Thread: The essential tools for your type of turning

Alright, I'll start then:

CHISELS FOR MAKING SIMPLE BOXES

Roughing gouge
Parting tool
3/8 bowl gouge to shape box base and lid
1/2 L & S spindle gouge to hollow
Sorby multi-tip to finish hollowing (undercut etc)
Ci0 to scrape inside smooth
Square skew to cut base and lid fit, and decorate rings on the underside of the base.

That's 7 already. If I was decorating the lid, I'd probably use a mini parting tool to cut the beads.

If the box was flat on the inside, I'd definity use the Ci1 the scrape square (or another scraper.)

That's 8 or 9.

If the jam fit for the base wasn't great, I'd use a 6mm bowl or spindle gouge to take fine cuts on the underside. That's 10.

And that's just for simple boxes.

If someone can do it with less, talk to me! I could scrape most of it, but the 8mm bowl gouge gives me a terrific "off the tool" finish.

No mention either about chucks, drills, etc.

Neil,

I've already half-responded to this one for tools for turning lidded boxes.

I will post some pics (and more thoughts) soon. Maybe next week.

But my forester brother Dave has dropped maybe 200 trees here (most only 5 years old, thinning) and I have much cleaning up to do with the mulcher. Plus some big stuff for firewood for next winter.

Plus..... Cutting some redgum for Cliff and Ed.... Plus new doors and windows for the old dump starting tomorrow....

Plus, 4 hallway tables to finish (one for me) the rest for Indigo Valley, still yet to post.

Plus Calm ringing yesterday and sending me pics on how he stuffed up a simple high chair.... Wood moves, some of the Slow and Calm ones need to learn that one....

I'm retired, but geez, life is just too busy.

's place this Sat, it never ends.

Off the smokes for 7 days, probably cranky soon. A 30 year old habit is hard to break.

Will I? nah.

Originally Posted by

Will I? nah.

Will you what?
Give up the smokes too?
Or tell us that you only use a Henry Taylor HS1 & a home made skew to do everything?

Hmmm, maybe I will.





Later.

I make tools and occasionally pens, I wouldn't be without my 1" Roughing gouge, 1" skew and a 1/2" spindle gouge

I do mostly bowls. I could prolly get away with a 5/8 bowl gouge and a skew (used as a scraper to do the foot tenon. And to maybe smooth out the outside curve. ) Cos I can have three I'll have a round nosed scraper to so I can smooth out the inner curve as well.

I'm n the middle of a bowl I will prolly finish tmmorow, so will take pics then.

Originally Posted by jefferson

..............

I'm retired, but geez, life is just too busy. ...............

...........Off the smokes for 7 days, probably cranky soon. A 30 year old habit is hard to break.

Yep, retired but busy. At least we get to do more of what we want to, well mostly.

Good on ya for kicking the fags...... you're almost over the hard bit!

....

Originally Posted by

Will I? nah.

If you were thinking about telling us about all the things you can do with just a skew, we sort of knew that......

But, if you meant that you are thinking about giving up the fags, well that's very good news.... Go , Go...

....

Originally Posted by NeilS

But, if you meant that you are thinking about giving up the fags, well that's very good news.... Go , Go...

....

(Although giving up the tea might be the harder call. )(:run: )

If I tried I could get by with 4. 3 is a bit of an ask but if the wood was nice with no tareout then perhaps. My 4 would be a 1'' roughing gouge a 5/8 bowl gouge a parting tool and a 1/2 round nose scraper. I guess we all are guilty of using too many tools and not getting the best use from any of them.
Regards
John

If I had to I could get by without my roughing gouge because that is all it is good for. A good bowl gouge can be used for roughing and hollowing. That covers bowls and platters.
For goblets I can't get by without my home made oland style tool with the depth limiter. For spindles I would definately need a nice accutely ground spindle gouge and then to finish it all off a parting tool and a keepers glove is absolutely essential. That covers the four basic tools I would need to achieve most aspects of turning. I.E bowls, platters, and spindles. Once you get into deep hollowing that is another issue again.

Cheers
Shorty

I think if I could only 4 tools they would be
Bowl gouge
Skew
Bench grinder
Stubby holder.

I mainly turn pens and bowls so I can use the bowl gouge for 90% of the turning it might be a bit slower but you can do it.
The Skew chisel I could use for finishing cut and scraping, parting tool.
The grinder apart from being able to sharpen my limited tools I can also modify them to suit my needs for example I could put a radius on the skew to use as a round scraper.
Stubby holder well if you do not know what this is for come to Darwin and I will give you a personal lesson

If I was stuck, then, gouges.

• A good quality roughing gouge say 20mm or 25mm

• a 12mm " perhaps a super flute

• finally a 10mm or 3/8 U gouge

Does a chuck count as a tool?

What about a drill and screws?