I'm Wondering about chisels

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theHullTurn

theHullTurn

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Joined
Dec 16, 2009
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Location
Colorado Springs, Colorado
I'm still a novice at the whole pen turning thing. I got the equipment but my chisels really could use an upgrade. The ones I have are cheap and flimsy!

So, I am wondering if any of you know of a good set of chisels to get and where? I don't need anything fancy maybe just a small set of 4 or so good for pens to start me off. I'm lookin for something fairly cheap if there is such out there. :smile:

Thanks for reading!
Jarvis
 
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harbor freight has a set of 6 or 8 , high speed steel ( if they have it - i think the ones with red handles are a little better than the light colored ones ) . just have to learn to sharppen and grind to your liking .
 
I will tell you that I was having trouble until I bought a spindlemaster and it has helped me, a newby, very much. Not cheap but really helped me.
 
theHullTurn said:
I'm still a novice at the whole pen turning thing. I got the equipment but my chisels really could use an upgrade. The ones I have are cheap and flimsy!

So, I am wondering if any of you know of a good set of chisels to get and where? I don't need anything fancy maybe just a small set of 4 or so good for pens to start me off. I'm lookin for something fairly cheap if there is such out there. :smile:

Thanks for reading!
Jarvis
Click to expand...

please don't take this the wrong way, but if i understand your post correctly. you already have a "cheap" set of tools. now you want to upgrade to another "cheap" set of tools.

my suggestion is to learn to sharpen your tools and how to present them to the wood to cut. there are clubs with experienced turners that just love helping new turners get started. there are books and videos, lots of info to be had which is what you are doing here, seeking info but it seems you have already decided to get more "cheap" tools. cheap tools can cut just as well as more expensive tools. the main difference is how many times you must sharpen it. i recommend a video by Del Stubbs. he is a very good turner. he shows one of his first tools. it is a piece of galvanized water pipe. he goes on to explain that technique/ability makes the turner not his tools. while you are learning with the cheap tools you can purchase better tools one at a time as you go. sets are not the way to go. the first tool i would suggest is a sharpening system. just my $.02 fwiw
 
theHullTurn said:
I'm still a novice at the whole pen turning thing. I got the equipment but my chisels really could use an upgrade. The ones I have are cheap and flimsy!

So, I am wondering if any of you know of a good set of chisels to get and where? I don't need anything fancy maybe just a small set of 4 or so good for pens to start me off. I'm lookin for something fairly cheap if there is such out there. :smile:

Thanks for reading!
Jarvis
Click to expand...

Jarvis, you only need two tools to turn pens, you need a parting tool for tenons and a carbide insert tool, several are offered here in the business classifieds, check out the product reviews there are some excellent guidelines in there.
 
My first set of turning tools were from Harbor Freight. In fact I still use them, but I also have a set of Crown chisels given to me for X-mas about 2 years ago that I use for the taking down to size.

Check ebay asell, they have some sets on there and can get for decent pricing and some for lot buys. And can be made into other styles of tools for your needs. Being a cheaper price you could turn some into anything you want. But learning to sharpen them is key. You can also look for a bevel gauge for the turning tools. Shows you the recommend angles for certain tools, this may also help you.

This is just one version, but showing for example to look for.
http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/s...ng_Gauges___Gauge_Master___gauge_master?Args=

Hope this helps..Good Luck
 
Recommend buying individual toos vice tools set. Only use three tools for pen turnig; parting tool, roughing gouge, and skew.

Guess the least expensive might come from Pennstate Industry (PSI). You can also find dicounts buying more than one tool from the same vendor such as Woodturnerscatalog and Packard Woodworks and others. Just visit the link section.
 
As mentioned above the Harbor Freight set is a good inexpensive set, and until you are comfortable in the sharpening process (much more important than the chisel at this point) it doesn't make much sense to grind away on a $$$ piece of Steel.
I have also had good luck with another inexpensive line (Benjamin's Best) available individually here http://stores.ebay.com/Long-Island-Woodworking-Supply
No affilliation, but a happy customer having added a few bowl turning tools from him.

Let me finish by asking a question... How, and how often, do you sharpen what you are using now?
 
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