Gouge question...

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Palmetto_Dave

Member
Joined
Feb 20, 2008
Messages
30
Location
Lexington, SC, USA.
Being brand spanking new around here, I have seen several posts about gouges and how to sharpen and whatnot. I'll be getting a Rikon lathe in a week or so, but have no idea as to what gouges I need for turning pens. It is my understanding (by reading your posts...) that I probably only need 3 gouges, but I don't know what 3 I need! Is it a better idea just to purchase one of the 5 pc, or 6 pc sets I see advertised?
 
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I'm very new to turning and didn't have a whole lot of start up money so I purchased a cheaper Benjamin's Best Pen Turner's set from PSI for about $30. It has a 3/8" Gouge, Skew, and Parting Tool. I mostly use the gouge and have had good results.

http://www.pennstateind.com/store/lcpm3.html

But of course if you can afford a more expensive set, all the better.
 
No... I'm quite on a budget. That's why I am going with the Rikon lathe. But I have noticed, it seems very few posters on this board use the Rikon. Makes me question myself a little...

I do appreciate your response.
 
I started out last year buying sets of everything and now basically use a skew 95% of the time with a 1" roughing gouge and parting tool the other 5%. I have tools I will probably never use so I wouldn't recommend a set of anything for turning pens.
 
Dave,
I have never used the Rikon, but I just picked up my second lathe this past week, a Jet 1442 - I also have a Jet 1014 that my son gave me when he decided he didn't have time to use it.. But I did notice that the Woodcraft store where I got my new lathe had all Rikon's in their classroom.. I would venture you made a good purchase.

As for tools, I have 2 full sets of in-expensive tools, one that came with my original lathe (a Ridgid) and the set my son gave me with the 1014.. for pens I find myself using either the round nose scraper to take the corners off and then switch to the skew... with a good skew and lots of practice, you'll get cuts almost ready to finish.. very little sanding.

Pens are only about 20% or less of my turning, so I use all of my tools.
 
I own and turn almost all of my pens using the cheap HF (HarborFreight) set. Cost me $25.00, 3 years ago or so.

If I buy only a few, I will get a roughing gouge, skew, parting tool and a scraper. Though it is for a pen, I will get the heavier tools and NEVER the small ones (unless you want to do detail work).
 
Do shop around. Sets can save money but often will include some tools you won't use right away. I have used El Cheapo imports and got my money's worth. But, the better tools, like in high speed steel, do take better edges and require far less frequent sharpening.
To answer your question better, the 1" skew is used by many for 90% of the pen turning tasks here. A 1/2" spindle gouge to take off corners can be handy. For pens only, you could get by with only those two.
 
I appreciate everyone's input. I have a HUGE binder with notes already! Many of the PDF's have been printed from this site and are stored there as well.

You guys are GREAT!
 
Originally posted by Palmetto_Dave

But I have noticed, it seems very few posters on this board use the Rikon. Makes me question myself a little...
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I have a Jet Mini and at the time I bought it I had never heard of Rikon. Based on everything I have read since then, if I were buying a small lathe today it would definitely be the Rikon. It offers some features that my Jet doesn't have that would be useful.

I basically use two tools to make pens, a 3/4" skew and a parting tool. I have 4 gouges, including a brand new unused Crown Pro-PM bowl gouge that I need to sell because I will never use it. The gouges just collect dust. Start out right and learn immediately to use a skew. You will be glad you did.
 
Yup I would also buy a Rikon Lathe and I agree that Crown makes some of the very best tools on the market. I have never used any HF lathe tools so I don't know about them.
 
I have been using a Rikon lathe for close to two years now, since I started turning pens, and love it.

When you need to change speeds, the belt is easily accessible.

All in all it has been a great lathe.
 
Usually with any kind of tool I'd say buy the best quality you can afford.
But this is one case where I'd recommend going as cheap as possible.

Some benefit of buying a cheap set are:
1. You aren't burning up expensive steel while you are learning to sharpen lathe tools.
2. You don't have a lot of money invested in tools you will never use (but you don't know you will never use it until you try it).
3. You have some inexpensive tools that you can regrind later when you reach the stage that you want to experiment with different shapes of cutting edges.
I started with a $16 set of carbon steel tools. As I discovered which ones I liked and which ones I consistently reached for, I replaced those tools with better quality or a different size or both.

Option number two is join a local turners guild, find yourself a mentor or two and ask them to show you how to use different tools. Kill two birds with one stone - Get some training and get to use a quality tool without laying out the heavy coin. Come to think about it, option two is the better choice if you have a local guild or club.
Good luck and welcome to the slippery slope - there's no going back now :D
 
Originally posted by Palmetto_Dave

But I have noticed, it seems very few posters on this board use the Rikon. Makes me question myself a little...
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Dave, no need to question your purchase of the Rikon UNLESS AND UNTIL you hear from someone who has used a CURRENT MACHINE and has a LEGITIMATE CRITICISM. As I stated in an earlier post, I have the Rikon and like it very much. I wish it had continuously variable speed and outboard turning capability, but those are not what I consider legitimate criticisms of a $200 midi lathe.

I saw a 2005 post on another site from someone complaining of plastic parts and poor stock alignment on a Rikon. The only plastic on my Rikon is the on/off switch, the accessory tray and the belt housing. I presume Rikon must have upgraded some parts between the time of the older post and my purchase in February 2007. And, while there can be a number of causes for poor alignment, including manufacturing and design defects, my Rikon was perfect out of the box and has only been off when the taper slots needed cleaning, which I presume is a regular, though infrequent, maintenance procedure on all lathes.

The fact that a lot of folks around here might not seem to use Rikon lathes could be due to (1) Jet's higher visibility, (2) the great number of choices in the entry level range, and (3) the fact that many of us probably bought our first lathes before they became serious turners and didn't do the amount of research we might otherwise have done. If we had, I'm sure more Rikons would be in use.

Bottom line - I doubt you'll regret your decision unless you end up with a lemon. If that should happen, just take it back to your dealer and get a replacement/refund/different brand. In the meantime, don't sweat your decision. Just look forward to the good times ahead.
 
Originally posted by Dario

Originally posted by Palmetto_Dave

You guys are GREAT!
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Please print this and use it as a reminder when you end up broke, or running out of space due to some "pen making supplies". :D[}:)];)
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LOL!

----

Dave,
You really can turn a pen with just one tool, either a deep fluted roughing gouge or a skew. Most of the time I use both tools.

Realistically, the lathe is always the cheapest part of getting into turning.

Harbor Freight has a tool set for $30-$40. The skews are good and so is the small simple gouge. But the shape of roughing gouges are just ok.
 
Welcome.

You will find that tools used are a personal choice....some love skews some love gouges, bottom line is you have find your personal choice and learn to use it properly, I do ALL of my turnings with gouges some are huge, on all sorts of woods/castings and do not own a skew. as long as you have a completed pen , that was the correct tool. Just my opinion. and Enjoy the madness!
 
Hi I am new to the forum but have been watching and reading it for a long time. I had to respond to the Rikon. I have made about 20 pens on my new Rikon and it is great. Everything is in the open when you change speeds and if you should break a belt it is the easyiest to change. Good Luck and have a lot of fun!
 
Dave,
Do you have a Harbor Freight store near you? Even if you don't you might want to check out these:
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=47066

They used to have a 3 piece set that was a smaller, (not mini, but something of a mid size) with a spindle gouge, parting tool and skew for about $10-20. I don't see that set online anymore so you may be out of luck there. I still use all three of those tools in my rotation.
As someone said already, some really love their HF set and others have not had such good experience with them. But you can't beat their value for someone who might be grinding away more steel than usual as you learn to sharpen. The ones I have dull only slightly faster than some more expensive tools I have and sharpening only takes about ten seconds anyway.
With this set of 8 you will have a chance to try out several differnt tools and will probably begin to gravitate to certain ones. These may last you years or you may find yourself replacing them, either way, you have a great starter set.
Good Luck! and Have fun!
 
Originally posted by Palmetto_Dave

But I have noticed, it seems very few posters on this board use the Rikon. Makes me question myself a little...
Click to expand...

Rikon ownership is limited to the better pen turner who has more sense than money. Simple as that.
 
Originally posted by Proud_Poppa_of_2

Originally posted by Palmetto_Dave

But I have noticed, it seems very few posters on this board use the Rikon. Makes me question myself a little...
Click to expand...

Rikon ownership is limited to the better pen turner who has more sense than money. Simple as that.
Click to expand...

So Mike, you obviously don't own a Rikon!!

:D[}:)]:D[}:)]:D[}:)]:D[}:)];)
 
As said previously, you will never regret starting with a cheap set. It will get you turning and will matter little if you grind them away quickly learning to sharpen. My initial Taiwanese set consisted of rouging, spindle and bowl gouges, a scraper and a skew. They are still in use.

As you progress you will identify your preferred tools and like the rest of us add to your collection with better quality ones that suit your work and methods.
 
Originally posted by wdcav1952

Originally posted by Proud_Poppa_of_2

Rikon ownership is limited to the better pen turner who has more sense than money. Simple as that.
Click to expand...

So Mike, you obviously don't own a Rikon!!

:D[}:)]:D[}:)]:D[}:)]:D[}:)];)
Click to expand...

This is yet another example of why certain forums should require proper credentials to keep the riff raff out.:D

Technically, though, you are correct, William. Son_of_Proud_Poppa holds the pink slip to the Rikon. But, I own the rest of the power tools, so we've kind of stopped keeping track of who owns what. Until something breaks, needs replacing or needs and accessory, of course, and then, it seems, I own everything, including the Rikon. Smart boy, that Son_of_Proud_Poppa.
 
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