Pen Turning Tool Selection Questions

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bkindt

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Hi,

I'm just about to purchase my first set of pen turning tools. Questions:

1. Should I go for a 1/2" or 3/8" spindle gouge?

2. What size parting tool should I get? A 3/16" parting tool seems like it would be the easiest for use the euro pens, since this seems to be the typical tenon width, but most pen turners seem to recommend 3/32" or 1/8" parting tools.

Thanks in advance!

Ben
 
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OK, this will most likely start a real large discussion, BUT
Instead of a spindle gouge I would recommend purchasing a skew chisel and learning to use that correctly.. since I learned to use a skew I no longer use a spindle gouge on my pens...
 
This is one of those loaded topics that you will get a ton of opinion on, so here is mine.

the 3 tools I would recomend

3/4 roughing gouge
3/4 oval skew
3/16 diamond parting tool

I almost never use a spindel gouge on pens, but I use mostly straight designs (no coves).
 
Tom and Mike have given you pretty good advice. My favorite tools are my 1" skew, my 1/2" skew and my parting tool; they're just about all I use, except for my 1/2" scraper that I use on acrylics. Here's the parting tool I use: http://pocwoodworking.com/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/42/products_id/151
 
Get a set of tool that include a skew, spindle gouge, parting tool. All the advice given so far is good for most situations. You often simply cannot turn a blank to round with a skew many times. Starting with a skew is asking for discouragement it is a very difficult tool to master. 3/8" is an OK size to start with. I use a 1/2" gouge and 1" skew and 1/4" parting tool for Euro tenons. Buying a set is cheaper than individual purchases and you likely will turn more than just pens.
 
When I started turning pens I bought a Sorby Spindlemaster, a parting tool and the HF HSS set of turning tools and I got along fine...
 
Opinions abound on this issue. There has been and will continue to be people who advocate never using a gouge and some who advocate avoiding the skew. The fact of the matter is that virtually all of the more modern tools are an offshoot of the basic scraper. The gouges, skews, etc. became popular because they make specific parts of turning easier for most people.

For the new turner, a roughing gouge is a very forgiving tool that has a fast learning curve. You should be able to turn a pretty tight cylinder with a 1/2" or 3/4" gouge. For finish work, a skew is a lovely tool. Upon learning to use it correctly, you can expect to be able to take your blanks to the point where you start sanding at 220 grit, some will even claim 320 grit. The skew will also let you turn beads and coves of a useful size for pens. The learning curve for the skew is considerably longer than that for a roughing gouge. As for a parting tool, the 1/8" tool is fairly standard. When you need a 3/16" tenon, you simply overlap the first cut with the second. For many acrylics, the stability of a basic scraper reduces the probability of catches and blowouts.

While sizes matter, remember that you can easily turn a small item with large tools. It is not nearly so easy to turn large items with small tools. I recommend that for gouges and chisels you stay away from anything less than 1/2".
 
I use 1/2 spindle gouge to about 1/16" proud of bushing, then finish turn with a skew and normally start sanding with 400 paper. This is just how you first learned it, and does not matter in my opinion if you use a skew or any type of gouge.
 
Thank you all so very much for such an amazing and beneficial response. This group is fantastic. I am truly thankful for the time each of you took to provide advice.

Ben
 
Nothing but a skew on a pen....from square to round....a 1 1/2" oval skew and a 3/4" oval skew. I consider it well worth the time to learn to use a skew and use it correctly and efficiently.
do a good turn daily!
Don
 
Well...............Here I go................. When I took a class at Woodcraft, I was taught to turn a pen with a 1-1/4" Roughing gouge! I was looking at a 3/4" blank and this monster tool thinking "A little overkill." Well, it worked great start to finish on an AMERICAN ROLLERBALL. I still use it on Slimlines. It hawgs out the waste and with light, controlled finish cuts I usually start with 320 grit.

Actually, what you end up feeling comfortable with, is what you want to use. You might want to borrow each of the mentioned tool and on some scrap, find out which YOU like, then Buy that one.

Bruce[;)]
 
You might want to try the 8 pc set from Harbor Freight. They are made of HSS and work just fine. Comes with a couple of roughing gouges, a couple of skews, a couple of scrapers, a spindle gouge, and a parting tool. Advantage is that you don't spend a lot of money; about $35.00 and you can practice sharpening them without worrying about messing up tools you have spent a bundle on and you can try a variety of different tools. There are folks here that swear by them.

Never hurts to learn to use all of the above. Personally I turn about 98% of my pens with a skew.
 
Travlr7 it sounds like you took your class at my local WoodCraft.[:D] That is the way they've been doing it since they opened, depending on who's teaching that day it's either a 1 1/4" RG or 1 1/4" SG.
 
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