Chisels questions for newbee

[Yuri Sadykov]

Finally got a lathe I was thinking for a while about. Now I need turning chisels. I was given a set of vintage craftsman ones plus PSI cutter.



They say HSS on handles. I could use parting tool and skew chisel from the set. Actually I used skew, but do not feel comfortable with it for time being, frequent catches, sure due to my "rookieness". I need roughing gouge. The one in the set looks little bit like rougher, but it got oval nose and very shallow flute. Most roughers I saw are like pipe cut along the axis in half and have straight perpendicular bevel.







Can I just regrind it to a traditional tip?
Is the steel in these craftsmans any good?

I do not plan to become "full time" tuner, more like making chisel handles, drilling centered wholes in dowels and such, but ocasionaly likely to make some other spindle work or even bowl or too. Thinking to pick up good roughing gouge, like Crown 1-1/4" Spindle Roughing Gouge or similar. Advises?

Another one, I am considering is 1/2" gouge for spindle work, but not sure which one. Thompson lathe tools have "Spindle gouge", "Deep Flute Spindle Gouge" and "Detail Gouge". Which of the gouges considered like more universal? I may buy more varieties later if need to, but now I want just one. Thoughts?

[John C Lawson]

I had a set of these that came with my Craftsman lathe in 1989. I was a rank novice, of course, with no DVD's, no internet, and few books. I found the tools to be of decent quality. I really liked the spindle gouge, which I used for roughing. It was too large for detail work on the size project that interested me. I also liked the diamond parting tool. The skew chisel was unusable and I gave up on it. Instead I looked through my books and decided to regrind the round-nose scraper to have a straight-across cutting edge with one bevel. Now I know that is technically a bedan, but I used it bevel down for skew-like cuts.

I gave away the tools with the lathe, but I missed that single-bevel straight chisel so much I made another. I still use it bevel down or bevel up, but I also now have a bedan as well, which I use bevel up for bedan-type work, cutting with the corner.

No matter what you do with the gouge, you need to grind that nick out of the edge.

[charlie knighton]

take some classes before buying more tools, look for woodcraft store.....they will have classes.....as above u tube is your friend.....think about dust protection.....should be some woodturning clubs in your area

[Thom Sturgill]

The tool you showed is called either a 'European' or a 'German' spindle gouge, depending on who you ask. Properly sharpened there is probably nothing better on large coves and wide beads. Could be used for roughing also.

[Yuri Sadykov]

Guys,
thanks for comments. I just ordered Crown 1-1/4" roughing gouge and Crown Pro-PM 1/2" spindle gouge. Will see how they serve me.
As for classes, I am not up to them, like to take my own pace. Sure, I watched a lot of youtubes, now I need a practice and more wood!

[Wally Dickerman]

Yuri, do yourself a big favor. I too suggest taking a class. I taught classes for years, including some at a Woodcraft store. Without exception students agree that they learned more in one all-day class than they would on their own in a long time. Videos etc. are good but there is no subsitute for hands-on learning. Most instructors will let you go at your own pace if you wish. They will have tools for you to try