Carbide chisel for turning pens

[Skeety]

Hi All,

I bought a mini lathe last year from Robbo3 with the intention of starting pen turning, have the basics of everything I need except a sharpening system. I plan to make one of the many jigs out there for sharpening but at the moment dont have the time.

Robbo3 kindly provided me with 3 chisels to start but after an incident with a wheelie bin have had a setback for several months.

As the C thing is approaching i'm at the point of Youtube saturation and want to get started making pens

I will learn how to sharpen but was wondering if any of you could recommend a decent carbide tipped chisel in the meantime? I will be turning both wood and acrylic (i think)

Apologies if the carbide offends

Cheers,

Jon.

 

[marcros]

they are really easy to make and just buy a carbide insert. there is less than a fivers worth of mild steel, an offcut for a handle and a few quid for a cutter. https://www.turners-retreat.co.uk/az-ca ... -2mm/p3647 that cutter is ideal for a 10mm x 10mm bar

I prefer a slight radius to the cutter, like a r2, and for pen turning I use a tool that is about 6" long including the handle. That may be a bit short for some, but I like it.

if you don't want to make one, this guy is worth a look https://www.ukwoodcraftandcarbidechisel ... isels.html

 

[marcros]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64ec2A6 ... gs=pl%2Cwn

 

[mpcpba]

Glen Teagle’s carbides at ukwoodcraftandcarbidechisels are great value. The ‘standard type 3’ chisel set at £80 will do you for all sorts of turning and will complement and HSS tools you get

 

[mpcpba]

You can also easily sharpen the flat carbides that Glen uses by taking them off and lapping the flat side on a diamond hone ( not the bevel- the flat top side). You can’t do that with the cup carbides which are on
other tools. Cup carbides are also more aggressive so best steered away from if you haven't done much turning

 

[Paul Hannaby]

The only tools I have ever needed for making pens are a spindle gouge and a parting tool. Both these can be sharpened easily by hand without complex jigs so why bother with a carbide tool unless working with particularly hard materials?

 

[Skeety]

Hi,

Many thanks for all the advice! Much appreciated

I'm going to have a go at making a couple, 1.5M of 10mm square bar on order. Will follow up once done!

Is Iroku Ok for the handle?

Cheers,

Jon.

 

[Lons]

You can use any hardwood you fancy for the handles Jon but be careful as iroko can be splintery (if that's a word) and a splinter in your hand is not nice.

Making the tools is very simple, presumably to have a suitable tap of similar size and thread for the machine screws, if you're new to threading holes I suggest you practice on a scap piece first.

Personally I'd get a decent roughing gouge and a skew and learn how to use them properly, just needs a little practice. The only time my carbide tools get used is for the odd bit of alloy or brass.

cheers
Bob

PS
Just noticed you have 3 chisels so scrub that sentence b asic sharpening is a priority though.

 

[marcros]

I dont disagree that sharpening is a priority. But I have a carbide chisel, and I wouldn't be without it for both hogging off waste and for finer cuts. My turning is relatively simple- pens, pepper mills, similar. I can get a better cut with a bedan (personally I prefer this to the skew), but the difference is between starting at 120 and 180 grit when sanding. Obviously, I am an expert and only normally need to start at 600 grit...

 

[Lons]

Each to his own Marcros and I would never judge anyone by the tools they use. I have a lot of tools including an old file I ground to shape more than 40 years ago. ( Yeah I know, I certainly wouldn't recommend files to anyone ).

I've made probably 1000+ pens now in all materials, woods of all kinds some as hard as hell, lig vie bowling balls and blackwood for example, all kinds of plastics, horn, brass shell cases, and solid brass and aluminium, even made one from glued together pine cones ( never again :lol: ).

On all those materials except metals I use roughing gouge and skew which leaves abrasive finishing to a minimum. Just my way as others have theirs, ask 20 turners and you'll get 20 different answers. :lol:
Interesting comments re the bedan, for end grain I found it excellent but between centres e.g. a pen isn't a method that would be my first choice personally. In the end everyone should use the method they are most comfortable with and gives the best results for them.
cheers
Bob