New to Turning.. Advice needed

[Roos85]

Hey Guys, I have been working with a buddy of mine for a few months now... I have been doing the cutting, drilling, gluing and all the other prep work to get it on the lathe. I finally bought a lathe and I am going to start turning my own pens now. What tool should I start with? Regular chisels? A carbide cutter? Thanks

 

[fiferb]

My 2 cents, start with whatever you feel comfortable with. I use a 3/4" roughing gouge from start to finish and can get a very smooth finish. You don't need expensive tools to make a pen.

 

[76winger]

And I almost exclusively use a skew to to round off and turn down my pens. So there's two different ways. Someone will be along shortly with another way! :biggrin:

 

[Carl Fisher]

I use a roughing gouge for getting it round and roughly to size and finish with a carbide scraper. I use a skew from time to time but it's not my go-to tool "yet".

So there's a 3rd way

 

[Richard Gibson]

Woodchuck Pen Pro from start to finish...

 

[jedgerton]

You are going to get a lot of different opinions. Here is mine. Get the HSS turning set from Harbor Freight (about $40, maybe less on sale). You will need to learn to sharpen them if you go this route. The next route I would suggest would be getting a carbide insert tool like that sold by IAP member bitshird (Ken). I use one of Ken's tools for almost everything but I still go back to that old inexpensive Harbor Freight set for certain things.

There, now are you as confused as I am?

John

 

[JimB]

If you have been doing all that prep work for your buddy, haven't you turned a pen? Use his tools to do some turning to find out what works best for you.

 

[Roos85]

If you have been doing all that prep work for your buddy, haven't you turned a pen? Use his tools to do some turning to find out what works best for you.

No I have not turned one yet. He said that he thinks I should learn on a less expensive set of tools first because his carbide cant do everything. I was just seeing what everyone else thought. I am going to go that route I believe. I want to have the ability to go back to that should something happen and the carbide breaks. Thanks all

 

[randyrls]

No I have not turned one yet. He said that he thinks I should learn on a less expensive set of tools first because his carbide cant do everything. I was just seeing what everyone else thought. I am going to go that route I believe. I want to have the ability to go back to that should something happen and the carbide breaks. Thanks all

I think you should start doing your own pens start to finish, and let him do the same.

The advice to use less expansive tools to start is a good one, and you should only really need a 1/2" spindle gouge and a 3/4" or 1" skew. You will need a bench grinder or way to sharpen the tools.

Hope this helps....

 

[GrantH]

So he makes you do the "female dog" work, and you get no reward of actually making things? I'm not so sure that's a friend, my friend.

 

[Tim'sTurnings]

I started out using an inexpensive 1/2" spindle gouge from start to finish to make my pens. I then started using a skew after getting it round with the gouge. I now use a versa chisel from start to finish.
You can make a pen with just about anything. Just figure out what you want to start with and use it. Any kind of tool, in my opinion will work.

 

[ssajn]

I usually use a 1" skew start to finish. Last night I turned 4 pens for troops with the only chisel I had that was sharp enough . A 3/8" Thompson bowl gouge :biggrin:. You can turn a pen with any tool you feel comfortable with.

In my own opinion, I'd stay away from carbide. Learn to sharpen properly and you can do anything with standard tools. Like I said, that's just my opinion.

 

[Roos85]

I usually use a 1" skew start to finish. Last night I turned 4 pens for troops with the only chisel I had that was sharp enough . A 3/8" Thompson bowl gouge :biggrin:. You can turn a pen with any tool you feel comfortable with.

In my own opinion, I'd stay away from carbide. Learn to sharpen properly and you can do anything with standard tools. Like I said, that's just my opinion.

Do you mind mean asking why stay away from the carbide?

 

[ssajn]

I usually use a 1" skew start to finish. Last night I turned 4 pens for troops with the only chisel I had that was sharp enough . A 3/8" Thompson bowl gouge :biggrin:. You can turn a pen with any tool you feel comfortable with.

In my own opinion, I'd stay away from carbide. Learn to sharpen properly and you can do anything with standard tools. Like I said, that's just my opinion.

Do you mind mean asking why stay away from the carbide?

A couple reasons.
Cost. Yes you can use it until it's dull then turn it to a new edge but then you need to replace it.
Fragile. If you bang it or drop it you can wreck the edge. (ask me how I know)
It's nothing more than a scraper. A properly sharpened and shaped gouge or skew it much more versatile.
A HSS tool can get a much sharper edge than carbide.
I've have tried them and just don't like them. Maybe I'm just too old to learn new tricks. :biggrin:
Someone is going to tell me I'm all wrong and I may well be. These are just my reasons for not liking them. I have two grand daughters that have been turning pens for about 5 years (ages 16 & 17) and they used them for a day and don't care for them either. They didn't like the cut they got from them.
Everyone's entitled to their own opinion and this is mine right or wrong.

 

[paintspill]

i think he owes you some serious one on one lessons. including use of his tools.
but to answer you question i use a 3/4" gouge start to finish also. i also use a skew but would save that till you have a hang of turning. both tools excel in different materials.

 

[Mike D]

Woodchuck Pen Pro from start to finish...

I agree with Richard. I just bought the Woodchuck Pen Pro and it's almost like cheating. It's awesome on pens. I would recommend that you also learn to use some of the other tools like a skew, gouge and a scrapper when you decide to turn other items. You can't go wrong with the Woodchuck.

 

[kovalcik]

I have used both the carbide tools and regular lathe tools. I do 90% of my pen turning with a roughing gouge and a skew. I just seem to get a better finish that way, but to each his own. I use the carbide cutters to deal with problem grain areas where I am getting a lot of tear out. That is mostly on projects other than pens where I am dealing with end grain and/or more complicated profiles.

BTW you can sharpen the carbide cutters. Just lay them flat on a diamond stone and move them back and forth a few times. Good as new.

 

[Leviblue]

As you can see, there's all different ways to get to the end result.
I use the carbide tool sold by Ken. Yes it's like cheating, but sometimes I need to cheat. It's great with woods and acrylics.

I start out with a 1/2" or 3/4" gouge and will use the skew or carbide to finish my work. I sharpen the HSS tools on a WorkSharp 3000 and touch up the carbide on a diamond stone.
I think it's great if you can get used to using the traditional tools before going to the carbide. But this is suppose to be FUN, so do what makes it fun for you!

 

[Justturnin]

I use a 3/8" spindel gouge w/ swept back wings to cut down and finish w/ a 1/2" skew. The only other tool I use is a homemade 1/16" parting tool to cut tenons (I hate tenons but they are on some of my kits) and to clean the excess CA off my bushing before trying to remove them.

 

[Haynie]

Your buddy sounds like a pretty selfish SOB.

If you start with chisels make sure you have a way to sharpen them.

 

[Bree]

Start by learning to use all of your tools. Each tool is best for certain jobs. Most can be used for other things as well. But your goal should be to learn how to turn... not just how to turn a pen.

Join a local woodturning club and take some classes. Become comfortable with all the different types of tools. I trashed a lot of wood learning how to use a skew chisel. Now I have no fear of the tool and use it for most pen finishing operations. There are some pen blanks that scream out... use a skew on me!! These are blanks made of materials that like to be cut and not scraped.

Some materials respond well to a gouge or carbide cutter. You need to be able to use all these tools. Heck I could use an Elllsworth grind bowl gouge to do the whole pen with it shear cutting for final finish. Is that the best way??? Not really but it can be done. I could and have used a Bedan tool from roughing to final finishing. Is that the best way? Probably not but it can be done since I have done it.

What's good is that I have learned how to use all these tools and can put them to many uses. That makes me a versatile turner and that is a good goal to shoot for. There are many ways to skin the cat in turning. That is a good part of the fun... discovering all those ways!!
:wink::wink::wink:

 

[AnachitlPut]

I use a gouge then a wood file to get it just right. Sand paper as best u can then use finnish of somekind.

 

[TerryDowning]

I agree 100% with Bree.

Learn all of the tools, this addiction goes far beyond pens my friend.

I also advise (as other have previously) learning the proper sharpening technique of all your chisels. Entire books have been written on sharpening techniques, find the one that works for you and stick with it until you master it.