Hello all!
I am an experienced woodworker but have never turned wood before. I have a sneaking suspicion that Santa Claus is going to bring my nine-year-old a lathe for Christmas. I understand that 9 is rather young to start a child on a lathe and that the proper age to start turning could be a debate and a topic all unto itself. Take it as a given that he is strong and mature for his age.Also please take it as a given that I have done extensive reading on safety and that will be our foremost priority. We will keep the projects small. I will make sure he is starting with blanks that are already round and free of defects. Face shield/ goggles of course a must....Etc. Additionally, a neighbor is a very experienced wood turner and will be getting us started.
But the question I have is which lathe tools would be most suitable for a beginner. Specifically, high-speed steel versus carbide tools and also full length handles versus short handles. Everything I read suggests that although carbide cutters can limit an amateur or expert wood turner, it seems that they are less prone to catching and have an easier learning curve. So I am leaning towards getting carbide tools. If the learning curve is shorter, I think he is more likely to take to it and want to pursue it further as a hobby. If it were just for myself, I would prefer to get high speed steel tools but the priority is that my son is safe and has fun.
So to summarize, I would love your opinion on carbide tooling versus high-speed steel tools for a child beginner. And second: short tools versus a full length handles for a child beginner. Thanks in advance for any advice!
-Jay