Lathe Tools and Chucks??? What to buy....

[mbeach]

I am wanting everyones opinion on what to buy....

Are these any good? http://www.pennstateind.com/store/LC...cid=6660618540

or do you have some others to recommend. Need a basic set to get me started.


Also... what is a good relatively cheap chuck?

[NZAPP1]

Originally Posted by mbeach

Nick,

I dont know if you remember or not, but you gave me one of your oland tools last time i was there. I cannot tell you how much I have used it.... well... wait... that and the bowl gouge you let me borrow are the only 2 that i use. the 12.00 set of 8 tools from ebay... really dont work

Thanks

Mike

Mike
I do remember you coming over to the shop the bowl gouge is from the PS set you are looking at.

[MrAudio815]

[QUOTE=mbeach;269794]

Originally Posted by MrAudio815

Make one wheel MDF and get some buffing compound at sears for $3 and waa laa you have sharp tools in seconds.


What do you mean by MDF? Do you mean the wood MDF? If so, please explain.... Thanks!

Mike

MDF is Medium Density Fiberboard, Much better than particle board. Basically it's Sawdust with lots of glue, very hard, very durable. Will hold up to water better than particle board, but will eventually fall apart if soaked for a while. I have plenty of scrap for a 6" to 10" disc you can turn on the lathe with the correct hole size in the middle and fit it to your grinder for a buffing wheel.


Hope that helps.


Matthew

[CarvedTones]

You can pretty much use inches to HP to figure the largest bowl gouge you should use, so a 1/2" gouge for a 1/2 HP motor. Not an absolute. You don't need the biggest either. I have a 3/8" and I doubt I will get a larger one unless I get a bigger lathe.
(I have a 1/2 HP VS 10" swing).
IMO, convenience is the only thing that makes people choose chucks over faceplates. I am not saying don't get a chuck; the convenince can be a big deal. But you can certainly turn pretty much anything without one.

[CarvedTones]

another note...

You definitely want HSS tools as primaries, but if you need a tool to cut a specific profile and won't use it often, it is much cheaper and easier to make it out of a cheap carbon chisel. Just don't over heat while grinding or while using it. The advantage of HSS is durability at higher temps. As long as you don't overheat regular carbon steel, it cuts just as well. But normal use on a powered lathe will overheat it.

[FredP]

Originally Posted by NZAPP1

Phillip/Mike
You do not need to go to far, I have 3 Oland tools that I made and you are welcome to give them a try. I also have extra round shaft stock you can have to mke your own if you like them you then just need to pick up the cutters

as far as cutters go I have found that old drill bits broken to length and sharpened work as well as anything does. lock em in the oland tool, grind a flat on top and grind a profile like a round scraper on the end. we all have old drill bits laying around dont we?

[mbeach]

I did not know you could use MDF as a buffing wheel. So after sharpening i just run it on the MDF for a little while? Thanks




[QUOTE=MrAudio815;269798]

Originally Posted by mbeach

MDF is Medium Density Fiberboard, Much better than particle board. Basically it's Sawdust with lots of glue, very hard, very durable. Will hold up to water better than particle board, but will eventually fall apart if soaked for a while. I have plenty of scrap for a 6" to 10" disc you can turn on the lathe with the correct hole size in the middle and fit it to your grinder for a buffing wheel.


Hope that helps.


Matthew

[MrAudio815]

Originally Posted by CarvedTones

another note...

You definitely want HSS tools as primaries, but if you need a tool to cut a specific profile and won't use it often, it is much cheaper and easier to make it out of a cheap carbon chisel. Just don't over heat while grinding or while using it. The advantage of HSS is durability at higher temps. As long as you don't overheat regular carbon steel, it cuts just as well. But normal use on a powered lathe will overheat it.

I don't know how cheap a carbon chisel is, but the HSS pack at Harbor Freight is only $3.95 and you get 6 different bit's and with coupons you get it cheaper and it's still High speed steel.

[QUOTE=mbeach;269808]I did not know you could use MDF as a buffing wheel. So after sharpening i just run it on the MDF for a little while? Thanks

I didn't either till I saw Earl using it with some sears buffing compund. He did take off the wheel on his grinder and replaced it with the MDF disc.
Here is a picture I found of Earl's grinder, not the best but if you look close you can tell it's an MDF disc in his red grinder on the right of the pic.


And here is the compund he uses: http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1...ffing+compound

[CarvedTones]

I was referring to using a chisel that already has a handle and shaft, not just a piece of tool steel. HF sells a couple of sets that are about $1.50 per chisel for 4 or 6, but lots of us have one or more lying around. Again, for commonly used tools I suggested HSS. But if you need to do only one or just a few pieces that need a specific tool you can save a lot of money and time by just grinding an old chisel.

[Ruth Niles]

Hi Mike,

You've gotten a lot of good advice. I'll just add my experienced opinion, after turning for more than 18 yrs., I have a lot of opinions!

Do not waste money on a set. Start with good tools. If you buy a cheap set to practice or learn how to sharpen, you will just have to learn all over again when you get quality tools.

Doug Thompson has the best tools; one 3/8" bowl gouge and 1/2" skew.

Get a thin, 1/8" or 1/16" parting tool, you can cut a wider opening with a small on but you can't cut a thinner opening with a wide one.

A round-nosed scraper is nice to have, too.

That's 4 tools you will use forever. In a set, you will never use 3 of them so you're not saving money.

I have the Talon Oneway chuck, it's lasted 12 yrs. so at $120, that's $10 a year and it's going to last another 10.

Ok, guess that's enough opinions for now.

Ruth