What tools do you use?

[Fibonacci]

I finally for a chance to get back on the lathe and tried something new.

I have been looking pretty hard at the woodchuck bowl pro, but had not used that shape of tool before. I have always used a large gouge for roughing, a small gouge for shaping and sandpaper for smoothing before, but I decided to try using a fingernail scraper to to the roughing since it was the closest thing that I have to the shape of the woodchuck.

It worked amazing. It cut fast and clean and I had quite a bit less sanding to do when I was done because of how smooth the surface was. I would post pics, but I ruined both blanks trying to do a CA finish. I plan on trying to fix them, but after ruining 3 blanks in a row, I decided to knock off for the night.

This might be a blinding flash of obvious to more experienced people, but I was really surprised how well it worked out.

I go to wondering what tools the experts use.

 

[bensoelberg]

roughing or spindle gouge to get it close in size and shape, then skew.

 

[witz1976]

depending on what I am turning I will either use a roughing gouge and skew or just a skew. I have been looking at the wood chucks too, but just too poh right now:frown:

 

[bensoelberg]

depending on what I am turning I will either use a roughing gouge and skew or just a skew. I have been looking at the wood chucks too, but just too poh right now:frown:

Same here. As soon as I can justify the cost with my CFO, I'm going to order one. Fibonacci, if you beat me to it, I might have to visit my sister in your neck of the woods. :biggrin:

 

[darcisowers]

I turn to round/approximate size with a 1/4" parting tool (found that a rouging gouge is TOO ROUGH for most of our delicate segmented blanks!) and then a skew. LOVE the skew. REALLY love the skew. That way I can start sanding at 400 or 600....

For Christmas I got hubby the woodchuck pen pro, but we haven't used it yet. :biggrin:

 

[NewLondon88]

the skew is my final tool on any blank.

.. because once I touch it to wood, it's all over. :frown:

 

[Lenny]

The woodchuck pen pro is really a GREAT tool for turning pens! I have no experience with the bowl pro but expect it is every bit as good for turning BOWLS!
Before I got the pen pro (and often now still) I used a gouge and skew. The gouge to knock the corners off the blank and get it close to final size and a skew to take it to final shape. With proper use the skew will leave the blank with a polish that requires very little sanding.
My tools are the inexpensive Harbor Freight HSS set but they have worked out quite well.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYFhRINVDDE

 

[sbwertz]

I got the woodchuck pen pro for christmas. It is great. It peels off shavings that look like they were made by a pencil sharpener. I have one cutter that I use exclusively for inlays. It will actually cut the turquoise inlays. No more 60 grit gouge! It does dull the blade, so I keep one cutter just for doing stone inlays.

Sharon

 

[76winger]

Gouge to rough out and skew to finish, and sometimes just the skew for everything, especially the more bittle acrylics. Different from above, I'm still totally proficient with the skew and usually have to sand starting at 240, but I'm working on it!

 

[bitshird]

You guys ain't seen nothin yet!!! I just made a new woodchuck for bowl work, it uses a 18 mm round insert which it a bit larger diameter than the tool made by easy wood tools, I tried it on a dried piece of Bradford Pear , and was pretty much taken away with it, doing the inside of a bowl just became a lot easier for me.
animefan Andrew, my son in law insisted that instead of calling it a Woodchuck, we name it after me so we are calling it "THE FAT HEAD", I won't have it on the web site until later tonight or tomorrow, but it is awesome, (just like all the Woodchuck Tools)

 

[stolicky]

the skew is my final tool on any blank.

.. because once I touch it to wood, it's all over. :frown:

That's funny.



As far as tooling, I use what I feel is working for me at the moment (carbide, spindle gouge, roughing gouge, etc.), but always finish with a skew.

 

[turbowagon]

2 skews and a woodchuck pen pro.

 

[el_d]

Woodchuck to chuck my wood, or acrylic, or truestone, or anything else I can fit on the lathe.

 

[PaulDoug]

I bought the bowl pro first and used it a while, I liked it so much I purchased the one with the round insert and a pen pro. I was skeptical of the one with the round insert because it was quite a bit smaller than I thought it would be. Now I love it. I use to mainly for the inside of bowls and boxes. I finally purchased the diamond shaped one and use it for grooves and beads. The one I found I least use it the pen pro, because I got so use to using the bowl pro, I forget I have it.

When roughing I have found I do better working across doing small cuts in than running the tool back and forth. I don't know if how I described it, that makes sense .

 

[bitshird]

The woodchuck pen pro is really a GREAT tool for turning pens! I have no experience with the bowl pro but expect it is every bit as good for turning BOWLS!
Before I got the pen pro (and often now still) I used a gouge and skew. The gouge to knock the corners off the blank and get it close to final size and a skew to take it to final shape. With proper use the skew will leave the blank with a polish that requires very little sanding.
My tools are the inexpensive Harbor Freight HSS set but they have worked out quite well.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYFhRINVDDE

I got the woodchuck pen pro for christmas. It is great. It peels off shavings that look like they were made by a pencil sharpener. I have one cutter that I use exclusively for inlays. It will actually cut the turquoise inlays. No more 60 grit gouge! It does dull the blade, so I keep one cutter just for doing stone inlays.

Sharon

2 skews and a woodchuck pen pro.

Woodchuck to chuck my wood, or acrylic, or truestone, or anything else I can fit on the lathe.

I bought the bowl pro first and used it a while, I liked it so much I purchased the one with the round insert and a pen pro. I was skeptical of the one with the round insert because it was quite a bit smaller than I thought it would be. Now I love it. I use to mainly for the inside of bowls and boxes. I finally purchased the diamond shaped one and use it for grooves and beads. The one I found I least use it the pen pro, because I got so use to using the bowl pro, I forget I have it.

When roughing I have found I do better working across doing small cuts in than running the tool back and forth. I don't know if how I described it, that makes sense .

Thanks for the good words folks, your making my tools blush!!

 

[Russianwolf]

I opted for the bowl pro as I like larger tools (more length = better control in my opinion). I also have the Diamond point tool. Both are great.

I still use my 1-1/2 in skew for the last pass as I can get a more uniform shape with it.

 

[LEAP]

I was the lucky winner of a penpro during last years bash, Thanks again Ken, It works great!! I admit that I mostly use it for the harder stuff like truestone. For most of my pens I use a skew from start to finish.

 

[Finatic]

FWIW, I use a a few different tools. I have a New Edge Cutting Tools Pen set and a 3/8 and 1/2" round, I have a Woodchuck square w/2*carbide, and I have been using a couple of HSS 1" skews and gouge. I use them all during the course of a couple of sessions turning, but I seem to lean towards the New Edge tools because of the radius dish top on the carbide. I like the way it rolls off the chips. remember, I have only been turning for a couple of years and pens for a couple of months.

 

[moke]

I have had the good fortune of meeting a long time member of our local turning club, and he has agreed to mentor me with bowls and such. It seems like the members have all turned pens at one time or another, but have settled in on other things. I showed up at a demo a while ago with my woodchuck and I afraid I was going to loose it!! They all had to try it and it was full of droll after I finally got it back....wait until I tell them about the "fat head".....Ken, will you remember us little people?

 

[sbwertz]

New woodchuck bowl tool

You guys ain't seen nothin yet!!! I just made a new woodchuck for bowl work, it uses a 18 mm round insert which it a bit larger diameter than the tool made by easy wood tools, I tried it on a dried piece of Bradford Pear , and was pretty much taken away with it, doing the inside of a bowl just became a lot easier for me.
animefan Andrew, my son in law insisted that instead of calling it a Woodchuck, we name it after me so we are calling it "THE FAT HEAD", I won't have it on the web site until later tonight or tomorrow, but it is awesome, (just like all the Woodchuck Tools)

So where is this new tool! Does it have a round shank or square shank? How long is the shank and how long is the handle? Is a square shank or round shank better for turning inside a bowl? I'm a newbie and am shopping for a carbide bowl tool.