Easy Wood and Sorby Turnmaster pros/cons?

[sploo]

I'm a new/novice turner (so far I've done a few spindles as learning pieces, and one bowl). My long term goal is medium/large segmented bowls.

I have a bowl and a spindle gouge, a roughing gouge and a parting tool, but no scrapers or skews.

I've seen a number of turners using replaceable tip tools, such as the Easy Wood (http://www.easywoodtools.com/easy-turning-tools/) and Sorby Turnmaster (http://www.robert-sorby.co.uk/sov-rstmd ... master-set).

I quite like the idea - in that it would give me a dovetail cutter for chuck mounting. The square edged scraper looks ideal for getting a spindle down to a specific diameter (a more "engineering" presentation of the tool, as opposed to the "artist" skill of running a gouge along the length). Finally, the round tool looks ideal for shaping the inside of bowls (especially where I want to create something with straight internal walls and a tight radius between the walls and bottom).

Am I on the right lines with these tools, and how do they compare? The size of the Sorby holder seems to require the toolrest being quite a distance from the workpiece, but then you get a versatile set (where the Easy Wood needs a different holder for each cutter).

Would it also be worth me holding off until I've got more experience using the "traditional" tools?

 

[CHJ]

Would it also be worth me holding off until I've got more experience using the "traditional" tools?

To be honest, the very fact that you have not yet developed enough experience to know the answers I would say hold off and stick with traditional, even doing that you will find that many you thought would be a good idea end up on the rack and only get used once every few months if at all.

80% + of my turning is done with three, perhaps four tools at most, yesterdays and this mornings efforts used just three and one of those was not essential just sharper edged.

 

[sploo]

Would it also be worth me holding off until I've got more experience using the "traditional" tools?

To be honest, the very fact that you have not yet developed enough experience to know the answers I would say hold off and stick with traditional, even doing that you will find that many you thought would be a good idea end up on the rack and only get used once every few months if at all.

80% + of my turning is done with three, perhaps four tools at most, yesterdays and this mornings efforts used just three and one of those was not essential just sharper edged.

Thanks Chas. You're right of course - it's just that I don't currently have a good way of creating dovetail recesses. I assume it wouldn't be a good idea to cut the wall of the dovetail with a gouge bevel, as I'd risk catching the wing on the bottom of the piece? Or would you go in partially, then run the bevel along the bottom of the bowl recess to finish the inside "point" of the dovetail wall?

 

[woodpig]

In spite of what some may say there isn't any right or wrong when it comes to wood turning, it's whatever works for you. The only caveat is safety. I've recently seen folks produce bowls almost entirely with either a scraper or a carbide tool. Having only "dipped my toe" into carbide this doesn't surprise me in the least. The danger of getting a catch is still possible with carbide but very much reduced in comparison to using a gouge, particularly in the hands of a beginner. Another advantage is sharpening. Carbide inserts aren't quite as sharp as HSS (as HSS is not quite as sharp as Carbon steel) but modern carbides are sharp enough and stay that way for a long time - no stopping part way through a project to touch up a gouge or scraper. You can also sharpen flat carbide inserts very easily on a diamond plate. It should be about pleasure not prejudice. If using any tool is a joy and gets the results you want don't listen to what others say just because they don't use the same tools as you. I used a carbide hollowing tool I made the other day and was amazed at how well it cut, certainly a joy to use for me. Keep an open mind. :wink:

 

[CHJ]

For your dovetails the easiest way is to use a tool you probably already have.

A Flat Skew Chisel.


Form your spigot or socket with a parting tool, then with the skew laid flat on the tool rest shape the dovetail.

I use my 1/2" Skew which has its nose angle ground to match the dovetail angle on my jaws so it's easy to see if the dovetail being cut is at the right angle.
I'll nip up the shed and get a pic.


Edit:-

Just keep the skew on centre or above for sockets and on centre or below for spigots, that way in the unlikely event of a catch the tool goes into free air not dig in.


(tool rest closer than shown though, juggling tool and camera took priority over accuracy)

 

[woodpig]

I second the skew for dovetails.

I forgot to add this as an alternative to those you linked:

http://www.ukwoodcraftandcarbidechisels.co.uk

I've not tried them as I make my own so I've no idea what the quality is like. :wink:

 

[buzzby]

+1 for the UK Carbide link above. I have the round carbide tool and the bowl rougher and they are simply brilliant. Very cheap when you look at making your own. Yes you could make one cheaper but not by much.

I am going to get the smaller round carbide soon.

 

[woodpig]

I am going to get the smaller round carbide soon.

The 9mm carbide is good for hollowing.

 

[DaWoodster]

I only had a bowl gouge, skew and parting tool, and didn't find a cut I couldn't make (didn't try hollow forms!) I added a heavy round scraper to save on sandpaper and am happy with these.
I did purchase a carbide tipped set, but after using them once, I decided I preferred the tools I already had, but they may come in handy when I try a vase...

 

[treeturner123]

Guys

Surely you've missed the point. No one is an experienced turner until they have more tools than you can shake a stick at!!!!

I know I've got some I rarely use, though to be fair, they are mainly old carbon tools that came with the machine and I'm too lazy to sharpen then every few minutes!

Phil

 

[DaWoodster]

He who dies with the most toys wins?

 

[Peter Sefton]

The idea of the Easy Wood Tools is just that, easy to use with no sharpening.

Sploo if are in the Worcestershire area and you want to try them out just give me a call.

Cheers Peter

 

[sploo]

For your dovetails the easiest way is to use a tool you probably already have.

A Flat Skew Chisel.

No skew I'm afraid (second sentence of first post)

I second the skew for dovetails.

I forgot to add this as an alternative to those you linked:

http://www.ukwoodcraftandcarbidechisels.co.uk

I've not tried them as I make my own so I've no idea what the quality is like. :wink:

Well that looks very interesting. Crazy price for the chisels; no idea how he's making a profit with them priced that low!

His site mentions being able to tip the tool by 45 degrees for shear cuts. Looking at the 15mm Square Chisel and 15mm Round Chisel, I assume these would be good for hogging out the interior of a bowl, but could they be used to produce smooth final cuts? If I understand correctly, it looks as though he's suggesting you'd finish with one of the dish shaped cutters instead.

The idea of the Easy Wood Tools is just that, easy to use with no sharpening.

Sploo if are in the Worcestershire area and you want to try them out just give me a call.

Cheers Peter

Thanks. Generally I'm between Oxfordshire and Yorkshire, so unfortunately not heading your way very often - but I would like to make it over to one of your open days... one day!

 

[sploo]

In the end I picked up a set of Glenn's tools to have a try - the price was too good to resist: small-box-from-carbide-tools-t100950.html