What bowl turning eqpt. do I need? - Long

[Joe Pack]

Craft show season 2006 is over. After a thousand or so pens, keychains, bottle stoppers, etc, with retirement looming at the end of February, and with Mr. Grumbine's two DVD's having inspired me, I am looking forward to moving on to bowls, but need advice on tooling. I am trying to sort out the tooling I genuinely need for bowl turning. I spent an hour looking at the 25% off Sorby tools at Rockler last weekend, but didn't really know what I was doing, so I kept my money in my pocket. Plus, every catalog or web sales page sells the "best," and, of course, the new bowl turner should have one of everything! Somehow, I trust my WC friends more than the marketing folks.

I have two lathes - a Jet mini that I do all my craft stuff on - and a Jet 1442 that I bought a year or so ago, but have not used much except for buffing. (I bought it early for three reasons...I planned to get a full-size lathe eventually when I retired, I had the cash from a good craft show season and, the main reason, I got it for a "below market" price that I couldn't turn down.

I have a good assortment of spindle turning tools - gouges, skews, scrapers, parting tools, "specialty" tools, plus a Wolvering grinding jig (including skew and vari-grind attachments). My only specific bowl tool is a 16" long, 1/2" diameter shaft Crown bowl gouge that Bill G. put a side-grind on. (That one feels too short and too light, but what do I know?) I also have an "original" two-wrench Nova chuck.

I would appreciate input from folks I respect as to what tools I should be looking at. I don't want to throw money away, but I don't mind buying quality the first time. I also am not interested in "getting by," only to wish six months later that I would have bought the "right" tool the first time....You get the idea.

I am looking for input re: gouges (size, weight, etc.), drives (4 prong, 2 prong, Steb...), chucks (do I want a different one?), tool rests, and anything else I have not thought of.

Thanks to all. Enjoy helping me spend my money! :D

[Dennis Peacock]

Howdy Joe,

Most of my bowl gouges are P&N that I ordered without a handle. The ones I use the most are a 3/8" bowl gouge, 1/2" bowl gouge and a 5/8" bowl gouge. The next in line is a heavy duty bowl scraper. I use a negative rake angle on the bowl scraper to make it less "grabby" and easier to control. If you want to get into hollow forms, then I'd recommend Lyle Jamiesons capture hollowing setup.
If you don't already have a Wolverine sharpening jig or a Tormek, then I'd recommend those for putthing the edge back on your bowl gouges. The P&N tools have been just great for me and I like using tool handles that I've made to fit me.

[Dominic Greco]

Joe,
A name from the the old days back on Badger Pond! Hey, long time no see!

The chuck you have will work fine for now. But I'd think about upgrading to a chuck key driven one some time in the future. Having to use (2) hands to tighten the chuck is a real pain when you have a big bowl blank in one hand, and you're trying to chuck it into your scroll chuck with the other. I find that my Oneway Talon has worked great for me. I've had it for seven years and have had no problems with it.

Gouges: I would look into getting a 3/8" gouge. A 1/2" one is nice for roughing out, and for shear scraping. But I find that my 3/8" gouge is my "go to" gouge. I even have a 1/4" one for really small detailed work.

Scrapers: If you don't have any heavy scrapers, I'd get a couple. By "heavy", I mean over 1/4" thick. 3/8" to 1/2" is nice. The thickness reduces chatter and makes for one sweat working scraper. As far as profiles go, an "inboard" bowl scraper (half round), and a round nosed ones are what I use the most.

With those tools, you'll be able to turn most of the forms you see on WC and here on SMC. Once you get comfortable with them, it's on to 3 point tools, shear and spear point scrapers, and hollowing rigs.

Good luck!

[Mark Pruitt]

Joe, it sounds like most of what you really need you already have. As to gouges, my Sorby 1/2" bowl gouge is my go-to tool for bowls. I also use a Crown Inbound Bowl Scraper which is a great tool to have. For a chuck, like Dominic said, you'll probably need to replace the one you have now and the Oneway Talon is a superb choice. One neat accessory to have is the "Texas Center" that fits into the Talon scroll chuck. (You see Bill using it on his second video.) Another good tool, if you don't already have it, is a sanding system. There are several good ones but I like the Power Lock discs that you use with your drill.

Enjoy!!!

[Bill Boehme]

........Somehow, I trust my WC friends more than the marketing folks.......

So then, ... do you also trust your "Creeker Friends" more than the marketing folks, too?:D

It sounds like you have most of the tools that you need already except for a bowl gouge and perhaps a scroll chuck (much better than a faceplate in most circumstances). I think that beyond that, it is not wise to buy things that you don't know for certain that you need. Getting bowl turning tools is not a one-time event. It is a never-ending evolving process which is dependent upon the direction that your bowl turning grows.

Bill

[Joe Pack]

I sure do, Bill. That's why I come here often. I usually don't have enough expertise to contribute much of anything, but I have learned to respect the opinions of folks who post here.

My apologies to "Creekers" all...I'm much better at reading than I am at posting - and editing - my questions! :o It is nice to know, though, that there are understanding people in both places!

[Andy Hoyt]

Thanks for pointing that out Bill.

Folks. Let's strive for original content.

[John Hart]

Geez Joe. You have more stuff than I do!!!:o Sounds like you're ready to plunge. Maybe wait til you say, "hmmm...I sure could use one of those things that......".;) :)

[Phil Powell]

All the gouges and other tools are real important to the job, but One more item.......Join a local AAW group, ask questions show your wares and listen to advise. There are lots of good turns there willing to help out. This site is also populated with knowledgeable turners willing to share. Don't work in a vacuum.

[George Tokarev]

What you have is more than enough to turn to the capacity of your 1442. Since the difference between cylindrical "bowl" and "spindle" gouges is the depth of the flute, they're pretty much interchangeable when similarly ground. You need one with a good section for reaching where you absolutely cannot get the toolrest up close. Rest of the time you use the tool that'll fit into the space and shave the wood.

So my suggestion is a curved toolrest to get you supported into the center of anything you can spin on your lathe. Iron my preference, like http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/cgi-bin/shopper?preadd=action&key=108-0200 this one. Snuggles up closer than a round rest when used below center where it belongs. I'd hold off on heavy scrapers until you've tried cutting with a well-supported and controlled gouge.

Your Nova with the 50mm jaws will hold anything up to 16x9 in my experience, as long as you cut the wood rather than beat it to death. If you have the two Tommy bars, see if you can't find the pin spanner they used to sell. Makes one-handed operation easier, because the pin will use any of the round or square holes on the outer body for a squeeze. Not that you need hold the piece with your other hand. Use the tailstock for that.

[Joe Pack]

Many thanks, folks. I genuinely appreciate your help. Maybe I will eventually turn out products I think are worthy of posting here, but will probably make a whole bunch of "oops" products first. :-) Hey, that's what wood stoves are for.:D

Thanks again,

Joe

[Ron Coleman]

One thing I find handy when I turn green wood bowls is a pin chuck. Drill a 1" hole in your turning block about 2"-3" deep and mount up and turn. No messing around with faceplates and screws and trying to start the faceplate on the spindle while holding a 30 pound block of wood. Just slide the block over the pin with the little brass pin in place and bring the tail stock up to hold everything in place. A little rotation cams the brass pin into the wood and its ready to go. Stop the lathe and turn the block forward a little and the block slides right off the pin.

Ron

http://mrcol.freeyellow.com/turning-stuff/pin-chuck.jpg

[George Tokarev]

Good item.

I bought a unidirectional one when I got my new-to-me lathe. Like it much better than the old metal shop type. I just leave the pillar and re-drill the hole after the piece dries. No fussing with centering problems when you re-use the original center. Any deviation is simple warp.