How to spend $200 on tools

[Brian Kent]

Criteria: must be fun

A) 1/2" Kelton Hollowers with a Trent Bosch Handle

B) CBN Wheel

C) 1/20 of a Powermatic Lathe

D) Stick it in the bank until I actually need woodworking supplies

I actually know better than to turn a question like this on a salivating pack of spenders like Wood Turners. No doubt the recommendations will escalate to adding a little and buying a Oneway Lathe and a Monster Hollowing system.

Ready, Go!

[Prashun Patel]

B) CBN wheel, hands down. It changed the way I think about sharpening.

I know people better than I can do it with less, but IMHO, if you want a hollowing system, I'd save up for a captive type system. Of course, such systems are usually partially specific to the lathe you have. If you upgrade, then you might have to upgrade the rig as well.

[charlie knighton]

how about some air brush supplies.....it will not go far but would be a good start

sort of depends where you are in the curve

[Kyle Iwamoto]

Keltons. But you do know that eventually that will lead to the Monster Hollower......

But, I see you already posted that..... LOL

[Brian Kent]

Prashun, I checked with Monster Lathe tools and I can use the full-size articulated hollowing system on my Delta 46-460. If I go that direction someday I can use it on a future lathe with just a new mounting plate.

[Roger Chandler]

Prashun, I checked with Monster Lathe tools and I can use the full-size articulated hollowing system on my Delta 46-460. If I go that direction someday I can use it on a future lathe with just a new mounting plate.

Yes you can!

[Thom Sturgill]

CBN, you will wonder how you ever got along without it!

[John Keeton]

If the limit is truly around $200 - CBN, hands down! It will cost you a bit more than that with shipping, but well worth every penny.

[Bob Bergstrom]

+1 CBN. So much better than the rest!

[Brian Kent]

D-Way CBN 180 grit, with or without the radius edge? 8" wheel on a 6" grinder with guard removed?

[Thom Sturgill]

D-Way CBN 180 grit, with or without the radius edge? 8" wheel on a 6" grinder with guard removed?

Radius edge should be great for sharpening the little scraper tips used for hollowing - wish they had been available when I got mine. I would go for an 8" wheel, the guard is not needed so it can be removed, only question would be arbor size. Some 6" grinders are 1/2" diameter arbor and may be too short since they are generally made for 1/2" thick wheels while 8" grinders are generally made for 3/4"- 1" wheels. Check with Dave, letting him know the specific model.

[Dennis Nagle]

I must be missing something. I go up to my white wheel, lay the tool on it, and BAM, it is sharp!! I've been reading for the last number of years that the CBN will change my whole sharpening world....but why? How?

[Thom Sturgill]

I must be missing something. I go up to my white wheel, lay the tool on it, and BAM, it is sharp!! I've been reading for the last number of years that the CBN will change my whole sharpening world....but why? How?

My understanding is that the newer steels contain increasing numbers of microscopic carbides formed during the forging and heat treatments. These carbides account for the wear resistance. Aluminum Oxide can not cut carbide so it just knocks them out of the steel matrix while CBN (or diamond) can cut them and sharpen the steel yielding a sharper edge with better wear resistance. If all of your tools are Sorby or other M2 steel you may not notice much difference, if you are using vanadium steel (Thompson's and others) you will. The AO wheel effectively gives you a serrated edge compared to the cleaner edge of the CBN wheel, on a small, microscopic scale. Cindy Drozda published a long article on this after she switched to having Doug make the blanks for her tools.

[Doug Herzberg]

I'm not sure I'd call a CBN "fun," but of the things on your list, it's what I'd buy. It does make sharpening simpler, which makes turning more fun.

[Dennis Nagle]

Thanks Thom. In that case I'd go with CBN too.