Woodturning chisels

[Eric Garner]

Hi. I'm just about to buy my first lathe and need to know which chisels to buy. I have a limited budget so can't afford top of the range. I've seen some made from alloy steel. Would that be OK
Thanks
Eric

 

[Phil Pascoe]

If you buy a roughing gouge or bowl gouges, try to get HSS as they take far more of a hammering. The rest, if you are being really careful cost wise can be carbon steel - the edge won't last as long, but can be sharper. These don't command the higher prices on Ebay etc. Many people will tell you that they are inferior, but sometimes they are actually better - they just blunt a bit quicker, that's all. Older carbon steel Sorbys and H. Taylors are plentiful. Record Power and Axminster tend to be a bit cheaper than Sorby and Taylor, Ashley Iles are probably the most expensive ... but probably/possibly the best. Some (A.I. in particular) can be bought unhandled which saves you £5 - £7.
Every lathe at our club has only five tools for normal use, a roughing gouge, a 3/8th spindle gouge, a skew chisel, a parting tool and a 3/8th bowl gouge - for many purposes this is all you need. Don't try to skimp too much on them.

 

[Eric Garner]

I'm a bit confused about the ones I've been looking at. It says it is HSS but that it is made from alloy steel.

"8pc HSS Lathe Carving Wood Chisel Set. Gouge and Parting Tools. Made from high quality alloy steel. Precision ground cutting edges. 10 inch long wooden handles. Comes with wooden storage box."

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Steel is an alloy, no matter what of. I would steer clear of sets such as that and buy better tools one at a time. For a bowl you only really need a bowl gouge, for beginning spindle work a spindle gouge and and a roughing gouge. Everything else can come later. You will need a grinder with a decent wheel to start with, as well. have you budgetted for that?
This is the best book - Woodturning - A Foundation Course (new edition) by Keith Rowley.
There is one for sale here - books-for-sale-t106827.html
Do yourself a big favour and buy it.
Put a parting tool with the spindle tools.

 

[Eric Garner]

Thanks very much for your help. I will follow your advice on buying chisels. I already have a grinding wheel but need to dress (?) it as it has been worn unevenly.
I also have the book you mentioned.
Thanks again,

 

[lurker]

Eric,
I notice you are in Loughborough
I am by no means an expert but if you want to call around and examine my selection of woodturning kit you are welcome.
PM if you are interested

I agree with the comment about steering cleAr of sets, buy as you require is the way to go

 

[marcros]

I don't want to hijack the thread, but it is related, and may also be useful to the OP.

How do you size tools to the work? I made the mistake of starting with a set, but at least I didn't pay much for them secondhand. Every set contains pretty much the same stuff- 3/4" skew, standard parting tool, spindle roughing gouge that feels a bit small, a bowl and a spindle gouge.

I have since replaced the roughing gouge with a bigger one, and want to buy a decent skew. Should I go with the biggest thing possible, so that the sweet spot is as large as possible, or what is the guide? I have a single beveled sedan, which I like, but it is only 3/8". They don't seem to come bigger. It isn't ideal for planing cuts.

What sized bowl gouge is everybody workhorse?

 

[Phil Pascoe]

The usual club ones are 3/8" (obviously we have others), but mine are 1/4" and 1/2".

You could make your own bedan - https://www.amazon.co.uk/200mm-Square-L ... square+HSS

 

[dcmguy]

For what its worth the turning tools I use the most, in order, are :

3/8" bowl gouge
3/4" skew
1/4"'parting tool
1-1/4" spindle roughing gouge
3/8" spindle gouge

I have a round nose scraper and a Simon Hope 6mm carbide hollowing tool but find I get a better finish with the gouges.

 

[Robbo3]

Chronos are doing a boxed set of HSS tools for £72 - about 3/4 down the page.
- https://www.chronos.ltd.uk/cgi-bin/sh00 ... CT20026S01

6pcs high quality Hss turning tool set
Features:
Hardened blades with brass ferrules.Primary color Ash handles. Packed in wooden storage box.
Hardness: 58-62HRC

Including:
• Bowl Gouge with 12.7mm (1/2")x230 mm blade,handle length 340mm;
• Roughing Gouge with 25mm(1")x170mm blade,handle length 300mm;
• Oval Skew with 28mm x170mm blade,handle length 300mm;
• Parting Tool with 5mm (3/16")x170mm blade,handle length 255mm;
• Round Nose Scraper with 3/4"x170 mm blade,handle Length: 255mm;
• Spindle Gouge with 10mm (3/8")x170mm blade,handle Length: 255mm

 

[John. B]

Remember when you want to buy a gouge, size matters.
Bowl gouges here in the UK are measured from the edge of the flute to the edge of the bar on the opposite side.
However Spindle gouges are measured by the bar size both here and the USA.
My personal Roughing gouge is a Henry Taylor HS4 which 11/2" which I have had for more years than I can remember.
Most of our club spindle gouges are 3/4" which we think is a good medium for both novice and experienced, hope that helps.
john. B

 

[Phil Pascoe]

3/4" :shock: What pattern? The club has a 1/2" A.I. continental pattern (which I also have) but that's the biggest.

 

[John. B]

Hello Phil,
I don't know what you mean by 'What pattern' Tool Post sells 4 roughing gouges,
A Taylor HS3 3/4" (19mm(
A Sorby 843H34 3/4" (19mm)
A sorby 843LH114 11/4" (32mm)
and the one I have which a Taylor HS4 11/2" (37mm)
I've no idea what a 1/2" A.I. continental pattern is, or what the manufacture is.
Mind you when I bought my HS4, it it cost me half of what it costs today, but I do use it frequently.
John. B

 

[Phil Pascoe]

What pattern spindle gouge? A.I. ... Ashley Iles, sorry. A continental pattern is much flatter than the usual one forged from a round bar.

 

[Eric Garner]

I know I've been advised to start with just a few chisels and buy as I need them, but what about this set from Charnwood Machinery?
A set of 6 high quality short chisels.
Specially designed for working on small bench top lathes and ideal for small workpieces allowing all kinds of spindle work to be carried out.
Supplied in a wooden storage case.
Blade length 90mm (3-1/2")
Handle Length 190mm (7-1/2")
HSS High Speed Steel
Beechwood Handles
The set includes:
5/8” Spindle Roughing Gouge
1/2” Oval Skew Chisel
1/4” Bowl Gouge
1/2” Round Nose Scraper
1/2” Square Scraper
1/8” Diamond Parting Tool
https://www.charnwood.net/products/prod ... athway-117

 

[marcros]

personally, I would save your £79. Work out what you need and buy better tools as you need them. We are all on a budget of some form, and I get where you are coming from.

The downside of what I am going to suggest has a downside- you wont learn about using traditional tools, but it will get you started and beyond. You dont mention sharpening, and if you have any method to do this, but it will be a chunk of cash too. What i suggest will save you this too.

How about something like https://woodworkersworkshop.co.uk/produ ... her-orange and https://woodworkersworkshop.co.uk/produ ... nisher-red

you can sharpen on a diamond card file because they only need a touch up here and there.

Now, I can hear you draw breath at the price, but there is good news...

the inserts can be bought from http://newazcarbide.com/square/. IThere are various radii and shapes, so have a look around the site. I have used this source myself.

You need a piece of mild steel bar (ebay) mine was 10mm I think and was square section, a tap and a screw (I think that mine was 1/4 20, but metric M4 would be fine). You then need to turn a handle or two.

Loads of instructions online, but here are a couple
http://www.instructables.com/id/Make-yo ... the-tools/
http://www.penturners.org/forum/f30/how ... ool-91939/

Even if you go on to buy the traditional tools in a couple/few months, these are a good investment of £20 because they still remain useful.

 

[Robbo3]

If you are contemplating carbide tools take a look at Glen Teagle's site. The 3 chisel set, round, square & diamond is £70
- http://www.ukwoodcraftandcarbidechisels.co.uk/