Lathe and Tool recommendations for new maker

[Lance Strahl]

Hello! Thanks for the add to the forum!

While I'm not new to woodworking, I have never tried turning. My other big hobby is knives, and a lot of guys have lanyard beads and pulls. Many are made from metal, but occasionally you see them in other materials. I'd like to make some in natural materials such as wood and bone. As I'm new to turning, and I would appreciate input on what beginner lathe you would recommend, and what cutting tools you would recommend I buy.

I've attached some reference pictures for anyone who hasn't seen these before, they are typically about 1" long and 1/2" in diameter.

Also if anyone out there has turned mammoth, I'd love to hear from you.

Any help or advice would be appreciated.

 

[Kenny Durrant]

I'm not a knife maker but I do use a lot of the same materials. My only suggestion would be that if you buy a lathe you might want to turn other things at some point. My first lathe was a Jet Mini Lathe. It's a single speed motor but you can change the belt to change the spindle speed. When finishing a pen, maybe beads, I started slowing down the speed to apply CA and wet sand. That help my finishing tremendously!!!! Christmas of 2019 I was given a Jet Variable Speed lathe and I'd never go back to changing belts again. Not that changing the belts was hard it got to be a pain. It really helped my frame of mind that if there was a problem along the way it wasn't as big a deal to go back and fix it.

 

[Lance Strahl]

Thanks @Kenny Durrant, what speed do you typically use for applying CA? Also what tools do you recommend?

 

[Kenny Durrant]

I apply CA and wet sand at 650 rpm. The tool question is more personal than a rule. I started with HSS and tried switching to Carbide and had a lot of trouble learning how to use them. Between the frustration and expense of buying more cutting tips I just went back to the HSS. I have a few friends that swear but the Carbon tools but I'm OK with the others.

 

[ed4copies]

For the kind of beading you are showing, I think a carbide will be problematic.

A 3/8" spindle gouge would be my tool of choice to make those.

 

[Lance Strahl]

@ed4copies Thanks, someone else had mentioned a 1" and I thought that was way too big. I'm currently looking at the Sorby 5pc Micro Turning set (45HS). It is a 1/4" Spindle Gouge, 1/8" Spindle Gouge, 1/4" Round Nose Scraper, 1/4" Skew, and 1/16" parting tool. Would this be a good set to start, and does Sorby make good tools?

 

[penicillin]

Any lathe will make the small beads in your photos. That is also true for making pens. Any lathe at all.

The decision of which lathe to buy depends on what else you may want to make with it. Bowls, pepper grinders, handles for kitchen tools (ice cream scoops, bottle openers, etc.) are other popular objects that people make on lathes. That's the tip of the iceberg to get your thinking started. There are so many other things you can make with a lathe. Do a web search and you will be amazed at what woodturners do.

There is a distinction between metalworking lathes and woodworking lathes. I know nothing about metalworking lathes, sorry. If I were shopping for a woodworking lathe, the one feature that would be most important to me is a variable speed knob. Some of the least expensive lathes have a limited selection of speeds, which can only be done by changing the belt between pulley steps. Speaking for myself, I would not buy one of them, no matter the price, because the variable speed is important and very useful to me. Beyond that, you get what you pay for. More expensive lathes have more power and heavier components. The heavier and better anchored your lathe, the better the results.

Remember to budget another 50% or more for safety products (a face shield is a MUST!), turning tools, and other accessories. Four-jaw chucks are versatile and useful, too.

I agree with Ed's recommendation of a high speed steel (HSS) spindle gouge for turning beads. That's what I use to make beads. The problem with HSS turning tools is that you must also have a way to sharpen them. Even the hardest, best HSS tools need frequent sharpening touch-ups, often while turning. Carbide turning tools simplify the sharpening issues, but some may argue that they lack "finesse" compared with HSS. If you watch pro demonstrations (not pens, but other stuff), they generally use HSS and pause often for a sharpening touch-up. A reasonable choice would be to start with carbide to get more immediate results, then consider whether you want to try HSS. It all takes practice.

 

[penicillin]

Thanks, someone else had mentioned a 1" and I thought that was way too big. I'm currently looking at the Sorby 5pc Micro Turning set (45HS). It is a 1/4" Spindle Gouge, 1/8" Spindle Gouge, 1/4" Round Nose Scraper, 1/4" Skew, and 1/16" parting tool. Would this be a good set to start, and does Sorby make good tools?

Yes, Sorby makes very good tools. Keep in mind that if you buy that Sorby micro set, you will also need a way to sharpen the tools. I have a different Sorby HSS tool set and like it very much. Sorby tools are not cheap. I was very lucky and got an inventory clearance discount.

Many here would argue that other tools are nearly as good but a much better value, so do your homework first.

 

[ed4copies]

TO ME (Personal opinion)!!!

Tiny tools are scary!! With the right sharpening, I can cut very small coves with a 3/8" tool. I tried a quarter inch and I just don't like it.
So I would not buy a set of Sorby (YES, an excellent, but pricey tool) until trying cheap tools to see what I like. (PSI Benjamin Best are the most frequently used tools in my drawer.)

And yes, they do need to be sharpened--I have a cheap sharpening wheel--works for me!! I am NOT a great tool sharpener.