What tools do you use?

[avbill]

I realize what this question is a loaded canon, with very person using their favorite tool in shaping their pen. I started with a roughing gouge and a detail gouge. I have no problem with the roughing gouge getting the blank round and flat. I feel that the detailed gouge (Sorby detailed gouge) has not given me cutting edge everyone talks about. It's several reasons:

1) its my lack of understanding and experience with the tool.
2) I also feel its its because the detailed gouge has a sharper cutting angle verses a normal gouge.

I bought a skew and I'm learning its advantages and disadvantages. I'm still learning the skew and plan to practice and practice.

So my question Is the detailed gouge too sharp of an cutting angle FOR THE pen blanks compared to a regular gouge have a relaxed angle at the tip of the tool?

Thanks for your answers in advance!

Bill Daniels


PS I review Keith Rowley's 5 laws of woodturning every week My grade is improving but its far from being prefect -- well its on the other side of the bell curve to be honest.

 

[CSue]

Yyou know, Bill, I'm hoping you've learned more and become more comfortable with YOUR tools of choice. I started off with a roughing gouge and skew. As much as I tried, I just couldn't get the knack of the Skew. And, finding the big gouges too clumsy for fine detail in my hands, I got Sorby Gouge your speaking of.
For many months I found myself using only the Sorby gouge. As I became more comfortable with it's use, I was able to go back to skew(s) of many forms and obtain a reasonable mastery. No high grades, but I became comfortable enough to use them on woods the Sorby Gouge would be to hard on. I prefer the sharp cutting edge in all cases whether it be with the detailed gouge or some type of skew.

That's my personal opinion, Bill, and a few months late.

I think you need to work with what your comfortable with as you begin turning. Once you can handle that tool well, see what it does, how it does it and under what circumstances it does it's best - and worse, the you would be steps ahead in picking up any other tool and learning how to use it. My cousin doesn't use a gouge - AT ALL. Never has. Probably never will. But the end product is what we're looking for, right?

Cathy Sue

 

[dwmcreynolds]

I was in Rockler last week checking out an Alan Lacer 5/8" skew chisel. Pulled it out of the package to check the edge. Having bled all over it, I knew I had to buy it. All my other tools just became tomato stakes.

Dave in Scottsdale

 

[KenV]

I find the detail gouges (and spindle gouges)from the mfg are blunt instruments. A long fingernail shape with a gentle convex curve on the sides seems to help. Cannot use my fingernails for a model, but rather look at the glue on kind in the store for a better shape. Think of a sharpening jig to make the shape look long and smooth.

The real success is to practice practice practice -- get some 1 1/2 inch pine and make shavings until you are feeling comfortable with the tool then go to some good wood and make some tool handles - then on to the good stuff. (I know, I cannot do it easily either).

 

[Dave_M]

Up to this point I've been using the very affordable (OK cheap) Harbor Freight tools I bought when I started this habit. I like using the gouge until I get close to the finished size, then I switch to the skew. I keep them all very sharp and when using the skew it's like using sandpaper on steroids. I can turn the material down to the finished size quick and comes out butter smooth. It just takes a light touch and the material just slides off the blank. When I'm done, sometimes it looks like the material was already finish sanded. A razor sharp skew and finding the ideal cutting angle for the material has been key for me. I like seeing that fine dust or those fine ribbons of material coming off the blank. The problem I see with the Harbor Freight tools is they lose their edge pretty quick.

My wife bought me some Henry Taylor tools from CSUSA for Christmas. I don't know much about these but they seem to get good comments on the forum. I'm looking forward to trying them out in the next few days.

 

[Rudy Vey]

Whatever is good for you and works! For pen turning I use a 3/8 spindle gouge to round over and remove most of the stock, then finish with the skew, used like a scraper and sanding starts mostly at 320 or 400 grit followed by M M through 12000 grit. I do this tool combination on wood, stabilized wood, all kind of plastics and Tru-Stone. Works for me, others use only skews, some use scrapers - its an open field.
The tools are normal sized, so no mini or micro tools and not specially "pen turning" tools (although I started with them when I started turning).

 

[Firefyter-emt]

Well, would you all believe that I am still using a set of high-carbon steel Craftsman chisels that have been re-handled in some nice cherry? That is my main set, then I have a set of cheap B-Best bowl gouges (garbarge) and a set of profile scrapers from B-Best (pretty nice tools) There are a couple odd balls tossed in the mix as well, but 90% is done with those old HCS tools from the 1950's

 

[galoot_loves_tools]

Well, let's see...Got a big Sorby roughing gouge to round the blanks, an old flea market Craftsman 3/4" HSS gouge, has sort of a blunt profile so it won't leave much in the way of ridges, a 3/8" Skewchigouge - I use this to take the rounded blank down to the bushings, right at the end, and two oval skews, a 1" and 1/2" - these I use to refine the profiles.

I also have a narrow parting tool made from a file by some unknown turner, flea market purchase and a Crown 1/8 inch parting tool.

 

[rherrell]

I agree with Rudy. Whatever works for you, just keep it sharp.
I only use 3 tools. A Sorby Spindlemaster, 1/2" skew and a parting tool. I use the Spindlemaster all the way on plastics and antler. Some wood I can use it all the way but some wood I just use it for roughing out and then use the skew. There are 2 main reasons I like the Spindlemaster. Not being an overly experienced turner I feel SAFE using it. The second is sharpening. It only requires a diamond stone to keep it sharp. I keep a diamond stone at my lathe so no more trips to the grinder!

 

[DocStram]

What Rick said.

 

[Dario]

There are a lot more tool configurations now than there were 100 years ago...most do the same thing just a bit more "specialized". If you study how the edge (no matter what tool) cuts the wood then you will learn how to choose the right tool for the job.

I am not saying I am an expert but this is the first thing I studied (using lots of imagination) and know enough that I can use almost any tool I have to rough turn (and finish if need be) a pen. I really can start and finish a pen using only one tool. Be it a; roughing gouge, scraper, skew, bowl gouge, parting tool, spindle gouge, etc. If you are in a bind, this helps but having a choice, I still use 2 or 3 tools which speeds up and delivers better finished turnings.

Sharp tool is the key, but technique equally matters. Tool presentation is very critical, elevating the tool rest a bit changes the edge presentation...tilting the tool a bit changes how the edge cuts too.

 

[RussFairfield]

It's not what tool you use to turn the pen, it's how sharp it is that makes the difference. Sharp tools really do cut better, and the sharper they are the better they cut.

 

[fuzzydog]

Bill, do you notice one word reappearing in all the comments. SHARP I couldn't agree more. Find Al Lancers web page and read about sharping tools or get his DVD's and watch. There is a ton on information that you won't regret the time.
David

 

[Larry Gottlieb]

I use a 5/8" bowl gauge with a swept back grind for most of the turning.I like the heft that decreases chatter.
When there is corian in the blank, I waste it down with a carbide router bit held in a steel rod.
I agree that a sharp tool is the most important thing. As I get close to the final size I use a credit card size diamond hone to touch up the blade. This decreases the number of times I use the grinder with the Wolverine jig.

Larry

 

[Daniel]

As others have said, sharp is very important. i will add that sharp also requires better control. learn to control the tool with the rest and not with the pressure against the turning. I say this because as the tool dulls you can get away with more and more pressure and not make gouges etc. This has the feeling of actually having more control. But in reality you are causing more problems than you are solving. you actually start vibrations that make smooth cuts impossible. the extra pressure you apply also causes the mandrel to flex. and you are short cutting around actually practicing control of the tool. Thanks to my wolverine system I have finally gotten to the point that I prefer my tools very sharp. and also realize how much I was reallying on a slightly dull tool to make a clean cut. Now I notice how much I hold the tool to the rest and not thinking much about where it is in regard to the turning.

 

[Rifleman1776]

90% of my turning is with a 1' skew. BTW, I got a new Henry Taylor skew for Christmas, replacing my antique (really) soft steel one.

 

[JWW]

Roughing gouge to rough shape and the PSI's versa-chisel.

 

[ldb2000]

I use the carbide tipped set that PSI sells and keep them verrrrry sharp , mostly I use the skew for all acrylics and tru-stone and wild grain woods and for final shaping on all other woods the main thing as everyone else says SHARP SHARP SHARP !!!