Thread: GPW turning tools.

got some qld walnut , and sorby-p&n -record all needed touch up after short cut . got one of those hamlet gouges 4020 steel i think . what a difference cut the whole bowl and touched up once .seems much harder and sharper . and a lot dearer . but worth it for this abrasive wood , would make a honing wheel if i could cut it . its beautifull when finished , even the sandpaper wears right out . cheers bob

Originally Posted by TTIT

I've got a mix of Hamlet, P&N, Sorby and Henry Taylor and I doubt I could measure any difference in edge holding ability on any of them

I'd go along with that - if you hadn't mentioned Sorby in the same sentence.

I bought 3 Sorby HSS gouges and not one of them lasted any better than my cheap chaiwanese HSS. I was very, very, very disappointed in them, to put a polite face on it. (I shan't express my honest opinion 'cos I couldn't be bothered looking for my soapbox.) Basically it is: old CS Sorby is fantastic but the new stuff?

Hamlet, P&N & HT? There are minor differences in edge holding ability, but you've got to be pretty anal to pick it and I think it's probably due more to the different default profiles than the steel quality.

Ta.

Sounds like I'll be just wasting my money buying the best quality stuff afterall, even if I do spindle work frequently.

As my fishing buddy says "It's not the wand , It's the magician". Possibly the asme applies to the lathe tools?

Originally Posted by oldiephred

As my fishing buddy says "It's not the wand , It's the magician". Possibly the asme applies to the lathe tools?

Only to a certain extent. Good tools that hold their edge for longer than half a revolution are easier to use.

And there are better and worse rods, lines and hooks.

I agree with Skew, though for hobby turners it's not life critical - just frustrating at times and perhaps a waste of money.

Sorby steel varies in my experience, and I won't buy another of theirs again. McJing blanks vary in their steel quality too but that doesn't bother me much since I'm just playing around making tools with their stuff.

The performance of a tool is due to a range of factors: steel quality, handle material and design, shaft and flute design, etc.

It's often hard to judge these while you're learning or if you're an occasional turner. Some makes have drawbacks though and if you don't like compromises, then search this sub-forum on the makes turners would choose to take to their desert island.

A few quality tools will do all and more that you want of them. Just ask guys which they regularly reach for off the rack. In my case it's prob. less than half of what's there but then I have tool collectors' syndrome

I know people who make many of their tools from such things as torsion bars, flat springs and such. This seems to take a lot of patience because if the edge is overheated during grinding, it is too soft. Overheating might be the cause of problems with "high quality" (or high priced) commercial tools. One chap I know has geared up a small nozzle to blow compressed air on the tool while grinding as well as frequently quenching it. Maybe the attention to cooling should be stressed more than the actual profile.
Just rambling here.

I'm still undecided about any difference in HSS quality used by the name brands but tonight I proved that Hamlet steel is definitely much, MUCH tougher than Chinese chuck steel! - and that I am still not as good with the skew as I'd like to think I was - and in the process of all this I invented a rival for "Saw-Stop".

No bloodshed, bruises or broken bones but certainly stopped me day-dreaming! Skew went into "Rapid change of direction mode", clipped the edge of the dovetail and bounced into the face of the next jaw where it dug in, dragging the skew down against the toolrest, slamming it into the workpiece so deep that it stopped the lathe dead and started the belt screaming like a banshee! After I shoved my heart back down my throat to roughly where it used to be, I checked the edge of the skew and was gobsmacked to find not even a mark on it - could have kept skewing along without so much as a touch-up! How goods that!

"Saw-stop" - bah humbug - childs play! "Lathe-stop" goes from 1200 r.p.m to dead stop in 1 revolution which in nanoseconds is about . ....... ? hmmm .... . . .. really fast!

Crappy picture - flare off the timber so you can't see the groove where the toolrest bedded in - taken after I filed off the burr that pulled the skew down.

glad to hear the chisel is okay

Originally Posted by TTIT

No bloodshed, bruises or broken bones

Now where's the fun in that


I'll add my $1.50:

I have some Northwood (same as GPW) chisels and some P+N, Hamlet, Sorby chisels.

The first thing you notice when you pick up the chiseks is the weight difference, The steel and handles on the cheapies are pretty light when compared to the more expensive ones. The extra weight adds stability and gives you more control (good when you're hollowing bowls)
Also the steel in the more expensive ones is much better. My Cheapies are good for softwood but cower in a ball at the sight of aussie hardwood.
The steel in the cheapies also overheat much faster than the good quality steel..

I say buy uhhandled P+Ns and make some nice big handles for them

Originally Posted by TTIT

"Lathe-stop" goes from 1200 r.p.m to dead stop in 1 revolution which in nanoseconds is about . ....... ? hmmm .... . . .. really fast!

1200 rpm = 20 rps @ 0.05 m radius = 6.3 m/s velocity
Stopping in 1/2 rev or 0.025 s or 250 m/s/s = 25 g's not bad I suppose

well i recon all the hss steal is the same ??? bye all ya chisels from differnt manufactures so you can tell them a part from the look of the handles , saves picking up every chisel before you finedthe one you want
, how come it's allwas the last one you pick up

Originally Posted by SawDustSniffer

well i recon all the hss steal is the same ???

You obviously haven't tried drilling out an engine bolt with a cheap chaiwanese HSS metal twist drill...

Originally Posted by Skew ChiDAMN!!

You obviously haven't tried drilling out an engine bolt with a cheap chaiwanese HSS metal twist drill...

Even with quality bits Skew it can be APIA the older the engine block the heat the bolt or stud as gone through in its life the worse it ets

Being watching this thead and I'll have to admit at Kiama Turner expo I bought GPW's set of 6 Midi gouges $45 and the 3 Captive Ring set also $45 from Wood-eze. Cost is my factor I am a hobbiest and funds what they are, the price was right.

Of course dream tools would be Robert Sorby, have the CD and catalouge to drool over and now with their video's on-line I can dream some more

The Midi set have so far been sharp and re-sharpened once ready for next round used on Rose wood bowl I am doing. I agree the handles are crap weight I will change them but not till I am sure.

Haven't use the captive ring ones yet.

Funny tho I still pick up my old file converted into a gouge tool witch produces shaving like butter.