Underrated Lathe Accessory

Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad
dschem

dschem

Member
Joined
Apr 6, 2025
Messages
125
Location
Scottsdale, AZ
If you could pick one lathe accessory to recommend to every pen turner, what would it be?

I'll start! A lathe mounted dust collection system is essential to keeping a clean shop. Limits post-turning clean up by up to 90% in my experience.
 
Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad
Wheels, and an attached work surface. I can move my lathe around in my small shop, and I have a small (2' x 3' work surface to the right to set stuff on as I work. I also hang my turning tools and mandrels along the back of the work surface. (I also have the bright light and dust collection :) )
 
My DC doesn't get the big pieces that fly several feet behind me. I go with a sharpening system and good lighting as mentioned earlier. Good supply of band aids for the entire shop.
 
An ER32 collet chuck and set of 3mm to 20mm collets to fit the headstock (e.g. 1" x 8tpi or 1.25" x 8tpi)

Combine that with a key-less drill chuck with Morse Taper arbor to fit the tailstock and a half-inch straight dead center from @rherrell and you can turn a square blank round between centers, then quickly swap to a collet to hold the round blank and drill it.
 
dschem said:
I pretty much only use carbide tools. What is the benefit of using HSS tools with a sharpening system?
Click to expand...
HSS tools are much sharper than carbide tools. There are lot more HSS specialty tools than carbide. Advantage carbide has is they last longer. But they do not make a carbide skew that I know of and even if they did never get it as sharp as HSS. The skew is my go to finishing tool for pens of all kinds and many other projects. HSS will never be replaced in the turning world. HSS is not going anywhere. For turning pens carbide works well because the cutter is either round or square or a semi-round. You do not need any more than that to turn a round small pen blank. I use carbide many times when turning metals because again it outlasts HSS but will always clean up with HSS.
 
If we are picking things that make turning easier than put variable speed on a lathe on the list. To me highly recommended. Many tools VS is recommended. Then add knowledge to the list. Learning proper techniques as well as presentation of tools to the work piece. How to control the tool and how to use proper tool all count for making turning easier.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom