Best lathe turning tools according to redditors

I have the round and the square from Rockler. Now that I have a decent set of bowl gouges (and I'm focusing mainly on bowls) I don't really use them much any more. I have found that I can get a much better (smoother) surface from a shearing cut. I very much prefer this to the surface you get with the scraping cut you must use with most carbide tools of this shape. That said, I'm keeping mine for the occasions that I need to do some spindle work.


In hindsight, I'm not sure I would have bought them if I had it to do over again. I started with a standard $70 amazon set of old school chisels (see below). I wish I had skipped straight from that to the good stuff (some examples listed below).



Apologies if this next section is a little pedantic. I was hoping to write something we could link from the sidebar.



So here's my recommendation:

Step | Description | URL
:------|:------|:------|
1 | Find some cheap (but not crappy) tools. | amazon link
1a | Figure out how to sharpen things. |
2 | Experiment, figure out what works, figure out what kind of turning you want to be doing. | Join the AAW, Find tutorials on youtube.com, take classes at your local woodworking store, etc.
3 | Find great tools. You don't want to spend a ton of time working with crappy tools. | when possible all my future tools will be from this guy: http://d-waytools.com/tools-gouges.html I also have tools from Sorby, Pinnacle, DWay, etc.

Cheap tools. Cheapest of the cheap. I don't even see them labeled as HSS. They're probably some really soft carbon steel.

See how straight and clean that snap line is? Almost perfectly perpendicular to the steel bar. I'd bet money that the break line is approximately even with where the steel stock was tempered to. My guess is when you got the tool far enough out over the tool rest, it snapped. Modest quality tools are tempered a few inches; good tools are usually tempered most of the usable length.

If you want a good set of HSS entry-level tools, check out this set which is well reviewed and commonly recommended.

Edit to add: I would toss those tools in the interest of safety. If one is willing to snap like that, others might be equally as brittle. Too much liability for my tastes.

That Rikon is a great little machine and it's on sale for $299.00 here ($43 shipping though, but still, it'll save you a little).

We were talking gouges over in /r/woodworking this morning and the harbor freight set actually got a pretty good mention in terms of good steel and edge retention. It's an $80 set, try to get a 20% off coupon & bring the cost down to $64.00.

So we've got ~$90.00 left, and I would use part of that for a bowl gouge because I was looking at the harbor freight sets just now and they don't really include one of those. The Hurricane tools on Amazon seem to be getting good reviews and since your budget will likely allow for just one, I'd recommend this 3/8" one as the most useful all around size.

That leaves you around $50.00 or so.

ETA: I have the Rikon so let me know if you have any more questions about it. The belt changes are easy on it.

The expert advice is to not buy a set but to instead only buy chisels for what you'll be doing. However if you're exploring turning you really don't know the exact kinds of turning you'll be doing, and you'll always be reading about oddball tools/techniques that you'll want to try.

So I'd advise a starter set that has at least one of each major tool type. This one fits that bill pretty well, I started out with it an still use everything but the "continental gouge".

Save it for later.

Gain proficiency on sacrificial pieces first.

I used this starting out:

https://www.amazon.com/Hurricane-Turning-Tools-Woodturning-Inches/dp/B008AVM7W0

For that depth you can likely use a 3/8" bowl gouge instead of 1/2".

First off, pick up a inexpensive roughing gouge. Very easy to use, and it's the right tool for turning square things round. Once you've done that, then you can use your micro set to shape. Here's the one I use. That brand is sold on Amazon and is quite the bargain for what you get in a tool.

A 1/2" gouge is generally (not always) going to be a bowl gouge. While a usable tool that will expand your abilities on the lathe, it's a bit of overkill for the task you're after. I'd use a spindle gouge or a detail gouge. (Pretty much the same tool but sharpened differently for different effect.) I'd go with a spindle gouge now since they are a bit more forgiving than a detail gouge while learning, and you can always sharpen it to a more dramatic angle later on. Again, check amazon for their Hurricane line and see if they have one as it's likely the best bang for your buck and will save you some cash. 3/8" is a good size, but you could go smaller for your work as well if you were so inclined.

That said, it sounds like you shouldn't put too much money into tools until you go down the rabbit hole of sharpening. You could spend a few bucks on some diamond cards and do it by hand, but that will take forever and you'll be less inclined to keep your tools sharp. The generally agreed upon system is the Wolverine system with the varigrind jig paired with a bench grinder. (Ideally a slow speed grinder, but if you're careful you don't need that. Mine is a $15 clearance ryobi that I upgraded the wheels on.) This complete system can run $150 (used, if you're lucky) to $300+ depending on how crazy you want to go. The good news is, much of it can be bought in stages based on need. For instance, you don't need the varigrind attachment yet if you're not using spindle / bowl gouges, so you could save you $50 for now. And when you get really good at that system, you can start eyeing the Tormek systems. Mwah-hah-hah-hah-ha! (Don't. They are amazing, and I'm glad I have one, but I also wouldn't recommend it to most people. Love mine...but the price is STUPID.)

Basically...you have a rabbit hole to go down. Your tools should be sharpened multiple times during turning for the best finished product. My best advice is to search this sub for the many sharpening posts and get a feel for other people's experience.

Good luck!

Your two cents are well worth having, when I said day it's because I need to change the shape of my tools and put on the edge again. When I first started I picked up this set of tools and from all of the reading I've been doing about angles and grinds I want to take the time to make mine right instead of what came out of the box.

This is the set I got.

The great thing with these is that when they eventually get dull you unscrew the bit and rotate it to a new edge and tighten it back down. I’ve made 20 or so wands and am about to replace my first rougher bit.

I couldn’t believe the difference when I got these compared to the cheap steel from HF. Love the lathe, but wish I could return the tools

I went with the same HF model for my first lathe and got a good start. Just watch how the centers line up. I found that I have to twist my tailstock clockwise before tightening and it's usually fine.

I've also got the Rikon grinder that you linked, but I picked mine up from Rockler last month, on sale for $100. As far as tools, I'd suggest picking up a semi-cheap set of HSS. Hurts a lot less when you realize you completely screwed up a bevel and have to grind off a lot more metal than you intended from a cheap one versus a high dollar one! I have a set of Benjamin's Best and have been happy enough with them for the price.

For Pens, its not so much the tools you need as the accessories. Small tools are fine for pens, there isn't much material. If you really want the bigger tools, this was my starter set and I'm really happy with it.

http://www.amazon.com/PSI-Woodworking-LCHSS8-Chisel-8-Piece/dp/B000KI8CTS/ref=sr_1_1?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1375795181&sr=1-1&keywords=lathe+chisel


Accessories: Pen mandrel, morris taper (probably #2 but check) to hold the mandrel. Bushing set (slimline is easiest to learn with) and CA glue.

Robert Sorby.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0002IXQHO?vs=1&vs=1

6 piece set above is $200. Use the rest for a slew speed grinder (woodcraft has a nice one that regularly goes on sale for $99). Save up for a wolverine jig.

Always remember that the lathe is the cheap part-it's the accessories that hit you right in the wallet.

Thanks brother! Have fun trying to find stuff that is 1MT. Slim pickens compared to the 2MT stuff that is out there.

Rockler did have a 1MT pen mandrel though.

And I found a spur center and live center on amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000DD5AG/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01B2OIEKK/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The Hurricane Tools are pretty decent. I've never tried carbide turning tools, but I feel that regular steel tools are just as good.

I primarily use the bowl gouge set, and then for everything else, I bought the cheap Benjamin's best 8-piece set.

For almost a year I sharpened them by hand because I really was unsure of grinding. I just have a cheap 6" grinder with stock wheels, that I always feel like it would eat up, and burn the tools. I was really tempted to buy the wolverine jig, so I tried to copy it out of wood. I replicated both of these jigs (though the one on the left is all you really need) and used some old rusty flat head screw drivers to practice the bevel. It worked surprisingly well on the screw drivers, I could even turn with them.

Sharpening the actual tools worked fantastically well, they finally "cut" for the first time, heh. Again, I thought I would burn them up, but light even pressure, and multiple passes made it super simple. It really only takes a few seconds to sharpen them, it actually takes me longer to adjust my custom jig. If you're using the same tool, and jig position, it's super easy though.

Next you'll be wanting info on chucks ;)

I got these. I think they’re the same ones your looking at. They are good. Don’t need to be sharpen often


3 piece Carbide Mini Turning Tool Set With Foam Lined Case Perfect For Turning Pens Pencils Tops Goblets Acorns Bottle Stoppers or any Small to Mid-Size Turning Project (3pc Carbide Tool Set) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01FWEX6OA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_w-c0DbWD7NS7Q

Edit - Nice Safety Glasses are the first thing to get with a lathe!

It sort of depends on the types of things he wants to make, but a good starter set like this https://www.amazon.com/Turning-Turning-Hardwood-Handles-Ferrules/dp/B07TTFLDLB/ref=sr_1_3_sspa?keywords=wood+lathe+chisel+set&qid=1572720167&sr=8-3-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEzMlA1NVQ4TkgzUFFMJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNzQ1NDcwMjJIOVY5U0hERTlMRCZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwMTYzNDM3MTI0R0tSU0hRVk9RMiZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

or

https://www.amazon.com/Savannah-7173-Turning-Hardwood-Ferrules/dp/B004MM3MES/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=wood+lathe+chisel+set&qid=1572720167&sr=8-5

will keep him busy for awhile as he finds his style. The real key is to get him a good way to sharpen these chisels. I like to use a 4 sided block or individual plates like these;

https://www.amazon.com/Jewboer-Diamond-Sharpening-Polishing-Whetstone/dp/B0752Q7GQ3/ref=sr_1_3_sspa?crid=2LXHR48U1CLJS&keywords=4+sided+diamond+hone+block&qid=1572720305&sprefix=4+sided+diamond+%2Caps%2C229&sr=8-3-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUFNMTBUWkE0MUhXNkcmZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTAwNDgwNTYzTVFQQVlZQjdEOTdNJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTAyMDUwNTEyQzFXSko5N1Y0Sk0md2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGYmYWN0aW9uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl

or

https://www.amazon.com/Diamond-Whetstone-6-Inch-Sharpening-Sharpener/dp/B07JVV7JD6/ref=sr_1_6?crid=2LXHR48U1CLJS&keywords=4+sided+diamond+hone+block&qid=1572720305&sprefix=4+sided+diamond+%2Caps%2C229&sr=8-6

Some people like to use a bench grinder for sharpening but in my experience it is a a bit easier to use the honing blocks and stones until you have an idea of what angles you like best. Im terrible about dropping my chisels so I use the 200 grit to fix up dings and generally touch up my chisels with a 400&600 grit stone once a week or every other.

The other often forgotten necessity is oil for the lathe & chisels.I use a light oil on my chisels, lathe accessories like chucks & tapers, the bearings & spindle, and anything else on the machine that spins. The brand I like and have seen in a few different shops is Zoom Spout Oiler https://www.amazon.com/Supco-CE441-Zoom-Spout-Oiler/dp/B00DM8JK2G/ref=sr_1_4?crid=3NI4QXDJATASP&keywords=zoom+spout+oiler&qid=1572720750&sprefix=zoom+spout%2Caps%2C225&sr=8-4

​

For the Lathe Ways & the body of the machine, everything that doesn't get Light oil I use Way Lube.https://www.amazon.com/Mobil-100772-Vactra-No-2-Way/dp/B07B7XZKVF/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=lathe+way+oil&qid=1572720930&sr=8-1

​

Squirt everything spinny down with light oil before and after you use the lathe and you wont have issues with dust & chips gunking everything up. Way lube can go on once a month or whenever you want a fresh shine.

​

You are such a nice girlfriend, He is going to be stoked!! Good luck!!

Get these chisels for him they are for a lathe, while it isn't the best lathe if he doesn't have lathe tools then he can't use it. Bench chisels and Mortising chisels are more for furniture making and without a hand full of other tools they are pretty useless depending on what he plans on making.

Any recommendations? I would probably get this one left to my own devices

There is something to be said about buying a few specific tools, until you know what you need/use a set could be a good purchase.

I bought this on amazon, and i have been completely happy with it.

https://www.amazon.com/SAVANNAH-8-Piece-Wood-Lathe-Chisel/dp/B004MM3MES/ref=sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1511407112&sr=8-1-spell&keywords=savannah+chixels

I use every one of them and they have been great.

Thank you, the handle dimensions are for the tools that have 9in handles like this tool selection.

https://www.amazon.com/PSI-Woodworking-LCHSS8-Chisel-8-Piece/dp/B000KI8CTS/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?keywords=wood+turning+gouges&qid=1568416993&s=gateway&sr=8-4

Has worked well for me to start with. One tool is useless and when I took a class from someone in the club with a lot of experience he had to look it up. And what we found was most people reshaped it to something else.

I bought these http://amzn.to/2cohxkc and have been happy with them for a few years now. Don't forget to consider the price of buying a grinding wheel to sharpen the chisels you buy.

So just hauled my grandfather's lathe home and was anxious to start making wood chips and dust. Found a roughly straight oak log and went to town after de-barking.

Lathe I used. More info shows that it is a 12x42. After finishing the piece I noticed that the tailstock is seized up and not sure how to go about in repairing. I dosed with PB blaster and will let it sit for a day. I'm sure the friction and heat helped the bearing /s ... stupid I know.

Minus heating up the tailstock, the wood borer'd oak, and the dull chisels everything went well. I am looking at this set and this chuck, would these be good for beginner use? Looking for some feedback.

https://smile.amazon.com/PSI-Woodworking-LCHSS8-Chisel-8-Piece/dp/B000KI8CTS/

I have this set, I also have very nice crown and sorby tools. This set works 90% as well. Make it 98% as well if you turn some nicer handles to replace the ones they come with.

1, 2 & 3. Kinda. Traditional scraper, you need to be able to use it without bruising the rest of the piece, and needs to have a small enough amount of metal that can be rolled over for the burr. So, for the inside of bowls, a straight 90 degree would catch the piece on the bottom side. Too shallow of an angle wouldn't support the burr enough. Too steep and it's not going to be easy to re-establish that burr.

4. I picked up a hurricane heavy round nose scraper and ground it to a negative rake scraper (I think I used something like a 25 top, 70 bottom - so close on the bottom to stock for less grinding to try it out, giving an included angle of 85 which is close to the recommended 90) and it's worked exceptionally well. I highly recommend giving it a shot as that was a cheap tool off amazon that has been great. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008B86BWY/ Can't really go wrong at $43 for a massive scraper like that.

I just got the Hurricane roughing gouge for $24.00 off of Amazon.
Careful though it jumped up to $34.00 soon after I bought it. As of this posting it is now $23.99

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008B86DLS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

something to sharpen with (grinder)

told that these are good to start with https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000KIECW4/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

What is the difference between these two sets(aside from number of pieces)?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000KIECW4/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000KI8CTS/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

I am trying to figure out what to get for my boyfriend for Christmas, and he's in a similar situation of having a lathe but no turning tools. I also have a face shield in my amazon cart. He's had a box of smaller turning blanks for a while now.

He does a reasonable amount of woodworking(makes a lot of furniture, is super into hand tools), but he's new to turning, so if you have any suggestions, it would be appreciated!

Here is the mobile version of your link

Amazon appears to sell a pretty large variety of Crown HSS tools. I started with these tools and still use many of them today, although I also have come to like the Crown Pro-PM tools. It probably makes more sense to purchase your tools a la carte, but here is a set to illustrate the tools to which I refer.

https://www.amazon.com/Crown-280-HSS-Woodturning-5-Piece/dp/B001C009YE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1519262399&sr=8-1&keywords=crown+woodturning

I use this hurricane one and it's great.

I just picked this up. PSI Woodworking PKMBCM2 Turn Between Centers Mandrel System #2MT https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06Y9265T1/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_HN81BbT92R0EW I'm liking it so far

I'll be completely honest and say that I still use a round nose scraper for most of my bowl work.

Something like this Hurricane scraper will do a good job of hollowing:
Hurricane Woodturning Round Nose Scraper, High Speed Steel, 3/4" Nose https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GWR2MX8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_GucBCb5W6YAX8

Thank you SO much for the advice!!!

do you mind if I ask some more specific questions?

I found while turning at school I had my worst catches with scrapers- any guide on how to use them/why they are useful? I have even seen pro turners (robo hippy?) catch with them.

Same question for spindle gouge- when would I use one in bowl turning?

Should I buy a spindle turning set? Or the tools separately? (https://www.amazon.com/Crown-280-HSS-Woodturning-5-Piece/dp/B001C009YE/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1484711402&sr=8-3&keywords=spindle+turning+set)

If I give you price ranges could you help me pick out more specific gouges?

To your biggest question of HP - turning a 10" bowl on a 1/2hp machine will be slow but doable. Most anything smaller than that will be fine. Pens and rings require very little power.

Beyond that picking a lathe is about the features, the fit and finish, and price.

Variable speed is a 100% must. Don't buy a lathe without it. Reverse is a nice feature for sanding and finishing.

As others have said tools are equally important. Starting off with a simple carbide set like THIS is a safe bet for small turnings. You can pretty much take them out of the box and do several projects before even rotating the cutter heads to a sharper edge.

Here is the desktop version of your link

I've been using the 12x33 lathe and that exact chuck for about a year now with no complaints about either. I make a variety of things including bowls and handles. If you plan on turning larger pieces though (12"+ dia.), the slowest speed may not be slow enough for your liking.

For the price point, I recommend the Hurricane bowl gouge set: https://www.amazon.com/Hurricane-Turning-Tools-Woodturning-Inches/dp/B008DH8ZM2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1495218437&sr=8-1&keywords=hurricane+bowl+gouge+set

How about this one? Seems similar but fir some reason the import feed to Canada are about $20 less.

Here's some tools for turning. PSI Woodworking LCHSS8 Wood Lathe HSS Chisel Set, 8Piece https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000KI8CTS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_WgDVDbX2HTGM3 It's 70, but they have good reviews. But if you shop around for the same sort of keywords, and check reviews, you can find something good.

I have this set of hurricane gauges that I won at auction ($5 each, thanks failed charter schools!) they work great. You do need to have a good sharpening setup to get the grind you like, though. The one that comes out of the box is very poor.

don't use regular chisels on a lathe.
I assume your uk based since you used uk amazon. so I'm not much help on lathe tools that are easy to get.
these appear to be a decent set https://www.amazon.co.uk/280-5pc-HSS-Woodturning-Set/dp/B001C009YE/ref=sr_1_144?s=diy&ie=UTF8&qid=1481417416&sr=1-144&keywords=woodturning+tools

Ive at least heard of crown before. but if uh money is no object ive heard good things about the tools glenn lucas sells http://glennlucaswoodturning.com/product-category/woodturning-supplies/for-bowl-turning/

Here is what I did when I started turning. I knew that tools needed to be sharpened often, and I knew I had no experience at all with sharpening tools. So I bought this set for under 80 bucks, knowing that I would likely ruin them practicing sharpening. I used them for about a year and a half with absolutely no problems (which is surprising considering how long it took me to get sharpening down!). After that year and a half or so, I got myself a set of these Robert Sorby tools, and I love them, and am way more confident with my sharpening skills, and have no worries about ruining a nice set of tools by grinding them weird.

I personally would avoid doing pen mandrels that will come with kits. Start with turning between centers bushings or adapters (mt2 will be linked below) as they produce a much truer pen at the end of everything without worrying about bending a mandrel shaft.

PSI Woodworking PKMBCM2 Turn Between Centers Mandrel System #2MT https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06Y9265T1/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_tpgaCb5GQRBVX

Face shield!!! $15

set of basic lathe tools PSI has a decent set for sale $80

http://www.amazon.com/PSI-Woodworking-LCHSS8-Chisel-8-Piece/dp/B000KI8CTS/ref=pd_sim_sbs_hi_4/180-3590963-5929100

Wood from neighborhood=free
reddit for cool ideas=free

you'll have to figure out where to spend your last $5

3 piece Carbide Mini Turning Tool Set With Foam Lined Case Perfect For Turning Pens Pencils Tops Goblets Acorns Bottle Stoppers or any Small to Mid-Size Turning Project (3pc Carbide Tool Set) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01FWEX6OA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_D0M4Db1K7H88N

or

Rockler Carbide Pen Turning Tool 3-Piece Set https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00QU08ALK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_T1M4DbS3RN54X