Intro & An Epiphany
Not sure if this is the correct forum to use for introductions, but since I'm mostly turning these days, it seems the most appropriate.
Just wanted to officially introduce myself - I've made a couple of posts & gotten helpful feedback, and have used the site extensively for finding answers to my questions as I've been getting up to speed on turning. I really appreciate all of the knowledge that gets shared on this forum!
About myself: I live in southern New Hampshire with a wife, 2 kids, and my folks in an in-law apt. I'm 46 yrs. old, and to support this crazy habit, I work at Big Blue as a Paid Search strategist.
I started turning about 9 months ago, when I received a small mini/midi lathe from Harbor Freight, along with a set of their starter tools. It's quickly become a full-blown addiction, and I absolutely love it! I've also discovered that it's a nearly unending money pit, so I was able to negotiate a small monthly budget with my wife, which is not nearly enough, but it helps. I've been into wood working since I was in high school, and am fortunate to have a nice space in the basement for all my toys. But since I've started turning, it's really become the main focus for me. I love working with wood, and I find there's something almost meditative about turning.
And now for my epiphany: As I said, I started out with a basic set of lathe tools from Harbor Freight. I've slowly been adding to that as I have the need. But recently I came into a few extra dollars, and decided to break down and splurge on the Ellsworth 5/8" Pro-PM bowl gouge, along with the jig and video. Wow... that's all I can say. I almost feel like it's cheating, it's so much of a better experience all around... it's solid and stable, and stays sharp, and with the grind, I can make a number of different cuts with it, from rough all the way through to finishing. I'm not advocating for the Ellsworth gouge specifically, but just the difference in heft and quality when you buy a high-quality tool. I know lots of folks say you shouldn't pay more just for a certain grind, but for me it was worth it, to have as a reference, because I didn't have a point of reference for what the correct grind profile should be prior to this.
Now, having experienced the difference in quality, I can fully appreciate the cost differential, and can't see myself going back to buying cheap tools. They were good for learning on (especially learning to sharpen), but I don't see them getting much use going forward.
Thanks for reading.
Reply With Quote
I second what Steve has said about your local club! I too love my 5/8" Ellsworth and all my carbide tools as well as my Crown tools. I started out with a set of these: 
Originally Posted by David DeCristoforo
