufacturer over another, more for the tool, the tool steel sectional profile and the grind profile I have on them. Wear resistance is a secondary preference to me, tool / grind performance is number one.

The Thompson skews, modified to a rolled edge both sides, however are my favourite hands down because Doug uses thicker tool stock which makes for a heftier skew which I personally prefer, but I still use my Hamlet M2 HSS and 2030 skews & spindle gouges too.

I think the greatest benefit in adding more tools to the arsenal is that it permits a turner to use more specialized grinds on each tool rather than settle for an all rounder tool grind.

I would also add that spending time in a class on sharpening and getting the best out of your tools is a very worthwhile investment, as all the tools in the world are not that helpful if they have poor grind profiles.

[kip allen]

Your PM will be very happy with Doug's tools. I can not say enough good about his tools. I love the bowl gouge and the spindle gouge. I also have a skew and that has become my favorite tool of all time. As for handles I use his handles on my bowl gouge and spindle gouge. I did turn my own handle for the skew. I like the weight on his handles and the feel on my wood handle. To me it's all about balance and vibration. Again you PM deserves the best and Thompson tool are in my option is the best. Good luck.

[Reed Gray]

I prefer the U flutes mostly because I use a 45/45 (bevel/sweep) grind and don't use a swept back grind, since I do all of my shear scraping with scrapers. I don't like scrapers more than 3/8 thick or 1 1/4 inch wide. Just more metal than needed. I can stall my Beauty with my 1 inch Big Ugly tools. No problems getting them sharp, but I have the CBN wheels, and they do make a difference.

robo hippy