(Part 2) Top products from r/turning

First off, pick up a inexpensive roughing gouge. Very easy to use, and it's the right tool for turning square things round. Once you've done that, then you can use your micro set to shape. Here's the one I use. That brand is sold on Amazon and is quite the bargain for what you get in a tool.

A 1/2" gouge is generally (not always) going to be a bowl gouge. While a usable tool that will expand your abilities on the lathe, it's a bit of overkill for the task you're after. I'd use a spindle gouge or a detail gouge. (Pretty much the same tool but sharpened differently for different effect.) I'd go with a spindle gouge now since they are a bit more forgiving than a detail gouge while learning, and you can always sharpen it to a more dramatic angle later on. Again, check amazon for their Hurricane line and see if they have one as it's likely the best bang for your buck and will save you some cash. 3/8" is a good size, but you could go smaller for your work as well if you were so inclined.

That said, it sounds like you shouldn't put too much money into tools until you go down the rabbit hole of sharpening. You could spend a few bucks on some diamond cards and do it by hand, but that will take forever and you'll be less inclined to keep your tools sharp. The generally agreed upon system is the Wolverine system with the varigrind jig paired with a bench grinder. (Ideally a slow speed grinder, but if you're careful you don't need that. Mine is a $15 clearance ryobi that I upgraded the wheels on.) This complete system can run $150 (used, if you're lucky) to $300+ depending on how crazy you want to go. The good news is, much of it can be bought in stages based on need. For instance, you don't need the varigrind attachment yet if you're not using spindle / bowl gouges, so you could save you $50 for now. And when you get really good at that system, you can start eyeing the Tormek systems. Mwah-hah-hah-hah-ha! (Don't. They are amazing, and I'm glad I have one, but I also wouldn't recommend it to most people. Love mine...but the price is STUPID.)

Basically...you have a rabbit hole to go down. Your tools should be sharpened multiple times during turning for the best finished product. My best advice is to search this sub for the many sharpening posts and get a feel for other people's experience.

Good luck!

> The Lathe:

Sounds like you've got this well under control.

> The Tools:

There are very split camps on tools: replaceable carbide tips vs traditional tools. Personally I think both have a place, but I do feel it's best to start with traditional tools to learn the how and why tools work the way they do. My personal opinion is always to spend the real money on good tools. They don't have to be expensive, but the right tool of the right quality (sharp, of course) will make all the difference in the world. Every try to dig a post hole with a hand trowel? :)

Also don't feel bound by just one brand or type of tool...most of us have lots of tools!

You can go with carbide-tipped tools such as Easy Wood Tools, Simple Woodturning Tools, or other brands. You can make your own for a fraction of the cost to buy.

There are a few of good entry-level HSS sets out there for about $80, such as this frequently recommended set of Benjamin's Best. I also like Hurricane brand tools which I feel are excellent entry-level HSS tools for the money. Either of those would serve you well through the learning curve and a good ways into your turning career.

If you wanted to pick just two higher-end tools, I feel Crown's Pro PM are good for the price. I own several, they're nice, but the handles are a bit short for my knuckle-dragging frame! All you really need for the projects you listed is a skew chisel and a spindle gouge.

Lastly, you could buy some of the popular "buy it for life" tools like Thompson Lathe Tools or D-Way Tools. These are widely considered the upper end of turning tools with each tool running between $55-200 (handles sold separately). Many people who get serious about their hobby end up with these tools because the harder tool steels are more durable.


> The Bench Grinder:

The Rikon 80-805 is the most common good deal for a grinder. Occasionally some other Asia-import will pop up on the scene for a little while, but the Rikon is pretty predictable about going on sale. Also, it comes with two decent wheels to get you started; not all import grinders come with decent wheels.

Eventually you might want to invest in CBN wheels to replace the frangible wheels that come on the grinder, but that's probably down the road for you.

Lots of people use that grinder, I've not heard anything outright bad about it (although some people prefer one with more HP).

> Drill Press?

A cheap drill press will get you there just fine.

The most common alternative is to purchase a 4-jaw chuck, such as the Nova G3 (which requires the appropriate insert), and also a set of pen drilling jaws and a drill chuck for the tailstock. That lets you drill blanks entirely on the lathe (and with better accuracy than a drill press IMO).

The downside is that the 4-jaw chuck, insert, jaws, and drill chuck collectively will cost damn near $200, which is a lot more than a cheap drill press. The upside is that the chuck is exactly what you will need if you decide to get deeper into turning and want to try bowls, boxes, and other things. Many of us already owned or planned to own a chuck, so the only real cost addition was the pen drilling jaws and the drill chuck.

> Pen turning attachments

• Mandrel savers are a separate purchase.
  
  
• Be warned that barrel trimmers are not universal, they come in different sizes and some pen kits use a sleeve to up-size the trimmer to fit the larger tube.
  
  
• You can use epoxy or CA glue, whichever you prefer to glue tubes. If using CA glue, make sure you buy a spray bottle of accelerator so that you can zap the ends to prevent a dripping mess!
  
  
• Any general sandpaper from a home improvement store will work fine, don't need anything fancy or expensive. Quite a few of us purchased the $40 box from Klingspor's which is enough sandpaper to last me several years.
  
  
• A P100 filter dust mask is a good investment as well for safety gear.
  
  
• FINISH: If you plan to use CA glue as your finish, you need a different viscosity (thin) than what you use to glue the tubes (thick). This means you need to buy two different bottles of CA and look into a pack of MicroMesh sanding pads for polishing the CA finish.
  
  If you plan on using something else for the finish, make sure you buy what you need.
  
  
• SAW: You need a way to cut pen blanks and trim off excess waste. If you don't own any cutting tools that are sufficient for the job, a cheap miter box will do the job just fine. Make sure you clamp the box and the blank down well before sawing!

If you're looking for a solid foundation in technique, pick one or the other of:

Woodturning ,A Foundation Course- Keith Rowley

or, Fundamentals of Woodturning, Mike Darlow

For more artistic/ inspirational instruction, I'd recommend the following, and I'll just be lazy and copy my text from the wiki here (I'd argue that even in this day and age of YouTube etc, these two have a very relevant place on every bowl turner's bookshelf):

Ellsworth on Woodturning: How a Master Creates Bowls, Pots and Vessels, David Ellsworth, 2008: A must read for all turners really (but especially those interested in green wood bowl and vessel turning), this comprehensive guide from the grandfather of the modern art woodturning movement covers everything from making your own hollowing tools, to using the bowl gouge, to sanding and finishing and everything in between.

The Art of Turned Bowls: Designing Spectacular Bowls with a World- Class Turner, Richard Raffan, 2008: Anything by Richard Raffan is worth reading but this book is especially useful, because, while there are lots of technical turning manuals and "how-to" material available, there is comparatively little written about good form and design, and it is a concept many woodturners would do well to pay more attention to. Good form trumps pretty wood, and this book shows you how one master developed his eye for pleasing curves and good proportion through a lifetime of production bowl turning while reflecting on what made some shapes more successful than others.

That's a bit of a tall order :)
Just give them a little wax along with the bowl. Tell them if it ever starts looking dull to just wipe some on.

You can buy butcher block oil for $12 or make your own.

Cheap, effective, edible finish:

1. Go to the drug store. Buy two $3 bottles of mineral oil. You will find it near the laxatives.
   
   
2. Go to the craft store or Amazon. Buy a bag of bees wax chips or a brick. Yellow or white - doesn't matter.
   Stakich 1-lb Pure White BEESWAX Pellets - Cosmetic Grade, Top Quality - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001LQZOLW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_WQKDwb63YV70A
   
   
   
3. Pour first bottle of mineral oil into a small cooking pot. Heat up the mineral oil on low heat - many people use a double boiler but my stove goes super low so I am not as worried. Drop a few chunks of the wax in to see if it starts melting - that's the temperature you want. Stir wax in.
   The ratio is usually 50/50 but I also make a higher wax content version as well to make it more like a polish.
   
   Don't let it get too hot. Take it off the stove if needed.
   
   
4. Pour the mix into a clean jar (or many clean jars for gifts).
   
   Use the other bottle to do a first flood coat. Then After letting the wood absorb some mineral oil, just wipe of your home made finish on and wipe off a few mins later. This also works great on the lathe allowing you to buff the wax.

Some ideas:

Slow speed grinder for sharpening tools


Wolverine jig to aid in sharpening But he needs a grinder also.

If he only has the starter set of tools, he probably doesn't have a bowl gouge Those are the very best. I think 3/8 or 1/2 V-shaped is a good choice. He'll need to make a handle, but that's a good starter project.

A chuck is another great choice, but more expensive and we'd need to know the type of lathe to help pick it out.

The PSI micromesh sanding pads work fine, and you can definitely get great results with them, but I've had much better luck with this style. Definitely worth trying when it comes time to replace your current pads.

What is the difference between these two sets(aside from number of pieces)?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000KIECW4/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000KI8CTS/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

I am trying to figure out what to get for my boyfriend for Christmas, and he's in a similar situation of having a lathe but no turning tools. I also have a face shield in my amazon cart. He's had a box of smaller turning blanks for a while now.

He does a reasonable amount of woodworking(makes a lot of furniture, is super into hand tools), but he's new to turning, so if you have any suggestions, it would be appreciated!

I don't have a drill press. I have had great success with the Barracuda Wood Lathe Chuck and Drill Chuck. This works very well. Still need to tap it out slowly to prevent build up inside the tube.

I don't if I'm rough turning green wood, but usually do wear one if I'm turning dry wood, and always when sanding. I use this one from 3M, which fits under the face shield pretty nicely and isn't too uncomfortable.

Okay thank you. Is this what you got? http://www.amazon.com/WOODLATHE-CHUCK-WOODWORM-SCREW-INSERT/dp/B003CECDZG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1370021571&sr=8-1&keywords=nova+g3

I am not going to be purchasing a new chuck and adapter for a few weeks, but if you could chime back and give your input on how the chuck and adapter works for you, that'd be great!

Well, good to see I've made every single one of these mistakes at this point.

This is a great video, and I highly recommend his book, Turning Wood. I probably don't need to do that, though, because you already have it.

I'm a HUGE Nova fan. Having said that I personally wouldn't get the chuck you listed. I'd get one that will take an insert so that the thread pitch can be easily changed if/when you get another lathe with a different spindle size. http://www.amazon.com/WOODLATHE-CHUCK-WOODWORM-SCREW-INSERT/dp/B003CECDZG

I also recommend the Supernova2.

I have a Nova G3 and love it.. grips like iron.
Woodcraft has them on sale right now.

Also on Amazon for $140 including the 1 x 8tpi adapter and 2" jaw set

Grabbed this one, setup a homemade version of the wolverine jig and mounted it to a rolling stand. Slow speed grinder with finer wheels. Pretty happy with the results I get from it.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B015U2STNM/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Thanks for the advices! I found a cheaper bench grinder: POWERTEC 8" SlowSpeed Grinder. Is it good?

Robert Sorby.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0002IXQHO?vs=1&vs=1

6 piece set above is $200. Use the rest for a slew speed grinder (woodcraft has a nice one that regularly goes on sale for $99). Save up for a wolverine jig.

Always remember that the lathe is the cheap part-it's the accessories that hit you right in the wallet.

Thanks for the response. Yes, to clarify I'm looking for a comparison between HSS from say Shop Fox (example) or Robert Sorby (example)

Sorry, meant to link this one. I use this one as it's a little lighter and the 8x12 handles it pretty well: PSI CSC2000C Barracuda Wood Lathe Chuck System https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000KICC62/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_SoUzybGE16974

I second all the comments about pre-cutting the blanks round, learning to sharpen, and never use a roughing gouge on a bowl.

I highly recommend any of Richard Raffan's books on turning. An evening spent reading his book on bowl turning will be time well spent.

I have the exact lathe and just purchased the G-3 for it. Haven't used it yet, but don't forget to get the insert/adapter if you don't have one yet. You have to have it for it to fit your lathe.

I just re-read what the OP put down as the size (10x28'ish). I glanced over it when I first read, thinking it was the big HF lathe. The 10x18 definitely uses the 1" 8TPI. The Nova Midi is another good, cheaper chuck for that lathe. This one does not need an insert, but you won't be able to use it on another lathe with a different thread pattern, either.

something to sharpen with (grinder)

told that these are good to start with https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000KIECW4/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

I just got the Hurricane roughing gouge for $24.00 off of Amazon.
Careful though it jumped up to $34.00 soon after I bought it. As of this posting it is now $23.99

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008B86DLS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Thanks! I used [these] (http://imgur.com/a7Gmysb) to finish it. I sand through 600, then applied [EEE Ultrashine] (http://amzn.com/B001DT5H7I) follow-ed up with a few coats of [Mylands High Build Friction Polish] (http://amzn.com/B004BL7X4U).

I'm just starting to experiment with the CA glue finish technique, but my results have been mixed.

yeah, I picked expensive hobbies (board games, photography, woodworking). Is there any reason not to get this PSI chuck set? Its about the same price.

That's sort of what I was thinking. I can't even find many other cases of a spindle/bowl gouge breaking. Not saying it doesn't happen, but a lot of people seem to say there could be a defect in the steel.

You mention how far it could hang off the tool rest. I don't have a curved tool rest, so I was probably closer to 5 1/2" off the rest. Is that pushing it?

I'm trying to contact Hurricane, but I don't really want another of their tools. Maybe I can get a refund and buy a nice Robert Sorby 1/2" bowl gouge

For a nova chuck, this is the insert you'd want for a shopsmith:

http://www.amazon.com/NOVA-8-Inch-Chuck-Insert-Adapter/dp/B0064JJ6RO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1370021210&sr=8-1

I used triple E and shellawax


Shellawax
http://www.amazon.com/Shellawax-Liquid-Friction-Polish-8-45/dp/B001FX4EFI


Triple E

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001DT5H7I/ref=pd_aw_vtph_229_tr_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=0EGKNM4E2R30VFW8Z9HK

Here is the desktop version of your link

I bought one last year for 120 Canadian... 79.99 USD.
https://www.amazon.com/POWERTEC-BGSS801-Speed-Bench-Grinder/dp/B015U2STNM/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=Slow+speed+grinder&qid=1569374143&sr=8-3

Where else... Amazon!

https://www.amazon.com/Ellsworth-Woodturning-Master-Creates-Vessels/dp/1565233778

https://www.amazon.com/TREND-AIR-PRO-Airshield-Faceshield/dp/B002Q0Y5IU/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?hvadid=177804152046&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9016823&hvnetw=g&hvpos=1t1&hvqmt=e&hvrand=7796429527908812396&hvtargid=kwd-5877316711&keywords=trend+airshield+pro&qid=1554321897&s=gateway&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/48202-WOODLATHE-CHUCK-WOODWORM-INSERT/dp/B0037M8M3U

I ordered this one, I have the discontinued small variable speed hf desktop lathe and an old craftsman which both have the 3/4 16tpi so it’ll work for both.

nova 48202 g3

Here is the mobile version of your link

You need a quarter round bit for a router to round the sides and then a hook knife to carve the bowls.

https://www.amazon.com/Mora-Frost-164-Woodcarving-Knife/dp/B00343VCCK

There are tons of videos.

But I would recommend turning wood with Richard Raffan @ $20 it's a steal for the amount of information you will gain...