Beginner turning tools

Many experienced turners would not recommend carbide tools because traditional tools generally provide a better cut surface on the wood, more flexibility with types of cuts, and a lower cost over the long run. But for the new turner, carbide tools may be a good choice for getting started. I teach a lot of new turners, and I like the idea that by using carbide tools, they can learn to turn and finish a project the very first time they turn.

I show them the difference between the cuts you can make with carbide tools and traditional tools. Traditional tools almost always result in a better cut surface, so many of my students move from carbide to conventional tools over a series of classes. The most common means of sharpening turning tools is with a bench grinder. High-speed rpm grinders with silicon carbide wheels are not recommended for sharpening HSS tools.

Carbon boron nitride CBN wheels are especially well suited for sharpening HSS, with very little heat buildup, but are expensive and unnecessary for the new turner getting started. I recommend you acquire a set of diamond paddles or a diamond honing card. Diamond hones are used to refresh an edge on an HSS tool quickly and without going back to the grinder. Just a couple of strokes with a hone makes a big difference in how well the tool cuts.

Hones can also be used to refresh the edge on carbide tools. Note that when it comes to sharpening scrapers, preferences vary widely among turners. Many prefer not to hone at all, but to use the small burr created by the grinding wheel. Choosing turning tools and learning to use and sharpen them properly are necessary steps in becoming a woodturner.

Getting help from an experienced woodturner will certainly speed up the learning process. Local AAW chapters are filled with turners who are glad to help you along.

You will find a variety of opinions and methods, so listen to a number of different turners and consider what might be best for you. His website is waltwager. Posted in: Woodturning chisel , turning , woodturning , sharpening , Gouge , Shopping , Skew , resharpening , woodturning tools , turning tools. But it also depends on the preferences of the woodturner that how he wants to start. But it is still essential to check out for size before getting your hands on anything. Quality: You would not want your tools to break after using them for a few days, right?

That is where the quality of the tools comes in. You will have to go for the ones that are durable and sturdy and can offer you long-term feasibility. Grips: If you want to work efficiently, your grip should be tightened up. But what if your woodturning tools are not comfortable? For that, you will have to for the ones with comfortable grips so that you can work without any distractions.

Sharpness: Most woodturning tools are used to give a shape to the wood; thus, they use sharpened ends. So check if your preferred woodturning tools are sharpened and can do the job or not! But do note that you might prefer some other tools other than those mentioned here, so it also depends on your preferences.

If you are also looking for some chisels to start woodturning then check out our best wood turning chisels for beginners article! Roughing gouge is undoubtedly one of the main pillars of a woodturning career. Roughing gouge is used to round the wood perfectly without any errors. If you use any other type of tool to round the wood, the shape will not be the same.

That is why you should only go for roughing gauge for rounding the wood. But the one we are talking about right now is the roughing gouge of well-known brand Crown that comes with some great features that can further enhance your skills.

This specific variant comes with a size of 1. You can start turning the wood right away with this if you want to give your wood a good round shape. Not only that, it is manufactured with the highest quality of steel so that it could offer sturdiness along with durability to the woodturners. The high-speed steel also ensures that the users can quickly round the wood in the fastest way possible.

It is better to go with this roughing gouge than the ones that are made of carbon. The best thing is that this roughing gouge also has a beechwood handle with brass ferrule to get perfect comfort while using it. It is impossible to get wood with the perfect shape and get started with it without enhancing it a bit more. You usually have to carve the corners to make it useable without any problems. Not only that, but a spindle gouge can also be used for the detailing of a product or add spindle turnings into anything if required.

With this spindle gouge of Robert Sorby, you will surely be able to perform all of your tasks without any worries. It comes with high-speed steel, also known as HSS, so that the woodturners can efficiently perform their tasks. The high quality of steel also lets the woodturners work in higher temperatures as this steel does not meltdown from excessive heat.

The sharpened edges of this spindle gouge are also very flawless. You will certainly not have to get them sharpened after getting them as they come with perfectly sharpened edges. The best thing is, the sharpened steel edges last long more than six times than the standard carbon edges. If we talk about the comfort, it comes with the ash handle, which can offer you a relaxing experience while you work. So you will not actually have to worry about hurting your hands while working.

When you are finished with your woodturning work, you will have to use something to give it a completed look. It can be a bowl, plank, or anything else you might need to scrap with the end scraper. That is why the Crown Tools Square End Scraper can surely give your inventions a very new and refreshing look.

Other than that, it has the HSS blade integrated into it, which can be used to scrap the wood with ease. The brand has done a very fantastic job to make it durable as it is hardened to between 66 and 69 degrees Rockwell.

The hollows need to be perfect, and without any excessive woods, so you would not really want to miss out on this tool. The best thing is that the one we are discussing right now offers to combo the hollowers to use the one as per your preferences.

It does not matter if you want to carve a shallow hollow or a big one; this combo can help you out in all situations. It is used to hollow out holes, dadoes, decorative patterns and cut out fancy edges.

There are two types of routers: plunge and stationary routers. Some manufacturers offer router kits with both, stationary and plunge bases. You may be asking yourself, do I need both? I would say yes. You may not find a use for both of them right away, but you will most likely need them sometime in the future. Always comes in handy when you need to make a quick precision cut. While there are a few variations of handsaws, a universal handsaw will allow you to do both rips and crosscuts.

You will have to plane and sand your wood to bring it a refined and aesthetic look. Skimp down on sanding and any imperfections will get exacerbated after you apply a finish. As with other tools, you may get confused by the fact that there are several different types of hand planes. The first plane that you should get is a No. With sufficient practice, a jack plane can be used as a smoothing plane and a jointer.

Later on, you can think about expanding your hand plane collection with planes specifically designed for smoothing a No. I have an entire guide that explains everything you need to know about hand planes so make sure to check it out. A lot of your time in the workshop will be spent on sanding.

Again, sanding sessions can be quite long. Longer than a battery can handle. Orbital sanders use circular sandpaper disks. If you find the corded variant impractical, then make sure you have at least 1 spare battery for your sander. A detail sander will help you reach places and angles where other larger sanders would not fit.

For a start, a random orbital sander should be more than enough. It is worth having a few excess packages of sanding disks in your shop at all times. As soon as you open your last box of sanding discs, add them to your shopping list. Do not push a sanding pad to its limit. As soon as you start feeling that it lost its grit, throw it out. And avoid the temptation to save them for later. Just throw it out. They are not expensive and there is no sense in wasting your time with a disc that has long lost its grit power.

There are many different grit sizes. For any wood, you will want to start with a grit disc and move up to grit. You have to be very diligent about removing any dust after sanding as it will ruin any finish that you apply. First, remove any dust with a brush or a vacuum. Then, take a piece of cloth, apply some mineral spirit to it and wipe your sanded wood with it to make your wood as clean as possible.

Only then proceed to the application of a finish. A finish gives wood a refined look and protects it from environmental hazards. You can get overwhelmed by the array of choice of different finishes. Selecting a finish for your wood does not have to be complicated, though. Namely, there are two main categories of finishes: layered and oil-based. A layered finish sticks to the surface of the wood and provides more protection.

Used to effectively dissolve or break substances like lacquer, varnishes, oils, and paints off of surfaces, brushes, and other tools. Masking tape is made out of very thin paper that is easy to tear and release. You can use it to create clamps or mask off any areas that should not get painted or coated with a finish.

Another great use for tape is to avoid tear-outs when cutting across the grain. You will find masking tape very handy so go ahead and buy it in bulk. A good drill is paramount to any working shop. Be sure to buy a set of drill bits with many different sizes and shapes. You might be wondering, why would you need an impact driver when you already have a drill? Good question. You cannot use an impact driver to drill holes. But, a drill cannot deliver sudden forward thrusts.

Impact drivers are designed to drive screws and bolts with greater power. An impact driver gives you more torque to drive screws into tough materials like hardwood.