What tools???

R

Richard Smith

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I met a man from the Amana Colony in Iowa. He is a production turner and makes upscale spinningwheels. He has hand turned upwards of 3000 SWs.
What I'm getting at is he only uses a 1 3/4" roughing gouge and a large skew chisel ground straight across.
I'd like to hear what others consider necessary for their turning.
 
I can tell you that with the tools pictured I still can't make anything decent.

jy_lathetoolholder3.jpg
 
I've got more than you and probably don't do as good as you. :eek:
Is that a Grizzly I see peeking up at the bottom? :D
But, we aren't helping Richard. Experts will chime in, I'm sure. But, my take on what turning tools you need is a pretty basic approach. What works for you. That's no help either. :( I suggest you buy a mid-range priced set of tools. You will probably end up using a 1/2" spindle gouge and 1" skew more than anything else. With the help of yard sales, I acquired other very useful tools like a 2" roughing gouge. Not used very often but is great when I have the need for fast removal. And a 1 1/2" skew, probably my favorite all-around lathe tool.
 
I have a couple sets of the basic tools that come with 8-10 tools.
Then I have a set of tenon tools.

A couple of finger nail grind gouges, 3/16 and 1/4, for detail work. Beads and coves.
 
HI Richard! :wave:

Your production spindle turner does a very specific job, thus his selection of tools is only what he needs and I'm sure he is very good at turning spindles with them.

That said, what do you want to do?

If you are doing a lot of spindle work, the selection of tools will be very different than if you do mainly bowls, and this follows for other things like Hollow Forms (HF) etc.

I had the very great experience of meeting Eli Avisera, from Israel, he advocates the right tool for the job, and less use of sandpaper. He doe some amazing work.

I think for spindle work, the skew is the tool one should try to master, it is a hard task master, but the results are unequaled, IMHO.

Get the video from Alan Lacer, about skews, the first one, and watch it, you will be amazed at what he can turn with just the mighty skew :D

The Harbor Freight or Grizzly mid range set of tools is a good start, I understand a lot of guys go that route and have good results. One thing you have to do with any tool is learn how to sharpen it, and there is a learning curve, so why not learn on cheaper tools.

Cheers!
 
At last count I think I have over 40 turning chisels that I have amassed over the years from sales and finds as well as gifts and "Must Haves". True that there are only a few that I use exclusively, and a couple of bowl gouges I haven't learned too well to use or to sharpen. The big advantage of having so many tools is that you can spend a day sharpening all of them and then when the time comes to use them you don't have to stop and sharpen, just switch out and keep on turning. :thumb:

The "Basic Starter Set" has all you will ever NEED. But as you progress and develop techniques and try odd applications you can either modify or obtain additional tools that you can add to your collection. Some of the cheaper tools I have picked up are used to grind a particular odd shape for a specific cut, those are seldom used but they are tucked away for that special need.
 
True the gentle man in question is mostly a spindle turner. The rational for his tool choices is speed. Having only two tools, your not laying down and picking up tools all the time. He was never limited by his large gouge. He would turn these little bell Christmas ornaments. He would go from the smallest to the largest coves.As for the skew ground straight across, this gave him two heels.
I'm not looking to buy something different-just interested in what others use.
 
Richard....the only disagreement I'd have with Bill Simpson's comment is that most of the starter sets don't have a bowl gouge....but if all you are doing is spindle work, you really don't need a lot of tools. I was gifted with a cheap set of HF tools and some good Robert Larson tools. I purchased a couple more Robert Larson tools and a couple Sorby tools. I have 4 "GO TO" tools....a 3/4" Robert Larson skew, a 3/8" Robert Larson spindle gouge, a Sorby 3/4" roughing gouge and Robert Larson 3/8" bowl gouge. 98% of my turning is done with those 4 tools. The only reason I don't use the HF tools more....I'm 6'2" 260 lbs......Big hands.....the other tool handles fit my hands better. But those HF sure worked well when I initially started last year!
 
Hello Richard;
"necessary for their turning" is, as has been said, a bit different for everyone. I've done both between centers and face plate turnings. Such as pens, small legs, bowls, lidded boxes, etc. So I have a collection of tools.

Sometimes the addition of tool will be based on the task. For example: I just made some small platters, so I decided a square nose scraper would be nice. But if I were only doing bowls, or pens, I probably would never have bought one.
I've seen beautiful works done only with a skew.
Good Luck, Mike
 
I can tell you that with the tools pictured I still can't make anything decent.

jy_lathetoolholder3.jpg

I gotta say that I'm envious of that great tool cabinet and the fact that it's clean. I probably have a similar array of tools if I dig around on the bench and through the shavings. I'll never be remembered for my cleanliness.
The majority of my turning is some type of spindle work, a lot of goblets with a small amount of hollowing in the cups. I use a scraper for that and then I use a 1/2" bowl gouge and a 1" skew probably 90% of the time. But I envy the hollowers more than any other type of turner because I'd love to be able to make those great hollow forms with all the voids and bark and such. To do that you have to be a master of much more than a gouge and a skew. I quit buying a lot of specialty tools because they seem to be too specialized and I've learned to do most things without them. It would be interesting if the spinning wheel maker ever turns out a nice, gnarly hollow vase just to break the monotony.
 
Ken said:
....the only disagreement I'd have with Bill Simpson's comment is that most of the starter sets don't have a bowl gouge....
I have been doing lathe work for a L-O-N-G time and it was not untill reciently that I obtained a Bowl gouge, and just a few years ago did I ever hear of such, Folks have been making a gallon of goodies for a lot of years without a Bowl Gouge. True it is an asset and aide to removal of material but the discussion was... What do I NEED...

Round nosed scraper is the prominant tool for bowl projects and can create a fine surface finish when treated properly, With that in mind I see no reason why the olde gentleman Richard speaks about couldn't make just what ever he wanted with those two tools. It all depends on his skills that he has developed over the eons and his techniques. I was in the Louisville Slugger Museum in Louisville, KY and watched a craftsman produce a perfect bat, I don't remember seing him lay down or pick up more than one tool.

Only advantage to having so many tools is that you can spend one day sharpening and not have to interrupt the process when you are turning. And you can create specialty tools to make a special cut easier. But I am with you and prefer a Bowl gouge for deep bowls.
 
Another old gentleman told me about a bet he made. He was in the Navy in WW2 working in a wood shop in Hawii. His boss bet him he couldn't do a turning with only a parting tool. Well, of course he did. A sharp parting tool can be used just like a skew chisel.
 
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