Carbide Turning Tools

[JoeyGee]

OK, I know next to nothing about turning. I would like to get into pen turning. I swore I never would...

I am thinking of the HF 65345. I don't see myself turning longer spindles, but it looks like the Rockler lathe extension will fit if I do want to in the future.

My question is...HSS vs. carbide. I am not looking at the replaceable tips, those seem much too spendy.

I am looking at these:

https://www.pennstateind.com/store/LCPM3CAR.html

Everything I read says these don't need to be sharpened nearly as much. I don't have a grinder and really don't like sharpening, or stopping every 15 minutes or so to sharpen. I know I will have to sharpen these eventually, so how would I sharpen?

I don't have a grinder, but would get one if I go with HSS. Would I need one I go with carbide?

[leehljp]

OK, you asked for it. It is a slippery slope and no one or two answers. Ask 3 pen turners and which is best and you will get 6 answers!

All that said I would not get that group you mentioned, but it might be the best for you.

1. Carbide does stay sharp longer. But they do need to be sharpened and are much harder to sharpen by a casual or new user.

As far as carbide blades on chisels, Most people use chisels with replaceable tips, and most tips are either round, square or diamond shaped, allowing the tips to be used multiple times and then just replaced for around $5 if you shop around.

But the price of a these are expensive to get started with.

2. Skews are not that easy to use for beginners. Some people get the hang quickly and some people never get the hang of it. (I am one. I even bought a DVD by one of the best turners and that still didn't help me. I could use the skew, but I never got comfortable with it even though I spent hours and hours over several months just practicing. At the same time, I can use a scraper and a gouge like an extension of my hand.

3. A scraper is a good tool to use and most carbides with replacement tips are in the "scraper" category.

Skews produce better results on softer woods; and in general scrapes do better on harder woods.

Now to sharpening. You don't have to purchase expensive sharpeners. I got me a piece of hardened plate glass and got some sticky backed sandpaper sheets, cut them into quarters and made two or three passes every few minutes. I did this for 6 or 7 years for my chisels. I was able to sharpen and do things that a few people said you "can't do". Basically on some pens with inlays of different material, these different materials do not sand well together, causing bleeding of colors or marks when sanded. So it has to be turned with a blade sharp enough that no sanding is needed. And I did that on numerous pens with the above method.

One item that I will recommend from the beginning: a good caliper set to measure your turnings. HF makes a good caliper and it can be had on sale for about $10. If you start off using calipers for your measurements, you will come away with a smile on your face and everyone will call you an expert because the fit will be so well.

[poolhound]

Hank, do you have a specific set of calipers from HF in mind?

One item that I will recommend from the beginning: a good caliper set to measure your turnings. HF makes a good caliper and it can be had on sale for about $10. If you start off using calipers for your measurements, you will come away with a smile on your face and everyone will call you an expert because the fit will be so well.

[leehljp]

Hank, do you have a specific set of calipers from HF in mind?

First thing is to get a metal one. I recently bought online from another source a good reviewed caliper set that in fact was composite/plastic. I just don't trust them like I do metal ones.

47257
61585
68304
Any of the three listed above will be good. You can catch them on sale at about $13 - $14.00., or use the 20% coupon to bring them down to $16.00. Battery life is about a year on average for me.

http://www.harborfreight.com/catalogsearch/result?q=calipers

Make sure they go from metric to SAE. Fractional is good in some cases for some people, but I personally don't use fractional that much in turning.


If you get into pen turning and get different size bits, here is a great help:

http://bobmay.astronomy.net/misc/drillchart.htm
http://www.engineersedge.com/drill_sizes.htm

Download and or print out. Great conversion charts.

[poolhound]

Aah, I have the conventional dial version of those although a digital version would be good. I was wondering about these types of calipers. Have you ever seen digital versions of these in HF?

[JoeyGee]

Almost forgot I posted this. I went against Lee's advice and did buy this set. I've turned a few pens and pencils so far and I really like the chisels. I have nothing to compare them to, though.