You MUST Use ONE Lathe Tool Forever...Which is it ??

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RBcarving

RBcarving

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Simply, if you could only turn pens with ONE lathe tool and must use that ONE tool for roughing, finishing, etc.....what tool would it be ?? Gouge, Skew, Oval Skew, Scraper, Carbide Insert(what size) or ???

Assume turning whatever material you normally turn...& make sure to make mention it.

I havn't been doing pens long, but everything else Ive done has been 90% skew.

Brad
 
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Don't laugh. If I could only have one tool it would be a 1/2" bowl gouge.:eek: You can rough with it and with a fingernail grind you can get the same results as with a skew.
 
I would have to say 80 grit sandpaper. I can really erase the errors with a sheet or two of that stuff!

Seriously, I use a gouge, but have been thinking about experimenting with other tools, so this thread is quite helpful. Thanks.
 
not having used a "Woodchuck", i would now have to go with the tool of my own design and manufacture fro an old skew. it is similar to a "Spindle Master", round nose scraper style with an odd shop radius nose and a hollow grind on the end. i use it for finishing now but could rough with it also.
 
Well, I'll be the odd-man-out, and say my 1" width round nosed scraper. I have a steep bevel on it, hollow ground, so I can rough with it, and angled properly, can slice like a skew. Love it.

Ken
 
I do 100% with a 1" skew (relatively new Sorby or the 50 year old Powr Kraft I still use) on everything except the really pesky-hard trustone blanks. So if I had to use one tool that would be it and I'd just have to avoid the materials it wouldn't cut.
 
A 1" roughing gouge, no, a Alan Lacer 1" skew, no, a Easywood 4" radius carbide tool, no, a Woodchuck Pen Pro, hey, who can own just one tool????? :biggrin::confused:

Oh well, I guess my choice would be the Woodchuck.
gordon
 
ssajn said:
Don't laugh. If I could only have one tool it would be a 1/2" bowl gouge.:eek: You can rough with it and with a fingernail grind you can get the same results as with a skew.
Click to expand...

What he said... I've got a small gouge with a fingernail grind. I'll use it for turning round and then hold it sideways and use one of the "wing" edges to smooth out. Works great!
 
For everyone saying Woodchuck....do you use the uni or the pen pro ?? And if the pen-pro, do you have an additional round carbide tool ??

Brad
 
large skew...oval or flat..with an Alan Lacer curved cutting edge. Actually, I like flat skews if the cutting edge is curved and oval if not. I use skews on all materials from start to finish.
Do a good turn daily!
Don
 
Same for me -- 1/2" Sorby bowl gouge with fingernail grind was my first HSS tool, and I use it for everything. It is my GO TO tool for spindles and bowls.

Although today, while making a pen for the troops using cross-cut black locust, I had to dig out the home-made "Hunter" tool. Thanks, BTW, to the person who included that blank for me in one of the PITH's or trades I've done -- that is one ornery piece of wood!



glycerine said:
ssajn said:
Don't laugh. If I could only have one tool it would be a 1/2" bowl gouge.:eek: You can rough with it and with a fingernail grind you can get the same results as with a skew.
Click to expand...

What he said... I've got a small gouge with a fingernail grind. I'll use it for turning round and then hold it sideways and use one of the "wing" edges to smooth out. Works great!
Click to expand...
 
I would have to go with my WoodChuck Bowl Pro, although I would be hard pressed to loose my skew and 1/2 bowl gouge.
Charles
 
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