Gift Certificate - What to buy??

[Doug M Jones]

My sister commissioned me to make 25 pens for her to give her employees for Christmas presents. This was my second sale and the other one was 1 pen so I said I would do it for $15 per pen because she paid me upfront to buy the supplies. They were all 10K slimlines in acrylic. Evidently she thought I underbid because yesterday I recieved 2 $100 gift certificates in the mail for Craft Supplies USA and a note saying her employees loved the pens and to buy more tools.

I currently have an 8 piece set I bought when I bought the mini lathe that aren't real useful, a 1/2" Artisan bowl gouge, a 1" artisan skew and a 1" Packard woodworks roughing gouge.

Help me spend the $$$. I was leaning toward a radius scraper as well as a radius edge skew and maybe a smaller bowl gouge.

I'm wrestling with buying 2 or 3 really nice tools with better steel or sticking with the Artisan or Hamlet tools and buying twice that many.

What would you do. What tool do you find indespensible?

Oh before I forget, big sis wants a nice bowl when I get done shopping.;)

Thanks for your help.

Doug

[Steve Mawson]

I would go with quality. Some of my lathe tools are 40-50 years old and still work great. They have not been used every day but have seen a lot of use and I expect to use them for a long time still.

[Dick Strauss]

Doug,
You've got quite a nice sister! Beyond what you've already mentioned here is some food for thought...

Do you already have the Oneway Wolverine sharpening system (about $150)? This is the best sharpening system on the market!
http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/store/Sharpening___Oneway_System___Complete_Wolverine_Sh arpening_System___oneway_complete?Args=

How about a good little chuck to turn a bowl like the "Apprentice Chuck" (about $160)? I think Bill G gave a positive review of PSI's version of this one recently. My buddy has one of these for his second lathe and is quite impressed with it so far (his first one is a Oneway Stronghold).
http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/store/Chucks___Apprentice___Apprentice_Chuck___apprentic e_chuck?Args=

Maybe one of the Hunter carbide tools? There's a good buzz with these tools!
http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/store/Turning_Tools___Special_Purpose_Tools___Hunter_Car bide_Hollowing_Tools___hunter_tool?Args=

Possibly one of the Oneway handles and bowl gouge combo's? These are very nice tools!
http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/store/Turning_Tools___Bowl_and_Spindle_Tools___Oneway?Ar gs=


Good luck,
Dick

[Greg Just]

I would agree with Dick. The Wolverine sharpening system and the VS grinder make turning so much more enjoyable. Shape tools are a must!

[Ben Gastfriend]

I agree. If you don't have a sharpener, get one. If you don't have a chuck, get one! They'll make your life so much easier!

To tell you the truth, I think the artisan tools are good. They're HSS, hold an edge, and have nice handles. Personally I thing that 2030 and 2060 steel is too much, I am perfectly happy with M2 HSS.

Have fun spending!