Please recommend some tools...

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Spec Grade

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I have a lot of turning tools, mostly spindle gouges & bowl gouges. I'm having a heck of a time trying to turn pens, however.
Can someone recommend some decent pen turning tools for someone on a tight budget?
Are the ones from PSI (carbide tipped) worth buying?
If not, any other suggestions?

Thanks so much.
 
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witz1976

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For a long time the only 3 tools I had was a spindle gouge, a 1/2" skew and a parting tool. With those 3...heck even those 2 you should be able to make some pens.

I used the Benjamin's Best HSS not the Carbide ones and they worked fine. The carbide is if you are challenged in sharpening.

my $.02
 

RAdams

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For those of us scared of the skew (ME)...


I use a parting tool and a big honkin scraper. (Taylor 1" round nose)

I sometimes use a spindle gouge for touch up work at the bushings. (I use the parting tool early to bring the ends down to near finished, then i use the scraper to form the body. First, I use a spindle gouge to insure the blank is round before i attack it with the scraper) That is pretty much my technique for all my pens, wood, resin, ebonite, trustone, etc.
 

jttheclockman

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Stay away from carbide. Try a spindlemaster if you are challenged. I use a skew. I think what you need to do is learn to sharpen and use your tools properly. I have seen people turn pens from just about every tool there is. I see people use their roughing gouge from start to finish. Just my observation so don't shoot the messenger.
 

mbroberg

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Stay away from carbide. Try a spindlemaster if you are challenged. I use a skew. I think what you need to do is learn to sharpen and use your tools properly. I have seen people turn pens from just about every tool there is. I see people use their roughing gouge from start to finish. Just my observation so don't shoot the messenger.


I agree with that statement about sharpening, but don't rule out any other tool. I have a nice set of "traditional" tools and I would not want to trade them. I turned a lot of pens with just a roughing gouge, 1/4 " skew and a parting tool. However, I love my carbide insert tools and now use them most often. I do not like my spindlemaster. And if someone gets the results they are looking for by using their roughing gouge from start to finish then a roughing gouge is what they should be using.
 
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Mac

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I have a lot of turning tools, mostly spindle gouges & bowl gouges. I'm having a heck of a time trying to turn pens, however.
Can someone recommend some decent pen turning tools for someone on a tight budget?
Are the ones from PSI (carbide tipped) worth buying?
If not, any other suggestions?

Thanks so much.

Check out www.woodturner.org That is the AAW. looks like there are 7 clubs in Maryland. I am in two such clubs and they provide a wealth of knowledge. After turning pens and other stuff for three years or so, I think it is the more practice with each tool that will help the most. I think the skew is best for pens myself ,there is a lot less sanding if any required after turning. I would suggest the HF tool set (their high dollar set) it is still under $50 bucks. I also think that sharpening is a learning curve and I had rather practice sharpening cheap tools as expensive ones.
 

mbroberg

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IMHO you have to sharpen often, sometimes several times for one project, which makes carbide a poor choice.

With that said this tool may be the exception ....
Made by member Ken Farrell, it has many happy owners

http://www.penturners.org/forum/showthread.php?t=53620

That is very true, which is why Carbide is a GREAT choice. Do you want to spend your shop time sharpening or turning?

And it goes off sale at midnight tonight

For what it is worth, Ken's tools are the ones I own.
 

wolftat

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For most of the pens I make, I don't use anything special. I have some carbide tipped tools but I usually reach for a 1"bowl gouge or a 1" skew for turning pens, it just takes some time to get used to using them on a smaller project
 

Wildman

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I only use 3/4" roughing gouge, 1/2" skew and maybe a parting tool whether turning wood or acrylic blanks.

Have turned pen using only a roughing gouge, sandpaper and micro mesh. So not sure any special tools needed. If do a lot of damage with the roughing gouge breal out the skew. I start sanding wood with either 320 or 400 grit paper.
 

Whaler

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I recently purchased a Hunter carbide tool and love it for roughing a blank I then switch to a spindlemaster to finish the pen.
 

fernhills

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Carbide tools are great and i have 3. But you can do pens without them. I start with a honker of a round nose scraper from a square blank to almost finish, then use my skew. I start sanding with 400. Lately i have been turning my square blanks round to its largest Di.
before i start anything. Carl
 

Lenny

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I should have clarified that I meant regular turning tools that are carbide tipped. (and therefore beyond most people ability to sharpen)
Personally I use a gouge and a skew for 98% of the pens I turn.

Still, I expect I'll continue to lust for one of those carbide insert tools till I have to have one! :wink:
 

jttheclockman

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Just goes to show you many responses and many different methods. You can actually turn a pen just using a parting tool if you want to. It is not the tool, it is the user and how sharp he keeps the tool. For doing a pen you can do many pens before you have to sharpen if you would like. Learn to sharpen your tools. there are sooooo many videos on utube and other sources for sharpening. Good luck and keep at it, it will get easier.

don't get me wrong carbide is nice and in fact I use it when turning metals.
 
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ldb2000

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Carbide tools are better for allot of our turning . The down side to carbide tools is that you can't get them as sharp as HSS due to the grain structure of the metals . That said carbide will still take a scary sharp edge as easily as HSS and that sharpness will last several times as long , meaning more time turning and less time sharpening . The tools needed to sharpen HSS tools will work just as well for carbide . I use a Tormek clone to sharpen my carbide tipped tools but before I got it I used a sheet of plate glass and sticky backed sandpaper to sharpen and hone my skews with and a Diamond hone to handle my gouges .
The PSI set you mentioned is the one I use everyday , they are my "Get it done" tools . The only limitation is the fact that the tips are brazed to the shank so you can't let the joint overhand the tool rest , just common sense if you think about it though . If you want to see the kind of work they do on every thing from soft woods to acrylics and metals (all without constant resharpening) just look in my photo gallery . Every one of my pens in there was turned using mainly the PSI carbide tipped gouge and skew .
 
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knifecut

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I generally only use a 3/4" roughing gouge. The last acrylic one I did I also used a 3/4" flat nosed scraper.

If I want to add some embellishments, then I've used spindle gouges, skews or parting tools.
 

Spec Grade

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I have Benjamin's Best HSS turning tools. I also have a Wolverine sharpening system, and I know how to sharpen my tools from start to finish. The problem isn't having sharpened tools. My problem is that my tools are too big for using on my midi lathe.
My tools work fine for my big lathe, just not too well for doing pens. I have big hands, so that's part of the problem as well. I'm also set up to sharpen carbide tools as well as HSS. I have a silicone oxide grinder wheel especially for carbide tools.

Anyway, I was looking for a shorter length, shallow spindle gouge. I may just go with that 3 piece carbide set from PSI. It looks like it will fit my midi lathe better than my full size tools.
 

PenMan1

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I have Sorbys, Woodchucks and numerous high dollar lathe tools. They mostly collect dust. For my humble little operation, nothing works better. lasts longer or sharpens easier than my little $45 Penn State Carbide tipped pen tools ( Benjamin's Best Carbide).

I am not a big fan of Penn State as I have gotten some very poor quality products there, but this little set is my tools of choice when making pens. Sometimes when I do a woodturning class, we will use the high-dollar tools and the little carbide set side by side. On tru-stone, gemstone, aluminum, M3 and damacus steel. Benjamin is the winner EVERY time.
 

ldb2000

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If you decide to get the PSI carbide tipped set , look at Amazon first . They sell that set for less then on PSI's website . Just remember to keep the toolrest tight to the work , don't let the brazed joint hang past the toolrest or it will break off .
 

medemt

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Spec Grade,

I am fairly new to penturning but I bought this tool at the wood show this January (at the CSUSA booth) at it is awesome. The link below will get you to the website. I bought the Ci3M Finisher. Talked to the owner yesterday and he informs me that there is a newer blade coming out for the rougher. I'm going to wait on that one.

There are many nice features about this tool and I have talked to people who I feel really know penturning - nothing but good comments. 100% money back guarantee. Call the owner and he will be happy to answer your questions. I promise you I have no affiliation with this company.

I use my gouge to rough and then I pull out this tool to do my shaping. Detail work can still be done with other tools.

Hope this helps. Be happy to answer any questions I can.
Here is the link: http://www.easywoodtools.com/store.php

Dan
 

emccarthy

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well, I'm new to turning in general, and only have 3 tools, all made by woodriver - a 3/16" parting tool, a 1/2" spindle gouge and a 1" oval skew. For now, I keep them sharp with a small diamond hone. I've used both the spindle gouge and the skew for roughing, and the skew for finish cuts on the 2 pens I've made so far.

From what I've seen, they are both fairly easy to manage, but if I'm not careful, I sometimes let the heel of the skew dip a little and it catches, digging in a bit. Not a problem when roughing, but when I'm getting close to the final diameter, I take very careful, slow cuts to ensure I DON'T dig in accidentally. Another benefit to the skew is it leaves a decent finish which helps with sanding.
 

ldb2000

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Spec Grade,

I am fairly new to penturning but I bought this tool at the wood show this January (at the CSUSA booth) at it is awesome. The link below will get you to the website. I bought the Ci3M Finisher. Talked to the owner yesterday and he informs me that there is a newer blade coming out for the rougher. I'm going to wait on that one.

There are many nice features about this tool and I have talked to people who I feel really know penturning - nothing but good comments. 100% money back guarantee. Call the owner and he will be happy to answer your questions. I promise you I have no affiliation with this company.

I use my gouge to rough and then I pull out this tool to do my shaping. Detail work can still be done with other tools.

Hope this helps. Be happy to answer any questions I can.
Here is the link: http://www.easywoodtools.com/store.php

Dan


There are a couple of people here who make very similar tools to the Easy rougher . Ken Ferrell (bitshird) makes the Woodchuck in several different flavors including one designed for turning pens that cost allot less then the easy rougher http://www.penturners.org/forum/showthread.php?t=53620 .
Whenever possible , support our vendors here at the IAP . These are the people who help keep these forums running by donating time and products to the various fund raising contests we have here . Without them the IAP couldn't keep running . Anytime you need supplies look in the Classified forums and support our vendors .
 
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