Tools

[Dan26]

The lathe I have is an old Craftsman. Although it's not the best for turning pens it's what I currently have to work with. My question is what tool you prefer for turning pens? I had a few guys tell me all they use are roughing gouges. That's what I've been using and it seems to work OK. But what about the other tools (scrapers and chisels)? BTW, the only thing I've used the lathe for is turning pens. I am addicted, but also want to (or rather my wife wants me to) try turning some bowls. There's so much knowledge and experience here, I'm looking forward to your responses.

Thanks in advance!

 

[its_virgil]

I use skews for pens from start to finish...no gouges...roughout, spindle, or bowl. Very seldom do I have a need for scrapers but you will find that several use them for acrylics/plastics of all kinds. I would say to use what you feel comfortable using.
Do a good turn daily!
Don

. My question is what tool you prefer for turning pens?
Thanks in advance!

 

[george]

I use gouge just for rought turning; if last few mm are done with sjew, the surface is smooter and require less sanding. And after little practice using skew becomes quite easy.

 

[JerrySambrook]

Dan,
I almost exclusively use a skew now.
However, when I started this back in the early 90's, I used just a roughing gouge, and did so for many years.
The roughing operation was done in the normal mode, but then you can use it like a skew, by angling the handle down and rubbing the bevel of the wing you are using. Use the right wing when going from right to left, and the left when going from left to right.

Jerry

 

[cbatzi01]

I moved from a small gouge to a 1" skew that I use exclusively on woods and acrylics, but it took some practice. I still get a catch every now and then! But like Don said, use what you're comfortable with.

 

[Fred]

My number one tool I always readch for first is my 1" oval skew. All the way from start to finish. Just keep the edge 'scary sharp' and you will have done a lot of elimination in sanding. Use the gouge on any bowls you turn and then finish the flat portions with the skew.

Practice using the skew tool first and become VERY accustomed to it prior to using it on some expensive blanks. Don't let the tool intimidate you as it does have a learning curve. Stick with it and don't give up as it is an amazing tool to know how to use.

HINT: I find that using just the tip of the cutting edge is where all the work is done. The rest of the sharp edge is very much like using a scraper.

Also, a long handle is much better with this tool IMHO!

Have a go with it and let us know how you like it! :biggrin:

 

[talbot]

There is no right or wrong tool to use in penturning, its very much down to what works for you, what you like using, and also what material is being turned.
Roughing gouge, continental gouge, skew, scraper, spindle gouge makes no difference as all you're doing is turning a blank.
How many turners do you know who use a skew to rough a blank in spindle turning?
The skew is no better or worse to use than the others except that it can produce a better finishing cut than a roughing gouge for example.
I find the best tool for me is a continental roughing gouge and maybe sometimes a finish cut with the skew, but only sometimes.
regards, Bill

 

[JimB]

As others have said, use what feels right. I use a roughing gouge and then the last few passes with a skew.

If you try doing bowls you can not use either of these. You need to get a bowl gouge.

 

[DurocShark]

I still prefer my large roughing gouge. Its shape allows me to use it as a gouge, a scraper, or a skew, just by changing the angle the tool meets the blank.

If I'm doing any detail work I use the skew. I also use my skew more for acrylics than wood. If I had an oval skew I think I'd use it more. I need to look into one of those.

Keeping any tool sharp is the key. You could sharpen a screwdriver and make it work.

 

[jleiwig]

I've used a gouge, a skew, a round nose scraper, sandpaper only and a carbide tipped chisel. Just depends on what I'm turning. Different blanks require different turning tools.

 

[leehljp]

In this thread -
http://www.penturners.org/forum/showthread.php?p=842549#post842549

Russ Fairfield wrote:

"What is always left out of any comparison of tool finishes is the wood. All things being equal, shear scraping can leave a better surface finish than a skew chisel on the very hard dense and close grained species, but it can't come anywhere close on everything else.

If you really want to see the extreme differences, try using a both scraper and skew on Cocobolo, Blackwood, or Desert Ironwood. You will find that the scraper might be the better tool for these very hard species. At the opposite extreme, the scraper will be a disaster on a soft wood like Douglas Fir or Pine, while a sharp skew can leave a smooth clean cut and polished surface that doesn't need sanding."

I am not experienced on the Skew but am using it - just not for the end finish on finer pens. However, I am experienced on the scraper, hard woods and segments. Done right, no sanding needed with the scraper and no bleed over from the segments onto each other.

 

[BigguyZ]

I primarily use a fingernail scraper, or a PSI Versa chisel that I re-ground to be a straight scraper. I've found I get great results, but I did notive a little tearout on a maple pen I did. I'm thinking I should revisit the skew. However, I've been very careful, but have still had some nasty catches and blow-outs with the skew.

 

[Whaler]

I have found that the Sorby Spindlemaster works best for me.

 

[Daniel]

I have a whole line up of tools, and I don't think I have one that I would want to have for everything. on some materials I use a 1/2 inch spindle gouge, on others a 3/4 i have a skooger that I use to rough just about anything. At times I have found that only a skew will work well. The material itself and the shape I am trying to cut has most of the say in what works well. My turning skill at the moment determins the rest. For example, I am not sure how you could cut a nice sharp v in anything without a skew. it may be the only thing I use the skew for out of an entire turning but when I need it I need it.

 

[Dan26]

Thanks for all your inputs. I'll be trying all the different tools on some practice blanks. I watched a video on using the skew and it seems like it will do a nice finishing job. I did use a scraper to do some final turning on a pen. It didn't take much wood off the blank but did do an excellent finish. I'm just getting too comfortable with the gouge but don't want to rely on it for everything until I've tried other tools.

Again, thanks for all your experience and knowledge.

 

[stolicky]

I have gotten to the point where I use a 5/8" spindle gouge for roughing it down and then either a 1/2" or 3/4" oval skew.

 

[DurocShark]

Don't expect a beautiful finish from the skew unless you are great at sharpening. I use a slipstone after the grinder on mine and it works great.

The skew is the only one of my carbon steel tools I do that to with. The HSS ones seem to appreciate it more for some reason.

 

[mbroberg]

I have always used a gouge for roughing and then a skew. I recently bought a Woodchuck Pen Pro and I really love it. been using it more and more.

 

[Dan26]

Mike,

I've never heard of the Woodchuck Pen Pro. I googled it to see what it is. Pretty neat little tool. How often do you have to change the inserts? Or can they be honed?

 

[Don Gaiser]

If I may interject here, what brand of turning tools do you guys buy/use. I just bought my first set of tools from PSI, "Benjamins Best", and to be blunt, I find them very lacking. The fit and finish is awful, half the tools were sharp, the other not. I am very disapointed in them to say the least.

 

[JimMc7]

If I may interject here, what brand of turning tools do you guys buy/use. I just bought my first set of tools from PSI, "Benjamins Best", and to be blunt, I find them very lacking. The fit and finish is awful, half the tools were sharp, the other not. I am very disapointed in them to say the least.

I use Sorby 3/4" roughing gouge to round and skews to finish. My favorite skews are from Thompson lathe tools and Crown PM from Lee Valley -- both 3/4".

 

[mickr]

Ify ou want to turn bowls go to Sawmill Creek turning section ..lots of info there..also there are 82,000 books & videos on the subject...as to your tools..even Benj. Best can be sharpened and work well..a screwdriver can be sharpened and work well..neither optimum, but they will work..learn to sharpen and keep trying..you'll get it

 

[stolicky]

I turned my first 70 pens or so strictly with PSI tools. Primarily, the roughing gouge and the little 1/2" oval skew they market as a 'pen turning' tool. They are decent tools for the price and are not bad with holding an edge. I have since invested more in tooling and use the 5/8" Thompson spindle gouge and either 1/2" or 3/4" Sorby oval skew.

It is a challenge to sharpen the oval skews compared to traditional skews. You can get by with a flat diamond sharpener for quite some time though.

 

[Daniel]

For the most part my turning tools are HF specials. They are alright but in the last few years I have pampered myself with a top of the line skew, parting tool and a couple of other tools.
There is a difference. the blade of all these tools is longer giving more life for sharpening. the handles are also longer and fit my hand better. and best of all they take a better edge and hold it slightly longer as well. getting them sharper is the big plus. My skew is a Sorby and I am very happy with it. The parting tool I can't remember the brand off the top of my head but I do remember it was fairly expensive. It has also shown itself to be worth the cost. I also have a skogger that is worth the cost just for the savings it give on my other tools. I will eventually be trading in all my tools for better quality ones.

 

[Chris Bar]

Curious about above comment on use of the skew, which I have but it has not seen wood yet. Above post says only the point is used, while all instruction videos etc say to use the edge 1/3 distance from the tip to heel, to prevent catches. Do many folks use the tip for anything other than beads etc.i.e. not flat spindle work as in pens?

 

[DurocShark]

Most of my work is still done with the $9 HF carbon steel set. And I'm glad I bought them first. I learned to sharpen without bluing.

I've upgraded a couple pieces, my bowl gouge is a sorby and my parting tool is BB, but my two most used tools, skew and roughting gouge, are still the craptastic HF ones. With new handles, though.

We can talk about these things around and around, but the biggest thing is how you use the tool. Not what brand. Granted, when I'm hanging 4 inches over the rest working on a bowl, I want better metals. But for the rest? :shrug:

 

[Bree]

I use three tools (mostly two) A roughing gouge to bring the blank to cylinder, a Lacer radiused skew for almost everything else, and sometimes a spindlemaster. Love that Lacer skew though it is hard to sharpen.
:biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:

 

[justaccord]

Curious about above comment on use of the skew, which I have but it has not seen wood yet. Above post says only the point is used, while all instruction videos etc say to use the edge 1/3 distance from the tip to heel, to prevent catches. Do many folks use the tip for anything other than beads etc.i.e. not flat spindle work as in pens?

Chris,

If it's the same post I just read, he is referring to the tip (section closest to the point) not to the point. The videos have it right -- use the point for v cuts only. Otherwise, use the portion of the blade between the point (whether toe down or heel down) and not as far as the middle of the edge. This is the area used for planing cuts.

There is no substitute for just hanging out with the tool for a while. Practicing beads and coves and planing cuts will actually make you a better pen turner, and open up lots of other possibilities as well.

HTH

 

[ldb2000]

Something that has not been mentioned is "Sharpness" other then Don's mention of the PSI tools not being sharp .
Lathe tools are NOT presharpened !!!!!!! With a couple of exceptions MOST lathe tools come with an edge but that is just a rough edge . For a lathe tool (a gouge or skew , etc) To perform well it needs to be properly sharpened after you buy it . A gouge will work ok after you use a grinder to sharpen it but a skew needs to be honed as well to get the smoothest cut . It only takes a few minutes with a stone or even a CC diamond hone to finish the edge on a skew .
The skew when properly honed can be used to finish a blank with little or no further sanding . This is done by taking a "Shearing cut" .
A shearing cut is done by holding the skew at an angle to the blank and "Riding the bevel" . With this kind of cut you are using the center of the cutting edge not the tip or the heel (both of which can cause a catch) and keeping the bevel almost parallel to the work and just raising it enough to take the cut . This produces a "Shearing" action that cleanly shears the material instead of scraping it .