Newbie turner looking for tools

[Tim Solley]

Okay, so the Vortex has been pulling at me for a while now. At first it was just tugging at my shoe laces, then my shoes flew off, and now I've been sucked in completely. You turners really know how to ruin a man!

On Saturday I'll be heading down to San Marcos, Texas to pick up a lathe I'm buying from fellow SMCer Curtis Seebeck (Mr. Adoptwood). He's been kind enough to offer me some bowl blanks, pen kits, and some time with him on the lathe to get a jump start on turning. I also plan to buy some blanks from him to stock up.

So here I go, diving head first and loving it. I can't wait to get my hands on that lathe and start turning everything I can get my hands on. I plan to mostly turn bowls and eventually as I get better get into turning some hollow forms. I have very little interest in spindle work, though I intend to make some drawer pulls for a dresser project I'm working on. So I'll need bowl tools and some spindle tools.

On to the question. I need tools for the activities mentioned above. Where can I get some quality tools for a good price? I don't want to empty my bank account here, but I do want to at least get decent tools. No junk, but no $100 a tool stuff either. Any suggestions? All input welcome.

Thanks everyone. Okay, I'm going to go daydream about turning bowls instead of work now .

Tim

[Bernie Weishapl]

Tim my first set of tools was a set from Harbour Freight. They run $35 and turned out to be a decent set of tools to learn with. I would rather learn to sharpen and to turn on those than buy a $250 set and learn to sharpen. In fact I keep going back and using those tools even though I have a expensive set. They aren't bad.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Tim...........IF you have never turned before.........Hang On! It is a kick! I've bought tools from a couple of places. Here's the link to one that I bought my Sorby roughing gouge from. Good stuff ...decent price!

http://www.thebestthings.com/newtools/sorby.htm

No connection with this business other than being a happy customer.

Getting to work with Curtis should help lessen the grade of the learning curve too! Hang on! It is a total blast!

[Mike Vickery]

You might try P&N tools I just bought one of their bowl gauges and I am hooked. CSU has the best prices I have see but Lee vallet is close
http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/cg...ywords=pn-tool
Great tools at a very good price. They come unhandled so you can either buy a premade handle cheap at CSU (you will have to drill it)or it would be a good project when you see Curtis to borrow his tools to make your own handles . I have crown pm, sorby, and Henry Taylor tools as well but I will buy P&N from now on. I do not know anywhere else that you can get a high quality 3/8 bowl gouge for $33

You could buy one of the fancy interchnageable handle but I think halph the fun if making your own.

[Keith Burns]

Since no one else has done it, I will "Yahoo, ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST". Welcome to the dark side. Another good source for tools is www.woodchipshome.com . Great prices and great service.

[Daniel Heine]

Hello,

Good luck with your new lathe. For economical turning tools, look for Bejamins Best on Ebay, they've been selling for $15.00 - $20.00 each lately. Also, Woodcraft sells their Pinnacle line of turning tools that seem to be decent quality at a reasonable proce. Not cheap, but within reason. I'm saving up for some of those Hamlet 2060 tools myself.

Good Turning,
Dan Heine

[John Hart]

Welcome to the vortex Tim!!! As you can see from the picture below...you will travel in a circular motion, constantly increasing speed and intensity....until finally....it spits you out in tiny fragments all over the universe. Just thought you should know.

vortex.jpg

Oh...and I agree that you should get some cheapos to learn sharpening then pick up the nicer stuff as you go.

[John Shuk]

I have a set of the Harbor freight tools. I have no problem with them at all. Just make sure you get HSS. I'm pretty sure Benjamin's best are made in the same factory. Just cleans them off with DNA first to get the film off of them. You will buy other tools over time but this is a pretty good set.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

I forgot.....................



Hey Andy...........We got another one!

[John Shuk]

Here's a link to push you a little bit!
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=47066

[Don Baer]

Here's a link to push you a little bit!
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=47066

Yup that what I started out with. Now I just add to it as I find the need/funds..

Also if you don't have one think Band saw.
Bench grinder.
Chain Saw.

there all tools that you will find useful.

[Tim Solley]

Hey thanks for all the advice guys. The tips on getting the el cheapos from Harbor Freight sounds like good advice. I won't feel bad about grinding the heck out of a $30 set of chisels. I printed out a coupon and I'll swing by HF and pick that set up on my way home tonight. Maybe then I can just swing for a couple of larger bowl gouges, since the HF set looks geared toward spindle turning.

So John, that picture looked kind of like a black hole. You know....one of those things that has a pulling force so strong that not even light can escape it's grasp, let alone a woodworker? This is worse than I thought ! Sounds good to me .

Good God man...my wife is going to kill me...that is if I can pull HER away from the lathe.

Tim

[Tim Solley]

Also if you don't have one think Band saw.
Bench grinder.
Chain Saw.

there all tools that you will find useful.

I have a bench grinder and a Grizzly 14" band saw. I'll need to buy the riser block set. I do not however have a chain saw. That leads me to a question: Where do you guys get raw logs that you cut up to turn pieces? How many of you out there do this as opposed to just buying blanks ready to turn?

Tim

[Don Baer]

TIM,
Make sure you get the 8 piece set from HF It says HSS on them. They have another smaller set and I don't think that they are High Speed Steel.

[Jim Becker]

Packard Woodworks house brand is very nice and reasonably priced. I know a lot of folks talk about the HFT sets, but unless you are going to be doing a lot of spindle work (which most of the set tools are) you'll be better served, IMHO, by buying a nice bowl gouge and parting tool to get started.