Preferred tool for turning pens?

Brent Dowell

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I know we've got quite a few pen turners here and I was just wondering, what is your preferred tool to use for pen turning?

Right now I'm using a spindle gouge to rough the blanks, and then a square scraper to clean things up.

Just curious what the pro's around here use?
 
I wouldn't count myself as a pro, although I've been turning pens a number of years... my preferred tool is the skew... on occasion I'll use a gouge to take the corners off a blank, then switch to the skew.
 
Curses, I was afraid that was going to be the answer :rofl:

I've got those laser kits I'm working up to, and right now I'm just practicing on some stabilized blanks, and acrylics.

I've been practicing on sharpening my tools tonight, and I'm getting pretty happy with my ability to get the tools sharp.

I'll be even happier I suspect in a few days. (stealth gloat)

I'm using my Grizzly tormek clone right now to sharpen the tools.

I was just able to shave hair off my arm with the 3/4" spindle gouge and my 1/2" scraper. Wasn't necessarily trying for that, but hey, if it shaves, it shaves.
 
Yep, sharp skew. I have my students set their tool rest 2/3's of the way up, so the skew is riding on the top edge. Lot less likely to have a catch this way. I like about a 45 degree angle and cut. Now when entering, DO NOT start at the end of the blank. About 1/3 of the way in start the skew and go all the way to the end. Then come in 1/3 of the way and go the other direction to the end.
 
Do you have a good video I could watch on that technique? I think I understand. I'll make some practice blanks and mess around with the skew tomorrow.
 
Dude...thats like "what's your favorite beer"! I'm having a ball with the carbide tool...great on plastic, metal and wood with stuff. If that gets boring the skew is in my hip pocket. Then i have this bowl gouge that works really well for shear stuff. So anyway...
 
Ok...Stacey gave me the laptop! I do pens with a 3/8" Thompson and a 3/8" Taylor skew or a 1/2" Capt Eddie carbide. Get comfy with something then change it up; you never know when something will break or get lost and you have to use something else. Technique...not the tool is what counts.
 
It's been fun playing with the turning tools, thats' for sure. The only one I seem to stay away from is the skew.

Seems to me, it might be like a lot of things woodworking related, and making sure it's sharp is part of the problem.

Going to whip this problem into shape soon.
 
Thanks Col!

Still watching, but this video is making a lot of sense to me. I'll have to get my skew sharpened up and do a little practice.

Seems like the key tips are:
rub the bevel, lift the handel
45 degrees
Cut below half way on the chisel.
Don't put the tip into the wood.

Watching part 2 now.

Part 2 was very helpful, where he shows 'how' to get a catch! Thanks again!

Thanks!
 
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Pens are one of the few things I'll use a skew on. I also like using the Easy Wood carbides, and will often use a square carbide bit for my finishing cuts. I know the slew could likely do an equal or better finishing cut, but by the time I get to that point in the turning process, I don't want to blow it with a catch. So I practice my skew technique as I turn the diameter of the blank down, then switch to the carbide cutter for the last little bit.
 
I have 4 favourite pen turning tools, here in no preferred order!

1. Rotundo -- http://wood-of-1-kind.webs.com/tools.htm

2. Woodchuck Turning Tools -- http://www.woodchuck-tools.com/Tools.htm I have both the 2" & 4" radius cutters.

The above tools are carbide. I have little desire to learn chisel sharpening, but I can sharpen a roughing gouge on my ONEWAY wolverine system. I can't remember the last time I used a gouge for my pen turning!

3. I may use my ¾" or 1" skew at times. I know how to hone a skew!

As far as taking corners off of a pen blank, my 12" disc sander works for me. I use it mostly on acrylics, but sometimes on punky wood that may break away under the pressure of a cutting tool.
 
Ok, Scheduling some skew practice. Also ordered up some carbide tools for grins and giggles.

Apparently, this week has turned into lathe week/pen week.

I made a promise a while ago and need to get a batch of pens done in order to honor my commitment.
 
i use my 3/4" spindle gouge for the whole shot. down to just about a cat's hair from the bushings, and sand flush from there. basically starting from one end of the blank (as recommended by raffan), and working my way to about 3/4 of the way across, and then hit the other end, and take to round from there.
 
Played with a skew a bit today. Was getting pretty confident with it.

It's amazing how sometimes you struggle with something and then the light switch just turns on. In the videos I watched, 2 things just jumped out at me that never did.

1) Rub the bevel.
2) The sweet spot is just above the bottom and never more than half way up.

Now I just need to work on sharpening the skew. More on that later... :D
 
Ok, Been a fun week.

I've got a few new tools, and jigs, and I'll be making a post on that in a day or so, but I can say:

1) Really, really sharp lathe tools are kind of a revelation to me. Effortless cutting, smooth finish, amazing.
2) Carbide tools are really cool too. Wow they are sharp right out of the box!

Kind of going to be hard to choose between the tools, either a very sharp gouge or skew, or a carbide too.

Anyway, it's been fun!
 
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