# Pen Turning Tools?



## sdemars (Sep 21, 2008)

We are newbies !!!

Need suggestions as to what turning tools to buy to learn with. I understand the skew is favorite by many, but also understand the learning curve is steep. 

Looking for suggestions as to the best quality, correct size & type of tools which would be most practical for the wife & I to use as newbie pen turners.

Currently considering: 

spindle gouge, what size?

oval skew, what size?

round scraper, what size?

square scraper, what size?

parting tool, how thin?

roughing gouge, what size?

Easy Rougher (the small one)?

Any comments as to sizes brand names or any other recommendations would be appreciated.

I have asked this question before as part of a broader request for suggestions on pen turning equipment as a whole, but I seem to be really confused as to which way to go when it comes to the turning tools.


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## ldb2000 (Sep 21, 2008)

Do you know how to sharpen your tools and do you have anything to sharpen them with ? 
I ask for a reason, if your totaly new to turning and woodworking in general you might want to consider carbide tipped tools simply because the keep thier sharpness longer .
My first set of tools was the PSI set of carbide tools , and am still using them for most penturning , they come pre-sharpened and will give you a little time to learn how to keep them sharp here's the link to them 
http://www.pennstateind.com/store/LCPM3CAR.html
I know there are going to be some who will argue this but they work for me . 
Most turning tools have to be sharpened before you use them for the first time .


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## stevers (Sep 22, 2008)

Argue, argue, grumble, grumble,,,,,,kidding Butch. Good suggestions.

I made the mistake of buying "pen turning" tools the first time. I found them to be too small and not a good way to learn. They are best for "detail" work. And even still, I rarely use them. The handles tend to be very small which can cause control issues. The longer handles of full size tools give you much better control of the tool.

I found that learning with a couple of gouges worked well for me. If I remember correctly, they were somewhere in the neighborhood of 5/8 and 3/4 inch. The larger for roughing square blanks and the smaller for shaping closer to finished sizes. I moved to a skew later and still have issues with some materials. But with practice, I am getting much better. I do still revert back to my gouges for certain things. They just make me feel more comfortable on some things. Things like delicate material (acrylic acetates), or some woods that want to split or come apart when you get near the barrels and some specialty blanks (cactus, worthless wood, double cast specials)

Quality is not your greatest concern at this point. If you have the money, buy the best you can. But remember, you may decide you like a diff tool or size fairly quickly and now you have some expensive tools you may not use much. In my humble opinion, the most important thing for you at this point is keeping your tools "sharp". Sharp tools are soooooooo important in this hobby. Sharp tools make the job "safer" and help to learn more quickly and accurately. That's the best way I can put it. Just like any other craft where cutting or shaping or the removal of material is ness, sharp tools help to do this more efficiently and "safely". Yes, I keep highlighting "safety". We at IAP are quite adamant about safety and want to be sure you get off to as safe a start as possible.  

Good luck and have fun. And of course, welcome to the family.


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## Daniel (Sep 22, 2008)

Get standard size tools in all of these (length) stay away from the little pen turning tools.
spindle gouge, what size? 1/2 and 3/4 inch
oval skew, what size?  3/4 or larger.
parting tool, how thin? 1/16 (this is one exception to the tiny pen tool rule)

forget the rest unless you want to turn other items than pens. put the money into a sharpening system of some type. Wolverine and Tormek are a couple of favorites but are not the only adequate choices. I would also go ahead and invest in some top quality finishing items like micro mesh.


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## fritz64 (Sep 22, 2008)

I asked a turner at woodcraft (pen turner ) what do i need . he handed me a great big honking 3/4" roughing gouge and it works so good that after 2 yrs. i start every pen with it


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## Rifleman1776 (Sep 22, 2008)

My choice of tools if budget limited what I could buy (which it does):
1" skew (not oval); 1/2" spindle gouge; 3/4" spindle gouge.
If only two, drop the 1/2" until later.
You are right, those tiny tools are largely a waste of money unless you are turning miniatures.


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## bad (Sep 22, 2008)

My advice would be to look at sharpening systems. I bought a cheap set of turning tools ($17.00 for a set of 6). As most people who subsribe to this website know, you get what you pay for. However once I bought a low speed grinder and a Wolverine sharpening system these cheap tools work great.  I still have to sharpen the tools frequently but it only takes a moment and I can sharpen them perfectly every time. By the way it's the quality of the steel that makes the turning tools cheap (like mine) or expensive. One of the ways that you can tell (besides price) is to touch the tool to a high speed grinder and look at the sparks that are created. If the sparks are orange and have large burses at the end (that could be the wrong word) then it is a lower quality carbon steel and will not hold the sharp edge as long. If the sparks are white and very small then you have a higher quality stainless steel that will stay sharper longer.


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## Skye (Sep 22, 2008)

I'd go with the minimum of:

3/4" round nose scraper.

1/4" parting tool.

3/4" skew.

I think  the parting tool is needed for small beads and of course parting off sections.

The round nose scraper, if sharpened, can be used to remove a lot of material. If you're turning pens,  you're already going to be starting with a small  blank and roughing isn't really an issue.

Skew, I like mine for checking for straightness, bead work, things that require removing minimal material.

These three are what I use more than anything. Manufacturers? Just whatever I can get cheapest but isn't total garbage.


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## ESwindell (Sep 22, 2008)

Hello and welcome to both you and your wife.  I think that you will find that many here have very different opinions about which are the "best" tools to have, longer handles = more control.  That said, I totally agree with have a good sharpening system.  The best tools in the world will cut no better than a butter knife if they are dull.  I have a Jet wet grinder. As for which chisels to get?  This is what I use for pen turning, 3/4 roughing gouge, 1/2 and 1/4 detail gouge, 1/2 flat skew, 1/2 round nose scraper, 1/16 parting tool (this is not used a lot in "pen" turning).  
If you have no turning experience than I would really recommend just turning between centers and seeing how each tool works, acts in a catch, feels to use.  I think that you find that you and our wife will soon develop a "favorite" tool and it most likely will not be the same one.
As mentioned above the parting tool is not used a great deal in pen turning as you do not part (cut) your work off from a larger piece when finished.  I use it to cut grooves that I then fill with a contrasting material for design purposes.  I do turn items other than pens as well and this is where the parting tool works great. 
If you have not already I would recommend going through the library here, great information.
God Bless,
Eric


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## sdemars (Sep 22, 2008)

Thanks everyone . . . I do tend to over complicate things . . . 

Choices choices choices . . . 

I like to start with the best . . . . besides, I love buying tools . . . .

Thanks
Steve


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## Skye (Sep 22, 2008)

If you like spending money on tools, then defiantly go with Eric's suggestion of a sharpening system. It'll make even cheap tools cut well.


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## rherrell (Sep 22, 2008)

A 3/4" standard flat skew and a 1/16" parting tool are the only tools I use for pens. Get full size tools, buy a quality name like Sorby and if you take care of them you'll never have to buy another one. 
Read my signature and take it to heart.:wink::biggrin:


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## marter1229 (Sep 22, 2008)

Not meaning to steal the thread, but when you buy tools, do they all need sharpening?

Terry
CDA, Idaho


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## marcruby (Sep 22, 2008)

Yes...



marter1229 said:


> Not meaning to steal the thread, but when you buy tools, do they all need sharpening?
> 
> Terry
> CDA, Idaho


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## rincewind03060 (Sep 22, 2008)

If you are unfamiliar with sharpening, get yourself a cheap set of carbon steel tools. My first set was 8 tools for about $16. I could grind away a lot of metal while I was learning (not that I've stopped learning) and not bust the bank. Plus I could experiment with different grinds cheaply.


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## ldb2000 (Sep 22, 2008)

marter1229 said:


> Not meaning to steal the thread, but when you buy tools, do they all need sharpening?
> 
> Terry
> CDA, Idaho


 
That is why I suggested the PSI carbide tipped tools for a first set , they come pre sharpened and the sharpness lasts long enough to learn how to sharpen them. 
I do allot of flat work and the one most important thing I learned is how to sharpen my chisels , plane blades and router bits . I can sharpen a hand plane blade sharp enough to shave the fuzz off a picture of a peach , but I knew nothing about sharpening turning tools except that the sharper the tool the better the results . 
You can't get a carbide edge as sharp as M2 tool steel but it stays sharp 5 to 6 times longer so you don't sharpen as often which means more time turning .
It's funny , I hear people talking about having to resharpen their tools 3 or 4 times while turning one Tru-stone blank (one of my favorite blanks to turn) but with my carbide tipped tools I can turn 3 to 4 blanks before I have to resharpen my tools , and then it's just a quick honing with with a piece of 400 wet or dry on a piece of plate glass (a flatwork sharpening trick) and my skew is sharp enough to shave with . 
For me the $35.00 that I spent at amazon was one of the best investments I have made so far .


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## flyingmelon (Sep 24, 2008)

I am surprised no one has said this yet. Find a local turner. must of us would be willing to share some time with a new turner and let them try various tools and get a feel for what is liked. I don't know about anyone else but I have read about others trying a type of tool that they loved only to try it myself and it feel like a pig with lipstick. Just a thought.


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## marter1229 (Sep 24, 2008)

Well I went with Butch's idea of the PSI carbide tools.
$24 on sale from Amazon.
I feel it is worth the try.
Thanks to all for their replys.

Terry


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## mdburn_em (Sep 30, 2008)

*Herding cats????*

This question is like trying to herd cats.  They will go every direction.

Finding a local turner is a great idea.

If I had to have one tool when starting out, it would be a forged spindle gouge.  It will work for roughing (small stuff) and it will get you close to size.  Good quality M2 steel will permit it to stay sharp for a while.    It's a very versatile tool.

You can make something out of wood scraps that will permit you to sharpen this tools on a grinder.  Same principle as a Wolverine.  The key is to make it reproduceable.  Sharp, sharp, sharp tools.


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## nava1uni (Oct 3, 2008)

My first tool is a 3/4" rough gouge that the instructor suggested when I first took a pen making class.  It is still my favorite tool, even though I have others.  I also like the mini tools for making delicate beads and turnings because they allow me to get into tight little spots without taking out chunks and ruining blanks of pens or stoppers. I also make tools from old blades and steel pieces that I buy from a steel fabricator here in town.


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