# What tool do you use for pen turning?



## Don Farr (Oct 29, 2015)

I have been in and out of the hobby for years. Mostly health problem have kept me away from my shop. Well, after a successful hand operation back in May I am at it again. I have purchased several high end tools for my bowl lathe but always used a cheap gouge for the pens. What would be a good choice for pens only?
It's been so long I feel like a newbie again lol. 

Thanks in advance for your help.


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## wood-of-1kind (Oct 29, 2015)

Shameful plug:biggrin:    but my GO TO tool is ... ROTONDO


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## RKB (Oct 29, 2015)

Easy Wood Carbide tools.  I love them.These tools helped transform my pen turning into a fun hobby, along with the generous members of the IAP.  :biggrin:

Rod


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## hanau (Oct 29, 2015)

Carbide tools. 
I use the ones I make.


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## Joey-Nieves (Oct 29, 2015)

Most people have an assortment of Skews, spindle gauges, bowl gauges, paring tools.
I have found that when turning pen I use A homemade carbide cutter with a 2" radius similar to EWT, an EWT small round cutter, a 1" skew, a 1/4" skew and a paring tool. I also have 3 nova chucks with assorted jaws including the pen drill jaw, A few mandrels and 60 deg centers for the in between center turning.

If you are very good with the spindle gauge than that's all you need, I have friend in Utah that all he uses is a spindle gauge and he's a master turner that tours the country teaching how to turn (although he didn't have much with me).

Hope this helps, but truth being said, all you you need is the will, because I know a guy that makes miniature spindles with a 1" chisel.


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## JimB (Oct 29, 2015)

For pens and other small items I use the $60 Harbor Freight set I bought 8 years ago when I started turning. For bowls etc I use a lot of other, and much more expensive tools including carbide EWT.


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## rd_ab_penman (Oct 29, 2015)

I turn all my pens with a 1/2" HHS Spindle Gouge.

Les


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## monophoto (Oct 29, 2015)

I prefer to use a skew on pens


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## Sabaharr (Oct 29, 2015)

I do most of my pen work with a 3/4" roughing gouge and finish off with a skew.


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## Souths1der (Oct 29, 2015)

Easy Wood Tools carbide tools here as well.  I use the round, square, radius, and diamond.  I can get the surface very smooth with them and start sanding with 400 grit.

I've used skews and gouges, but the carbide are a lot less hassle in my opinion.


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## csr67 (Oct 29, 2015)

Souths1der said:


> Easy Wood Tools carbide tools here as well.  I use the round, square, radius, and diamond.  I can get the surface very smooth with them and start sanding with 400 grit.
> 
> I've used skews and gouges, but the carbide are a lot less hassle in my opinion.



Same here.  I use an EWT square rougher for about 75% of the turning down to round, then switch to a round EWT for final shaping.  I can use traditional tools, but as said above, it's not worth the hassle and has no bearing on the end product.


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## Mike Daugherty (Oct 29, 2015)

*Turning Tools*

I use the Carter and Son Toolworks roughing gouge and 1/2 spindle.  These are not the cheap import tools but have a 20 year warranty, made in the USA.


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## KenV (Oct 29, 2015)

If you are a bowl turner, you have skews and gouges.   Those still work well.

I use Hunter cup carbide to rough chippy acrylics, but skew still feels good. 

I have carbide tools too, but use what feels comfortable to the hands.


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## Dan Masshardt (Oct 29, 2015)

I pick up whatever tool I feel like.  They all work.


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## EN Pens (Oct 29, 2015)

I use carbide cutters (EWT) in this order.  Use the round cutter for roughing.  The narrow bite does a great job of taking off the corners.  Continue with the round cutter until the blank is round.  When round, switch to the 2" radius cutter.  This will give you a very smooth surface.  These are probably the only two cutters that you will ever need for pens.


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## wob50 (Oct 29, 2015)

*Carbide*



hanau said:


> Carbide tools.
> I use the ones I make.


I  use the same as John 
Cause thats where I got mine from him ....


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## Bill in Buena Park (Oct 29, 2015)

Sabaharr said:


> I do most of my pen work with a 3/4" roughing gouge and finish off with a skew.



Same for me.


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## Paul in OKC (Oct 29, 2015)

I use a home made HSS tool mostly. Works as well or better than any of the ones I have bought so far. Haven't done the carbide thing yet.


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## sschering (Oct 29, 2015)

Hmm you guys have me questioning my plans. I was thinking of getting my grinder set up with a proper sharpening jig but maybe I should just invest in carbide.


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## jttheclockman (Oct 29, 2015)

No matter what tool I start with I always end up with the skew in my hand. I think more people should learn how to use that tool correctly. Makes a world of difference. Happy Turning.


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## hcpens (Oct 29, 2015)

Easy Wood Tools carbide tools here as well. I use the round, square, radius, and diamond


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## boatemp (Oct 29, 2015)

Like you, I've been away for many years and just coming back.  I used to use gouges and skewes. 
Invested in Captain Eddie's carbide setup.  I've only done a few since coming back but I find the carbide to work well with no hassle of having to re-sharpen
every so often.  I think the results are the same.  In the end it's all in the finishing.


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## low_48 (Oct 29, 2015)

Sorby 3/4" oval skew.


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## CREID (Oct 29, 2015)

Lately I have been roughing with a round carbide and using (learning) a skew to finish.

Curt


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## mike4066 (Oct 29, 2015)

Benjamines Best "Versa Tool" similar to the Sorby Spindle master.

and a 1/2" oval skew


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## TonyL (Oct 29, 2015)

See my signature block please.
But I started with EWT carbide.


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## Skie_M (Oct 29, 2015)

I use my lathe.


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## Curly (Oct 29, 2015)

I use bowl gouges from start to finish on both wood and plastics. Laid on their side, like you do across the bottom of a bowl, you can make hair thick shavings leaving a surface you can start sanding with 320 / 400.


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## Skie_M (Oct 29, 2015)

Curly said:


> I use bowl gouges from start to finish on both wood and plastics. Laid on their side, like you do across the bottom of a bowl, you can make hair thick shavings leaving a surface you can start sanding with 320 / 400.





For the uninitiated who wish to look up this exact procedure and learn it ... it is called "Shear Scraping".


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## oneleggimp (Oct 29, 2015)

3/4" Roughing Gouge, 1/2" Spindle Gouge, Finish with Skew.


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## oneleggimp (Oct 29, 2015)

sschering said:


> Hmm you guys have me questioning my plans. I was thinking of getting my grinder set up with a proper sharpening jig but maybe I should just invest in carbide.


I like using my HSS tools (roughing gouge, spindle gouge, skew).  Keep em sharp with Rikon 8" Bench Grinder with a OneWay Wolverine Sharpening  jig.  Gives me connsistent Sharp tools that are a pleasure to use.


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## Don Farr (Oct 29, 2015)

monophoto said:


> I prefer to use a skew on pens



I guess I should learn but a skew scares the heck out of me.


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## Don Farr (Oct 29, 2015)

Thank you to everyone that replied. Right now I have information overload.  I have been reading about the new carbide cutters but didn't realize that there were so many different cutters. 
I never thought about using one of my Ellsworth on a pen. 
My biggest complaint with what I use now is keeping it sharp. I do have the sharpping jig but I hate to stop so many times. 
I believe I will check into the carbide a bit more. Anymore help will be welcomed.


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## KenV (Oct 29, 2015)

Don you will get several pens done for the same amount of cutting of a bowl between trips to the grinder.


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## 76winger (Oct 29, 2015)

I almost always use a skew on my pens. Except with really hard materials like some trustone blanks. Those will get the one and only carbide tipped cutter to shape and size them. Only because 30 seconds between sharpenings on the skew got excessive.


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## jsolie (Oct 29, 2015)

I was using a 3/4" oval Sorby skew.  It worked well, but found it sometimes would pick up a little harmonic I didn't like.  I suspect that was due to the oval shape and there being more mass in the middle than on the edges.

Broke down and bought a Thompson 3/4" skew and made my own handle.  Harmonic gone, and it's pretty much all I use now.  I will get out a carbide tool for some material or for making pieces to replace pen finials.


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## Krudwig (Oct 29, 2015)

I've used the HSS gouges and they work fine if sharp . I bought all the Ewt tools except the diamond and they are good, but recently I bought the Rockler roughing carbide kit that comes without a handle and made a handle for it and now that's my new favorite!


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## Dan Masshardt (Oct 29, 2015)

Krudwig said:


> I've used the HSS gouges and they work fine if sharp . I bought all the Ewt tools except the diamond and they are good, but recently I bought the Rockler roughing carbide kit that comes without a handle and made a handle for it and now that's my new favorite!



I noticed that on sale.  Does it cut flat like EWT or on a bevel?


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## Heartwoodturning (Oct 29, 2015)

I only use a Record 3/4" skew.  As long as it's sharp it's the only tool I need.


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## wouldentu2? (Oct 29, 2015)

Sandpaper, start with 6 and work my way to 12000 MM.


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## Skewer (Oct 29, 2015)

My favorite pen turning tool is a small hss 1/2 inch skew, its easy to control and easier to keep sharp.


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## Skie_M (Oct 29, 2015)

wouldentu2? said:


> Sandpaper, start with 6 and work my way to 12000 MM.



6?

So ... you start with little pebbles glued to a piece of paper?

I'm hoping you actually meant 60 grit.


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## MikeinSC (Oct 30, 2015)

When I first got started I was asked what I would be turning. When I told the man I would mostly be turning pens, he put an Easy Wood finishing tool in my hands and said that's all you'll really need. And he wasn't lying. To this day, I still use the rounded finishing tool.


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## RedBeard (Nov 1, 2015)

I recently made myself a carbide tool and I still keep reaching for a little 3/8" gouge for the majority of my pens. I think I just have to get used to the carbide.


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## Charlie_W (Nov 1, 2015)

Dan Masshardt said:


> Krudwig said:
> 
> 
> > I've used the HSS gouges and they work fine if sharp . I bought all the Ewt tools except the diamond and they are good, but recently I bought the Rockler roughing carbide kit that comes without a handle and made a handle for it and now that's my new favorite!
> ...



This tool shows " No Longer Available " on Rockler's site. 
Here is the only review listed.


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## ssajn (Nov 1, 2015)

I use the first tool I touch that's sharp.  :biggrin:
But I can't warm up to carbide.


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