Talk to Me about Beginner Lathe Tools

[iclark]

If you use a grinder for sharpening, then honing the skew or the straight chisel is relatively simple. I use a 600 grit diamond hone from Alan Lacer to hone at the lathe. You hold the chisel upright and move the hone. The grinder produces a concave surface behind the edge. You use the high points (edge and bevel base) to support the hone as a sharpening guide. When the concavity goes flat, you go back to the grinder.

Especially if you are doing bowls, get a good face shield. Many of us like the Bionic face shield with the high-impact shield.

Just as you do not stand directly behind the board that you are cutting on a TS, you need to avoid standing in the plane of the wood that you are turning - primarily for bowls. If one breaks or comes off the lathe, you do not want it hitting you in the face/head. This is not as much of an issue when you are turning small items, but it is better to learn good safety practices from the beginning. It is harder to unlearn bad practices than it is to just develop the muscle memory from the beginning. DAMHIKT

[hairy]

I started with the red handle set from harbor freight. I still like and use them. I got a set of 4 from Benjamin's Best, don't much care for them, the plating peeled off and they look like leftover crap,but they work ok. I have a Sorby spindle roughing gouge and will recommend it.

[Bibliophile 13]

Thanks for all the advice! 

As some of you know, I'm no stranger to sharpening regular edge tools.  I plan to hone the simpler tools (skew and parting tool) by hand.  I do have a grinder--regular 6", which I'm going to outfit with a blue Norton wheel.  I'm tired of fighting the stock gray wheel and burning edges, so it's time to upgrade anyway.  

At the moment I'm planing on doing mainly spindle work, though I'm sure I'll get into bowls eventually.  I've had some experience turning already, thanks to a friend who's let me use his lathe and coached me through some of the basics.  I'm no stranger to learning curves, and I do know how to learn.  

Thanks for pointing me to the Benjamin's Best brand.  It hadn't been on my radar, but it looks like what I need.

[Arlin Eastman]

If you ever plan on coming up this way I sure would teach you some and welcome to.

[Herb G]

Benjamin's Best are what I own. I couldn't afford Sorby tools when I started out.
So, I bought a (almost) complete set of BB's.

They hold an edge well, sharpen easily, and are well balanced.
IMHO, you can't go wrong with them.

[Grey Mountain]

Here we go again. You do not need a slow-speed grinder. The makers of the Wolverine jig recommend a high-speed grinder. I have both, but have never sharpened a tool on the slow speed. Been doing that for over 30 thirty years.
If you ever try to shape a tool with the slow speed, you will very quickly wish for the greater speed.
Just my three drachmas worth.

[iclark]

I do have a grinder--regular 6", which I'm going to outfit with a blue Norton wheel.  I'm tired of fighting the stock gray wheel and burning edges, so it's time to upgrade anyway.

Do yourself a favor and throw away the nest of plastic spindle adapters that come with the Norton wheel and get a steel bushing instead.