Turning Tools - Set or Individual Pieces?

[Paul Elmore]

Hello!

I'd like to turn some legs for a wood and leather camping stool, similar to this:
421433

I have access to a JWL-1236 that has no tools. In order to turn legs similar to the picture, what tools would you recommend?

And would you recommend buying a set, either HF (https://www.harborfreight.com/Wood-Lathe-Turning-Tool-Kit-8-Pc-62674.html) or the Benjamin's Best 6 piece (https://www.amazon.com/PSI-Woodworking-LCSIXW-Turning-6-Piece/dp/B000KIECW4), or if only a few tools are needed, investing in some higher quality ones like Thompson's?

[David Bassett]

... And would you recommend buying a set, either HF (https://www.harborfreight.com/Wood-Lathe-Turning-Tool-Kit-8-Pc-62674.html) or the Benjamin's Best 6 piece (https://www.amazon.com/PSI-Woodworking-LCSIXW-Turning-6-Piece/dp/B000KIECW4), or if only a few tools are needed, investing in some higher quality ones like Thompson's?

What you want depends on the stock you're starting with, your skill, and any future projects you want to (also) prepare for.

First, I don't think sets are a good deal. You generally get tools you'll never use and save only if all the tools are useful. I'd especially stay away from the HF set, too many bad reviews. I've seen mixed reviews for the Benjamin Best tools, mostly mostly happy, but with a few bad experiences.

If you aren't experienced with turning, and don't intend other projects, you could probably get by with the round tipped Easy Wood Tool, (or equivalent from a competitor.) The detail/accent lines would require their pointy tool , a traditional skew, tip of a parting tool, a wire (e.g. metal guitar string), or something else. Functionally that's optional though.

For traditional tools, you could probably get by with a ~3/8" spindle gouge if you started with round (dowel) stock. For starting with e.g. riven stock, a Spindle Roughing Gouge would be a traditional way to get to round. If you're up for more tools a ~1/2" spindle gouge might work more comfortably for the gentle curves with a ~1/4" gouge or a skew chisel for the details. Heck, someone skilled with a skew chisel could probably use one for the whole job. Lots of options and hard to say which fits your skill set and interest best.

[Thomas Wilson80]

A single decent quality skew chisel (1" or so) could do everything from giving a very smooth finish with only minimal sanding required to roughing down to round to making accent grooves/lines. I don't know your level of experience, but I'm fairly new and have found that I have a much easier time getting a great finish with a skew than with any other tool (but maybe that's just me).

If you aren't experienced with the skew, I found it easier to learn the basics on than most tools (these legs look very simple without any significant coves/beads). I learned to use the skew from a couple online videos (Alan Lacer has a couple good ones and I really found Brian Havens skew tutorials helpful).

Good luck and let us know what you decide and how it goes.

Tom

[roger wiegand]

A skew will do the whole project, bigger is better for skews-- you can turn tiny stuff with a big skews but anything smaller than an inch and the sweet spot becomes perilously small. I'd go with a 1-1/4 to 1-3/4" skew.

Kits will both contain tools that you will never use and have awful, inappropriate (almost always too short) handles so they all fit neatly into a display box. Individual tools are the way to go. Of course if you have a lathe you can make great handles.

If you plan to do more than one project and investment in good HSS tools is worthwhile, any of the English or American brands are great. Unfortunately many of the inexpensive tools from Asia are not actually HSS, despite the labeling. M2 steel is the go-to, there are many more exotic and expensive choices, I'm not sure a beginner to intermediate turner would notice the difference.

[Paul Elmore]

Thank you for all the feedback so far!

My turning experience is minimal, I am definitely a beginner. Five years ago I made a few burnishers out of lignum vitae. Similar to this
421452

I have some scrap maple and oak to practice on, and hickory and katalox for the final legs. The hickory and katalox are in a 2x2x24 blank, that I'll need to bring down to 1-1/8" outer diameter.

I'm leaning towards investing in a few nicer tools. Definitely a skew. I remember using that quite a bit on the burnisher.

[Kyle Iwamoto]

I'm probably the only one who will recommend a set. There is only a single reason. For the price of a single high quality tool, you get the BB set. You can try the different tools, and since you are beginning, and no offense intended, you don't know what you are doing, and experimenting with all the different tools IMO is a great thing. Yes, there will be tools you hardly or may never use. I have them too. I found no use for a spear point scraper in all my years of turning. I eventually reground it to a new tool, which is the second great thing about buying a set. You can make custom tools.
On the other hand, say you plink down your hard earned 85 bucks or more on a reasonably good skew/gouge/carbide. You don't like it. You are now obligated to buy some other 85 dollar tool. After you play with and experiment with the different tools, and you find out what you like to turn, then the time comes to plink down 100 or so dollars on a high quality skew or gouge.
Just my $0.02. May not even be worth either penny.

[David M Peters]

I'm going to second Kyle's thoughts about an inexpensive set being a good learning experience for new turner. As the quote goes, "you don't know what you don't know". Making these spindles could be accomplished with a few different tools, who are we to dictate which one he should use?

I started with the 8-piece BB set, here's what each did for me:

3/16" Parting Tool - switched to other parting tools but reground for detail scraping work
5/8" Spear Scraper - reground
1" Skew Chisel - still use it
5/8" Skew Chisel - still use it
5/8" Round Nose Scraper - still use it
1/2" Bowl Gouge - still use it, only a nubbin left!
3/4" Spindle Gouge - this is the "continental" gouge, didn't find much use for this style. Gave it away
7/8" Roughing Gouge - Used it for a while and learned that wider roughing gouges work better for me.

So while I only got extensive use out of 4 of the tools I learned a bunch from the rest - not bad for an $80 investment.

[Stan Smith]

I have acquired many tools over 20 years. You can get by with just a few tools of you want to. I have to say that I really like the carbide tools. If I had to start over right now, I would get a set of carbide tools. I just recently bought a new 8" grinder and a cbn wheel for sharpening. I also bought a Pro Grind sharpening system for a bunch of chisels that I've acquired before carbide tools became popular. I have some Easy Wood Tools and also some Harrison Specialty carbide tools. All you need to sharpen the carbide tools is a good diamond stone. If I had to get by on the cheap carbide tools would be what I would buy. YMMV All that being said 1 skew chisel would be cheaper than a set of good quality carbide tools. I'm not sure how many would agree with me, but if you have a good quality lathe, you can become skillful with any tool with practice.

[William C Rogers]

I’ll go with getting the inexpensive set starting out. I bought the HF red handle set. Some I still use and some have been re-purposed. I don’t think there is much difference in the quality of these low end sets. I’ve tried carbide, I do use for hollowing the Hunter style carbides, however don’t like the scraper type carbides. That is personal preference.

[Paul Williams]

I started with the BB set and a good bowl gouge. I think you have a large number of perfectly good choices. If you think you will stay in turning buy the set or start your collection of higher end tools. If you stay in the hobby you will continue to buy tools. If this is likely to be only an occasional need for round things, I would by a reasonable quality, but not high end, 1/2 inch bowl gouge, or a spindle gouge, or a skew. Pick only one from that list. Personally there are not too many projects that I would not attempt to do with only my bowl gouge, and perhaps a narrow blade cut off tool, although a saw works just as well..

[Dean Thomas]

I'm ambivalent, actually. Buying the modest quality tools as a set provides opportunity to use different tools, and maybe most importantly, the opportunity to learn to sharpen them. That's a tool-consuming task!

The other recommendation is to find the local woodturning club or clubs and get some tutelage with someone else's tools!

[Bernie Kopfer]

Unless you intend to become a so-called serious turner do not waste time and money on traditional tools. The carbide tipped ones are EASY and quick to learn and you don’t spend a fortune and a ungodly amount of time learning and doing sharpening. And so what if it is a little slower and you have to use more sandpaper to get the final smoothness. Time spent turning is quality time. Time spent sharpening is time that can not be used at the lathe or elsewhere.
I would suggest you reverse the usual advice about starting cheap etc. Buy the three basic CT tools and maybe in the distant future you might find a need to use traditional tools.

[Tom Levy]

The key feature of a cheap set is that it gives you a quantity and variety of tools to use, but most importantly to butcher while learning to sharpen. You don't want to waste large quantities of metal from expensive tools while you practice at the grinder. You will feel no sorrow as the BB set disappears before your eyes when you practice. Make sure you are also budgeting for a grinder to sharpen your tools or it'll be a short lived turning career. I am fully still in this novice phase and using my harbor freight set. If I could go back I would get the BB set instead.

[Dominik Dudkiewicz]

I have zero experience turning. Zero. Zilch.

I recently bought a lathe that I need to build a stand for before i can try turning and I purchased a Crown M42 Cryo Cobalt HSS turning set of 5 tools. When I did my reading I figured I'd want a skew, parting tool, roughing gouge and spindle gouge for the spindle turning I plan to do. Buying the set basically provided the 9.5mm or 3/8 bowl gouge for free. The handles do seem short compared to some other tools i've seen but I won't know if that's a good or bad thing until I get started.

Surely sets can make sense if they provide the generic tools required at a lower cost than individual tools? Or is every turner and turning task so specific/niche that there is no consistency in what tools typically cover the basic requirements of what a new spindle or bowl turner would need?

I can understand this when it comes to carving tools (as there are 100's of profiles) but is it the same for turning?

Again, I know absolutely nothing at this point in time.

Cheers, Dom

[tom lucas]

I think a cheap set is a pretty good way to go, but you will need a way to sharpen. If not, then carbide is the way to go. I'm a fairly new turner. I bought a used lathe off a coworker and he threw in some cheap chinese tools. They are OK, but have to sharpened very often. I only use the parting tool now. I first bought carbide tools as I didn't have a good sharpening means. I didn't like them that much. They are growing on me more for special circumstances. Then I bought a used set of Sorby's off of CL. It was a good value for a set. They were an improvement. Then I started buying Thompson and other high quality tools. They are a serious investment, and should n't be undertaken unless serious about turning. So, for your simple project, I would look at the cheaper carbide sets as a starting point. They'll make those stools easily. I think the 3 piece set of midsize carbides sold by Rockler are a good value as a beginning set.

[John K Jordan]

Hello!

I'd like to turn some legs for a wood and leather camping stool, similar to this:
421433
I have access to a JWL-1236 that has no tools. In order to turn legs similar to the picture, what tools would you recommend?
And would you recommend buying a set, ...or if only a few tools are needed, investing in some higher quality ones like Thompson's?

You can turn those with one tool, a wide skew chisel, but only if you know how. Rouging, shaping, detail. If you lived closer I'd say drop by for a skew lesson. If you learn the skew first you will be way ahead of a bunch of turners.

You can also made these with only a spindle roughing gouge and a parting tool and some sandpaper. There are other ways.

But it generally doesn't make much sense to buy a few high-quality tools until you get some experience and decide you really want to stick with turning!

As others recommended, if you get a cheap set you can try different tools and not waste much as you grind them away learning to sharpen. Remember the old truism: if you can't sharpen, you can't turn. Another alternative to sharpening is to use the cheap flat top carbide tools but if you hope to turn more things in the future do your self a favor and avoid these. (IMHO) A far better alternative to learning to sharpen right away is to get one of Mike Hunter's carbide tools such as the Hunter Hercules - no sharpening, you can use it as a scraper to shape and also make high quality finish cuuts.

You can sometimes find cheap sets of tools used. Be careful since some of these are not properly hardened and won't hold an edge very long. I keep a of use cheap tools I save for beginners and such. Check each one with a small triangular file - if you can cut into the tool it is not hardened. Some cheap tools are hardened only for the first inch or so - once you grind through that they are worthless.

Another value to buying a set is as you learn to turn and find you never use some, you can regrind them into useful tools such as special scrappers, negative rake scrapers, point tools, etc.

I recommend some practice on shorter spindles before you tackle the legs you show. Lots of people acquire or build a steady rest to turn such spindles to control vibration but I never use one. The biggest help is don't turn the legs between centers but cut the blanks a little longer than needed and hold one end securely in a chuck. If you want, I can teach you my methods of turning long thin spindles without a steady rest.

Here are a few examples. The last picture shows some that go from 1/2" to 1/16" diameter; the 12" scale shows the length.
421633 421635 421634

If you get cheap tools and want to move on to better tools later, ask again and describe your experiences and what kind of things you've turned with and without success and what you want to turn. There are LOTS of fantastic tools available today that turners could only dream about a few decades ago.

I didn't get a chance to read all the replies, but as others probably mentioned, join a turning club. There will be great help there.

JKJ

[ChrisA Edwards]

I just started turning the past few weeks. My parents bought me a set of Robert Sorby chisels 25 years ago, not having a Lathe, they've just sat in the box until now.

The set had 5 tools, but not a bowl gouge, so I bought a used one off the instructor while doing a turning class at Woodcraft.

But I got turned onto Hunter carbibe tools here, about 3 weeks ago, and now have the Viceroy and Osprey and these, for bowl turning, are my general go to tools for my novice level.

So even if you buy a cheapish set, chances are, you'll start buying the ala carte tools you really want.

I did buy the Robert Sorby Sharpener, not cheap, but so easy and almost foolproof to use.

[Stan Calow]

I am a perpetual beginner on the lathe. I agree with the other Stan: I'd get a set of the carbide tools and start right out of the box. If you want to get the job done expeditiously, rather than start on a learning curve of sharpening and practice turning. Sometimes its about saving time.

[Stan Smith]

I am a perpetual beginner on the lathe. I agree with the other Stan: I'd get a set of the carbide tools and start right out of the box. If you want to get the job done expeditiously, rather than start on a learning curve of sharpening and practice turning. Sometimes its about saving time.

Hey, I appreciate the agreement even if there's some subjectivity involved here. I didn't mention that there's quite a learning curve to learn to sharpen chisels also. I recently bought a sharpening system but I haven't tried my Thompson detail spindle gouge on it yet. Since I'm retired, I can take time to learn though. I really like the CBN wheels compared to the aluminum oxide, but they are not cheap. I only have one (180 grit), but now I want a finer grit one. I obviously suffer from TAS (tool acquisition syndrome). :)

[John K Jordan]

Hey, I appreciate the agreement even if there's some subjectivity involved here. I didn't mention that there's quite a learning curve to learn to sharpen chisels also. I recently bought a sharpening system but I haven't tried my Thompson detail spindle gouge on it yet. Since I'm retired, I can take time to learn though. I really like the CBN wheels compared to the aluminum oxide, but they are not cheap. I only have one (180 grit), but now I want a finer grit one. I obviously suffer from TAS (tool acquisition syndrome). :)

I use a 600 grit CBN on a bench grinder and a 1200 grit on a Tormek. I sharpen all of my spindle gouges on the Tormek. I also have a 600 grit wheel for the Tormek and it worked OK but I like the a lot 1200 better. I sharpen scrapers, skews, and bowl gouges on the 600 grit on the bench grinder. All tools get some type of honing to knock off any burr from the grinder, however small.

JKJ

[Stan Smith]

Thanks for the tip, John. Looks like my next CBN wheel will be a 600 grit. I still have some Christmas gifts to make ( bottle stoppers and openers), so my sharpening learning will have to wait. I have learned that you have to go slowly and use a very light touch.