phillywood
Member
Is this a good brand chisels, for both pen and bowl turnings for $35.00?
Benjamin's Best 8pc Lathe Woodturning Cutting Chisels
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dgscott
Member
I'm on my second set. They don't come well sharpened, but they hold an edge well once sharpened. I've got no complaints, and for the price.....
Doug
Doug
gmreeves
Member
It looks like the Harbor Freight set I bought for about the same price. They are the only tools that I have owned and they are o.k. for me. I know there are some that are better but until I spoil myself, these will have to do. I think they hold an edge good but they aren't exactly straight coming out of the handle. No big deal though.
ldb2000
Member
The BB tools are a better quality then the HF brand . They do not come presharpened so they must be sharpened before you can use them but they are a good quality steel and will take a nice edge and keep it for awhile . Overall a good quality tool set at a good price .
phillywood
Member
Thank you guys and specially you butch, you seem to be our giude to tools and buying them. We can all appreciate your knowlege and your willingness to share it without any reservation. I know I can count on a freind from other side of the US. About 1700 miles away. I hope i can repay these favors someday. thanks again.
dgscott
Member
BTW, they are cheaper if you buy them from Amazon than if you buy them from PSI.
For what's it's worth.
Doug
For what's it's worth.
Doug
ldb2000
Member
I have that set of tools , not that I use it much , I also had the HF set but I gave it to a friend who was starting out on a small budget . After using both sets my main problem was sharpening . I'm still sharpening challenged . I don't do many bowls or other turnings mainly just pens and I use the BB carbide tipped set from PSI , I love this set . The carbide tips need very little sharpening (they come presharpened) even doing Tru-stone and metals . Normally just a quick honing is all they need and even that is not needed very often . They do have one major drawback though , the carbide tips are only brazed on (you really can't weld carbide) so you have to be careful about letting the tips hang over the tool rest . They are not usable for bowls or boxes because of this . I feel that one flaw is worth the effort to keep the tool rest tight to the work . For doing pens I will let the results speak for themselves , every pen that I made in my gallery was made with these tools , even the metal ones .
Oh , I use a Hunter hollowing tool for rounding my stock from square but then I switch to my carbide tipped tools to finish .
Oh , I use a Hunter hollowing tool for rounding my stock from square but then I switch to my carbide tipped tools to finish .
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Amazon
Also for what it's worth....that is not at all unusual...finding the item at Amazon for a lower price than at the main seller....It is common enough that I ALWAYS check at Amazon before buying any name brand tool. I find it the lowest price over half the time.
Lenny
Member
That is a very good deal and like what Butch said they are a step up from theHarbor Freight set. I paid more than that for two Benjamin's Best tools.
TellicoTurning
Member
I don't know about the set, but I have 3 BB bowl gouges... the do a good job for me. My turning tools are very similar to the set you're showing... one set came with my son's Jet mini and the other he bought with my Ridgid lathe...that lathe is gone, but I kept the tools.
Wood Butcher
Local Chapter Leader
I'm not sure one can go terribly wrong if they are HSS (high speed steel) and not high carbon steel. My old man used to say, "It's a poor craftsman that blames his tools."
MobilMan
Member
Like Wood said--It's not so much the name on the tool, it's the user. BB tools are great. When it comes to turning a pen, you can do just as good with carbon steel as HHS but spend more time sharpening. My brother has a set of Harbor Freight HHS and I can't really tell the difference between them or my set. You can easily turn a pen with any tool in the box, including the roughing gouge or bowl gouge. It's just getting the feel of which tool you are comfortable with and learn to use it well.
DurocShark
Member
I still use carbon steel tools for most of my turning. I have a good fingernail bowl gouge ($$$$) and a couple of BB parting tools. They are made of nice steel (good edge holding, no inclusions/voids), and the handles are good but a bit short for my tastes.