New guy asking for equipment advice

[Gerald Lawrence]

I prefer long handles except on shews and a medium to short works there. I have gravitated away from fixed handles to removable as they are easier to transport to club demo events and when the tool wears out easy to change the tool. I can see no difference in handle style as far as turning is concerned but I do like heavier handles. and metal does help with that.

 

[robo hippy]

How long or short you want your handles to be on your lathe tools depends on how far off the tool rest you are turning. For bowls, especially with roughing cuts, we tend to hang out farther off the tool rest. For spindles, we tend to work closer to the tool rest.

If you turn Stuart Batty style, which is long bed lathe and standing up straight, he holds his arms out farther away from his body, so he needs longer than normal handle lengths. If you stand at the end of the lathe with the headstock down on that end, or have and use a pivoting headstock, your handles don't need to be as long as Stuarts.

robo hippy

 

[Pat Patterson]

PSI has a starter set on sale for $79. This is what I started with and I still use most of them. Great to use and learn to sharpen without worrying about ruining a $150 tool

Pat

 

[Glenn Lefley]

I will definitely take your advice on the tools. I will also reconsider the grinder and guide. Do you have a sharpener setup that you recommend?

Get a slow speed grinder with cbn wheels. That is if your tool set is not low carbon steel.

 

[Jim Shuler]

The nova chuck is a good one. Buy a second, identical, chuck and set them up with two different jaw sizes. You'll think me later. Seriously, everybody thinks "oh I'll just switch out the jaws as needed" but it's a pain and I think can interrupt your flow. Buy a second one when you can.

The wolverine jig is good, lots of people use it. The You need a 8" grinder for it. The Dewalt one at Rockler is fine and in the same price range as the wet sander you listed.

I will 2nd the advice on a additional chuck. Only took me twice changing jaws back and forth to realize this.

 

[Vicki Hayden]

I started with the BB set, still have it and use it. I have a Rikon grinder with varigrind jig and CBN wheels. I suggest using the money you were going to use for wet grinder for CBN wheels. Check with Ken at Woodturners Wonders.

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