Got the Lathe - now what?

[Ashwini Kaul]

<p>
Hi folks, I have a Laguna 18-36 revo on the way. I am wondering what are the tools and other accessories I need to get started. I&#39;m hoping to focus more on bowl turning for now and am taking a class at the NBSS in a couple weeks. I would ideally like to shop with my own tools and get comfortable with them. I already have a Tormek, but no turning accessories. I also have a high speed grinder with a woolverine attachment. please recommend - a good starting complement of tools. I generallylike to buy stuff that is quality, and not throwaway. But I&#39;m willing to consider starter kit if there is a compelling argument/availability for that. thank you so much for your help in consideration!</p>

[Sam Beagle]

Definitely worth buying a few Thompson tools right out of the gate. However, watch some YouTube videos on proper sharpening.
Get a nice bowl gouge
Get a variety of scrapers

And have fun!!!!

[Len Mullin]

Ashwini, getting the lathe is the easy part, deciding what to get next is a hard question to give a proper answer to. But deciding what type and brand of turning tools you like and want/need, would be a good place to start off with. Then what size and brand of chuck to get, plus what type of chuck jaws you'll need. But before you purchase any of these tools, you should get some instructions on how to turn properly and safely. Then practice practice practice, after that, you should purchase whatever tools you feel you need to turn, whatever it is that you want to turn.
Len

[Adam Petersen]

Good face shield, 3/8" Bowl gouge, a parting tool a round nose scraper, a good wheel on your grinder or the turning accessories for your Tormek, and a chuck with 50mm jaws. You can add accessories after that. Your Laguna should come with a faceplate. Folks are sold on Thompson tools, I've got mostly Sorby and P&N and few Hurricane tools (scrapers). I'd maybe pick up a cheap HSS gouge to practice sharpening on, though the Wolverine is pretty fool-proof. I think you'll get a lot of opinions, but you sound like you have a lot of the basics. Get a good face shield though!

[John Keeton]

Congrats on a super lathe!!

[ed hoxter]

get moe money ed

[robert baccus]

Don't worry about the tools and accessories--if you turn on the lathe you will be knee deep in them very soon--like Ed say--find money.

[Ashwini Kaul]

Ashwini, getting the lathe is the easy part, deciding what to get next is a hard question
Len

Len - I am fast realising this!

Ordered a couple of books. Reading as much as I can.
Had I known this before - might never have ordered the lathe to begin with!

[Ashwini Kaul]

Good face shield, 3/8" Bowl gouge, a parting tool a round nose scraper, a good wheel on your grinder or the turning accessories for your Tormek, and a chuck with 50mm jaws. You can add accessories after that. Your Laguna should come with a faceplate. Folks are sold on Thompson tools, I've got mostly Sorby and P&N and few Hurricane tools (scrapers). I'd maybe pick up a cheap HSS gouge to practice sharpening on, though the Wolverine is pretty fool-proof. I think you'll get a lot of opinions, but you sound like you have a lot of the basics. Get a good face shield though!

Is this a good FS? https://www.amazon.com/Bionic-Shield-Clear-Polycarbonate-S8500/dp/B001VXXUWK/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1511832636&sr=8-5&keywords=wood+turning
Should I get the fog coating or skip?

Ordered Benjamins Best set for practice and to get started.

I have the standard norton blue wheel on the grinder; do I need something like this ? http://www.thewoodturningstore.com/hurricane-tools-cbn-grinding-wheel-6x1x-5-80-grit/

And wont the lathe come with any chuck? Any recommendations?

[Ashwini Kaul]

Thanks John!

Working on the moe money part - though the more time will be harder to get!

[Adam Petersen]

That's the face shield I got after many good recommendations. I would get the fog proofing. I didn't and regret it. Do you neeeeed a CBN wheel? No. Will you want one eventually? My money is on yes. That's a whole other can of worms though.....

[John K Jordan]

...the more time will be harder to get!

That is the problem many of us have. I envy friends who are in the shop every day. I'm lucky to get once a week and often less.

Remember, if you are like most people I've met, you will not be sorry you dropped your wallet in this whirlpool. :) Think of it as life enrichment.

JKJ

[Ashwini Kaul]

<p>

That is the problem many of us have. I envy friends who are in the shop every day. I&#39;m lucky to get once a week and often less. Remember, if you are like most people I&#39;ve met, you will not be sorry you dropped your wallet in this whirlpool. :) Think of it as life enrichment. JKJ I like that .... life enrichment! So for the grinder I have a variable speed delta but it has 6 in wheels. I dont use it usually unless a tool is badly out of shape. Should I get the CBN wheels for that or get something like a Rikon 80-808 and get 8 inch (80-180) CBN set?</p>
<p>
Or skip all that and get the Tormek Turners package which isnt cheap either - but it surely cuts slowly!</p>

[William C Rogers]

<p>
I like that .... life enrichment! So for the grinder I have a variable speed delta but it has 6 in wheels. I dont use it usually unless a tool is badly out of shape. Should I get the CBN wheels for that or get something like a Rikon 80-808 and get 8 inch (80-180) CBN set?</p>
<p>
Or skip all that and get the Tormek Turners package which isnt cheap either - but it surely cuts slowly!</p>

From my experience I would start out with the Rikon. To me it would be a progression to go to the Tormek. Just opinion. CBN is definitely a step up, but can be added. As far as tools I kind of wish I started with Thompson or D-Wayne my frequently used tools. IMO they are excellent, but there are other high end tool that may be as good. However I also have many Sorby, Henery Taylor, Hamlet and other name brand tools. They are good. Then I have the Hurricane, Harbor Freight, and Benjamin's Best. The Harbor Freight have been mostly reground into speciality tools. I'm not a carbide tool user. For tools you will use constantly get the high end. For occasional use get good or less expensive tools. Tools are an accumulation over time. I'm still adding.

[John Grace]

Before your budget has all been spent on tools and such, be sure to get a decent respirator system first. You can make one or two well chosen tools perform many different functions but your lungs only do one...keep them healthy.

[John K Jordan]

From my experience I would start out with the Rikon. To me it would be a progression to go to the Tormek. Just opinion. CBN is definitely a step up, but can be added. As far as tools I kind of wish I started with Thompson or D-Wayne my frequently used tools. IMO they are excellent, but there are other high end tool that may be as good. However I also have many Sorby, Henery Taylor, Hamlet and other name brand tools. They are good. Then I have the Hurricane, Harbor Freight, and Benjamin's Best. The Harbor Freight have been mostly reground into speciality tools. I'm not a carbide tool user. For tools you will use constantly get the high end. For occasional use get good or less expensive tools. Tools are an accumulation over time. I'm still adding.

I agree, a 1/2 speed Rikon will be good. I have both 1/2HP and the larger one and the larger one is better. Use the 8" wheels that came with it for a while and put a CBN on your wish list.

I have and use a Tormek very often even through the period some years back where most turners on the forums said it was worthless. I like it a lot. ( I use it with a 1200 grit CBN wheel.) In the wood/lathe are I also use three grinders with various wheels for various things. The thing about the Tormek is, yes, although it does cut slowly you don't use it to shape tools - you use it to take off a few thousandths of an inch and put a new perfect edge on a tool, usually takes only 10-15 seconds. Years ago I made a mount to use the Tormek jigs with a bench grinder so I do my shaping on the bench grinder which is a lot faster.

As mentioned earlier, don't immediately run out and buy a bunch of expensive tools. Different people like different things and ways of working so if you get and do what one person says works for them it may not be the best for you later. Ease into it (and have fun exploring). Or do like most of us, go ahead and get too much then give half of it away later when you find you don't use it. :)

JKJ

[John Sanford]

<p>
Hi folks, I have a Laguna 18-36 revo on the way. I am wondering what are the tools and other accessories I need to get started. I'm hoping to focus more on bowl turning for now and am taking a class at the NBSS in a couple weeks. I would ideally like to shop with my own tools and get comfortable with them. I already have a Tormek, but no turning accessories. I also have a high speed grinder with a woolverine attachment. please recommend - a good starting complement of tools. I generallylike to buy stuff that is quality, and not throwaway. But I'm willing to consider starter kit if there is a compelling argument/availability for that. thank you so much for your help in consideration!</p>

Get a good Norton 3x or CBN wheel for the grinder. Go on Craiglist (or the equivalent) and get a set of tools, they're frequently listed. They don't need to be good tools, because the basic purpose of this set is to learn to sharpen and learn to use the tool correctly.

And then, get some nice tools. You can still keep the lesser tools for teaching folks, for roughing nasty wood, etc.

Before either of the above, get a face shield.

[Scott Grossman]

Face shield.
Dust control of some sort. You will be doing some sanding, and it generates a lot of dust. Your health and safety are priority one.
I worked up to a pneumatic sander, but you can sand by hand to get started. Putting the 3" disks on a soft sanding pad makes it a lot easier even without a sander.
I started with bowls, which are relatively easy. You don't need much, a 5/8 inch Ellsworth grind gouge is really versatile, especially on shallow bowls. Parting tool, nice thick french curve scraper. If I did it over again I'd get just a few tools, with really good steel. Good M42 steel is awesome. With a Tormek and SVD-186 jig the tool will last a long time.
Find a way to get green wood. It is much more forgiving to learn technique on. Dried wood will give you a finished piece sooner, but rough turning green wood is just really fun.