affordable tools

affordable tools · 08-05-2009, 08:30 PM

Would love to hear some feedback on turning tools . i think it is time to start looking for a set to purchase

I don't need a Cadillac but don't want a Volkswagen either

Maybe someone has some for sale, seen a good special etc etc

Don't want to start a war ....just some good ol fashioned North Carolina Woodworker'er hands-on practical knowledge good and bad

TIA for any and all input

PChristy · 08-05-2009, 08:57 PM

Hey Bro, I have the set from HF - They are not all that great but once you get them sharpe they cut fairly well but they will not hold an edge for very long - I hope one day to get a better set but for now these will do just fine

flyrod444 · 08-05-2009, 09:04 PM

Hi Robert,
Which tools you use depends a lot on what you turn. I'm not a big fan of any of the sets sold. You always get a couple tools that you never use. I like buying just the tools I need. As far as brands most of the big names make a good tool. If you want a great tool Doug Thompson makes them. His are priced some where in the middle and they are hands down the best tool on the market. He makes all his tools and sales them direct as well. This saves you from paying the mark up like we have to pay on everything else. Here is the link to his site.
http://www.thompsonlathetools.com/
Jack Mincey

DaveO · 08-05-2009, 09:11 PM

The $40 HF set will set you up with several good tools. Thompson's are also good. You might also consider some of the Benjamin's Best tools at PSI.
Robert it is so good to have you on the slope....I knew you would enjoy it.

Dave

FredP · 08-05-2009, 10:07 PM

as you know i have several..... but the one i use most are thr roughing gouge small spindle gouge 2 bowl gouges both elsworth grind and traditional grind parting tool and a home made oland tool. I also love my big ol heavy scraper. the rest pretty much collect dust. if you get a set from HF i think you get 3 spindle gouges sm med and lrg 2 skews a roughing gouge parting tool and a bowl gouge. [i think] of these the lrg spindle gouge doesnt get much use on a small lathe niether does the small skew [at least mine dont] i dont care for the small skew. in addition you will want a 80 grit a 120 grit a 150 grit ect ect ect gouge!

see ya tomorrow buddy!

Glennbear · 08-06-2009, 10:15 AM

A while back I heard that one of the HF sets was a "hidden bargain" like the famous HF lathe. Since I was not sure which set it was I bought both they had on the shelf which by no means broke the bank. It turned out that one set is real HSS and the other appears that it will give me lots of sharpening practice or can be easily reground to custom profiles as I become more proficient.

sawduster · 08-06-2009, 11:21 AM

Originally Posted by Glennbear

A while back I heard that one of the HF sets was a "hidden bargain" like the famous HF lathe. Since I was not sure which set it was I bought both they had on the shelf which by no means broke the bank. It turned out that one set is real HSS and the other appears that it will give me lots of sharpening practice or can be easily reground to custom profiles as I become more proficient.

HSS ?

'splain please

Mike Davis · 08-06-2009, 11:46 AM

High Speed Steel = the good stuff. It will stay sharp longer and not lose temper as easily from over heating.

ScottM · 08-06-2009, 12:31 PM

I believe this is the set in question.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=47066

CarvedTones · 08-06-2009, 01:01 PM

You will also find singles from the better HF set for sale just calling them "Windsor Design" as shown in the listing Scott linked to. I have the big skew from the set. I also have a small Sorby SpindleMaster. For the vast majority of spindle work, I could probably get by with either one but I can get a better surface with the skew while the SpindleMaster is less prone to catching and because it is small/short, easier to use on really small stuff. Anyway, I am not big on sets either.

Take this next bit with a grain of salt as I don't turn near as much as most...
I think carbon steel tools get a bad rap. Yes, both the aforementioned tools are HSS and it is the preferred material for turning tools. Plain old carbon steel works quite well, though. It needs sharpening more often, but it's not every time you turn around or anything; it's not night and day difference. They collect dust every bit as well as HSS. What I am getting at is that one way to save some money is to get a set of carbon tools for very little money and then just buy single HSS replacements for the ones you use most or to supplement. I just reground a lousy carbon steel carving tool into a decent (but short) hollowing tool the other night.

Kicbak · 08-06-2009, 02:21 PM

I got the PSI 8 tool set at amazon with free shipping.
http://www.amazon.com/PSI-Woodworkin...9579182&sr=1-1

I really like them and with the extra's you may not use you can regrind to something else. At like $8 a tool its about a cheap as you can get.

Wes

Ken Massingale · 08-06-2009, 02:43 PM

Originally Posted by ScottM

I believe this is the set in question.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=47066

I'm a bit confused now.
HF used to have 2 sets of Windsor Design turning tools, a carbon steel set with blonde handles and a slightly more expensive HSS set with red handles.
Now both sets say they are HSS.
I've had the red handled set for several years and been happy with them. I was given the light handled set a couple of years ago and they may not be the same as the ones being sold now, but they don't hold an edge well.
I also see that they list the light handled set as having 2 roughing gouges, the set I have has spindle gouges, like the red handled set. So maybe the light handled set is new, but usually there is a reason for one set being $15 higher as the red handled set is.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=35444

WoodWrangler · 08-06-2009, 02:57 PM

I used to send people down the HF route because I initially thoguht they were decent. Now in retrospect they are horrible. They will fray at the edges and are nearly impossible to get a sharp edge on. When that was all I had I thought I had a sharped edge, and it wasn't until I used others and got my own sharpening setup that I could see the different. The last set of HF cheapo's I tried to sharpen was for Robert Arrowwood and it was NOT a good experience (not sure I ever got a stellar edge). So I would keep my $40 and stay away from those.

With that said ... you don't really need a ton of tools to turn with. I was given a set of the WC Pinnacle 8-piece tools as a gift. They are nice and do get an edge pretty good. They are longer and weighted well, however I find that the 'generic' set ends up giving me a few that I don't really need.

If I were to start over I would get fewer tools, but better quality ones -- even if it takes a while to save the pennies. The Thompson Lathe Tools are superb and nearly unmatched. The ProPM tools are equally as nice, but a little on the high end of price. Pinnacle also now offers a black handled Cryogenic line that look nice.

If you still insist on the very low cost route then I would lean towards the Benjamin's Best (at least for a tool or two to see how they do).

CarvedTones · 08-06-2009, 03:07 PM

Originally Posted by Kicbak

I got the PSI 8 tool set at amazon with free shipping.
http://www.amazon.com/PSI-Woodworkin...9579182&sr=1-1

I really like them and with the extra's you may not use you can regrind to something else. At like $8 a tool its about a cheap as you can get.

Wes

This is where the tradeoff for carbon steel makes you do a little chin scratching. You can find them for under $2 per tool:

http://www.amazon.com/Pc-Wood-Lathe-.../dp/B000FVEF6O

Yes, shipping from that particular vendor makes that particular set (which I have no experience with, but is similar to so many others) more like $3 a tool, but you get the idea. You can find those locally without the shipping for about the same price.

Again, let me say that the primary tools I use are HSS and they absolutely are better than carbon steel. An HSS bowl gouge is probably in my future. But Sawduster's question is about the most affordable tools and IMO that is carbon if you want a full set. The tradeoff is carbon steel will not hold an edge as well. For the few tools I use most, IMO it is worth paying 5 times as much only because it is so few tools.

WoodWrangler · 08-06-2009, 03:26 PM

Originally Posted by Kicbak

I got the PSI 8 tool set at amazon with free shipping.
http://www.amazon.com/PSI-Woodworkin...9579182&sr=1-1

I really like them and with the extra's you may not use you can regrind to something else. At like $8 a tool its about a cheap as you can get.

Wes

Dang! Now that is cheap!

At that price I'd have them around just to regrind into custom one-off tools!

I love the lathe that you can buy with them on Amazon!