additional tools and/or necessities???

[Steve Hudson]

I sold the HF lathe and upgraded to a Jet 1642.....daddy like!
I have a cheap set of HF turning tools that work fine for now. I have added a fingernail grind 1/2" bowl gouge. I have a SN2 chuck. I just got a slow speed grinder and plan to get a Wolverine jig today.
Now what to add next?
What do you consider necessities?
Beall buffing system?
I currently hand sand pens and bowls...what should I get to help with sanding?
Scrapers?
Bottom feeder?
Varigrind or Varigrind 2? What's your preference?
Going shopping today and would love some feedback on what would make bowl turning more successful and enjoyable
Thanks

[Thom Sturgill]

Get yourself at least one good bowl scraper, the Benjamin's Best pair sold by PSI are well thought of.
Get a good heavy skew and Lacer's video and practice with it - you'll love it for your pens.
Yes get a bottom feeder, you need both fingernail and bottom feeder and sometimes scraper on those bowls.

I use the original varigrind, haven't tries the VG2, so the only comment there is that I've heard it will wear on the center of the wheel faster and you will need to dress it more often. Which prings up the issue of wheels. While you are using a matrix wheel, it really pays to keep it properly dressed. I thought I did a good job with a hand held diamond tool until I bought a better single diamond dresser. Now I own a CBN wheel and will never go back.

[Lee Koepke]

I upgraded from a RIKON mini to the 1642 and I, too love that machine!

I have the Varigrind (original). It works quite well. Do a quick search here because there are reviews/discussions that helped me choose.

I bought a cheap HF angle drill on sale and use Vince's Wooden Wonders sanding discs for my bowls. The comparision between hand sanding and the bowl sanding setup is similar to going from your HF lathe and the 1642. Sanding pens by hand is easy and quick, so no need to get fancy there.

I just got my Beall Buffing system and so far its OK, but finishes arent my strong suit yet, I am working on improving that process.

+1 on the bowl scraper. I bought one with a 25% sale, its a huge one (1 1/2" or so) but the mass on it is heavy enough to clean up the bottom curves of my bowls with little chatter.

ONe of the other items I got recently was an S curve tool rest so I can keep my tool closer to the workpiece.

Good Turnings!

[Michael Stafford]

I have no idea of your turning skill level but almost any of us can benefit from quality instruction. There is nothing like learning from someone. My turning improved and continues to improve with each class I take. I learn not only from the teacher but also from the other students. Like most things in life there is no end to what can be learned.

That Jet 1642 is a nice machine! Enjoy!

[Robert Henrickson]

I would second the suggestion of quality instruction -- that will help you identify what you really are interested in, good methods of making such items, and thus what sort of tools etc are sensible to buy.

The grinding jig definitely a good idea.

Otherwise I am going to be the odd one out on recommendations. I have turned 300+ bowls and plates/platters without the use of a scraper and haven't seen the need for one (I own several from my early days of turning, when I bought tools on recommendation before seeing whether they matched my needs -- such as a scraper which has been used twice in 7 years). I do not own a Beall setup. Likewise, I use a single bowl gouge for all aspects of whatever profile. When necessary I grind off some part of the heel of the bevel for getting through interior curves.

Figure out what interests YOU, and get instruction, BEFORE you start buying large numbers of various tools etc. Otherwise you may well end up with an extensive inventory of stuff you never use. To a fair extent, my choices of tools and how to use them reflect the instruction I received early on, and my interests.

I've had a Jet 1642 for 5-6 years -- it has done what I have wanted, and done it well.

[Steve Hudson]

Do I need to buy 2 scrapers, for inside and outside, or is there one that cuts on both sides?

Thanks,

Steve

[Fred Belknap]

Do I need to buy 2 scrapers, for inside and outside, or is there one that cuts on both sides?

I'm no expert but do a lot of bowls and I pretty much use a heavy bowl scraper 1.5" to clean up the inside and bottom. I put a negative grind on the scraper which is a small bevel on the top at about 10 to 15 degrees and it will do a nice job on the inside if used lightly. I seldom use a scraper on the outside, but there isn't any laws. My big scraper is flat on the bottom and round on the left side which works good on the inside but not much on outside as the head stock gets in the way. Sounds like the vortex has swept you away

[Reed Gray]

A round nose scraper will do the job of both an inside (swept back to the left) and outside scraper. I don't like them to be too rounded back, slightly more than this: ). The outside scrapers are used when the bowl has been reversed. You want at least 5/16 thick, and 1 inch wide. I prefer 3/8 thick, and 1 1/4 wide. Doug Thompson does make some of the best. If you are doing a lot of bowls, you need 2 gouges. One about a 40 to 45 degree bevel for the outsides, and down the walls on the inside. The other with a more square nose, and a 60 to 70 degree bevel for going through the transition, and across the bottom. Nose profiles can vary a lot from swept back with long wings which are great for shear finish cuts, to the more conventional finger nail grinds, which can do the same thing. I prefer the scraper for those clean up cuts. I have a couple of clips up on You Tube turning with both scrapers and gouges. Type in robo hippy.

Do you have any chucks yet? Very handy for bowls. Also look into power sanding for bowls. Vince'sWoodNWonders is my preferred source. Dust collector? D Way CBN wheels, and a whole lot more.

robo hippy

[Richard Madden]

You are getting plenty of good suggestions, so the only thing I will add is a face shield and dust protection.

[Ben Darrah]

As a relatively new turner, I found instruction on turning AND sharpening to be the most important acquisition. A local turning club can probably help that.

[Jake Helmboldt]

Steve, this list can and will get very long (it is called the vortex for a reason). Everyone is different, so just keep accumulating things as you decide you need them. Here are my thoughts, but in no particular order:
Another chuck. They are a bit like clamps for flat work; you can't have too many. A good DVD; I suggest Richard Raffan's Turning Wood (new version). Covers virtually everything and I found it really helpful to understand a lot of techniques. Square and round nose scrapers. I prefer to do a lot of my shear scraping on the outside of a bowl with a square scraper as opposed to a gouge. I feel I have better control, and you can use it for other stuff too. If you are doing bowls, get a good bowl gouge, 1/2" or 5/8". Thompsons are some of the best value. Beall system is pricey. I got some buffing wheels online and an old electric motor at a yard sale for $5 with a threaded arbor on it already. All told I have less than $20 invested. Chip right angle drill for sanding. I got a Neiko for about $20 which is the same as what Klingspor sells with their house name on it for twice as much. It is cheap, but has held up fine and gets the job done. I use a mix of Klingspor and Vince's blue discs.