Woodturning, whether basic or advanced, is one of the most artistic disciplines in woodworking. It also provides quick gratification, because many, if not most, smaller projects can be easily completed in a single evening, allowing you to relax and experience a sense of accomplishment. For the beginner, though, learning how to use wood lathe tools and selecting the right tool for the job can seem daunting. The droves of diverse woodturning tools alone present several decisions to be made when you’re just beginning. However, getting started in turning isn’t as difficult as you might think.
The beginner’s woodturning lathe tools categories are simple, but some tools may not be present in every type of beginner’s set. Roughing gouges are a good example, because they’re not much help in light-duty and miniature turning. And, of course, each turner develops custom configurations from the basic tools as they learn the craft and their own needs. But for the beginner, confusion may rule more often than not, so a look at the different jobs of gouges, skews, scrapers, and parting tools may help a prospective or new turner select a decent set or a decent array of individual turning tools.
Start by checking the difference in size of the varied types of Woodcraft lathe tools–mini versus standard. Most of the mini tools are about 10" long, while the full-size tools are no smaller than 15" and may range up to 24". Given enough time, you’ll discover that there are a great many other tools, both smaller and larger, than those described here. For a resource of reliable information about the art and craft of woodturning, check out The American Association of Woodturners.
Woodturning lathe tools
Woodturning tools take many forms. There are various tools for woodturning tasks, but they come in two types — traditional and carbide-tipped. In the case of the former, you first need to understand that there are two kinds of steel to consider.
Types of steel
- HSS: Today, high-speed steel (HSS) is almost the go-to standard for turning tools. Carbon steel, which will take a finer edge faster, is cheaper to make but blunts or dulls more easily when turning abrasive woods, such as many exotic species.
- Carbon steel: These tools are more easily sharpened, but they don’t hold that super sharp edge as long, compared to today’s high-speed steel, which can remain sharp up to six times longer than carbon steel. Carbon steel can also lose its temper because of the high heat generated while turning. However, a high-speed steel tool can retain a high hardness at temperatures up to 500°C.
Traditional woodturning tools
Let’s begin with the Roughing Gouge. This gouge is square across the tip — that is, the arced shape has its edge on the same plane all around. The roughing gouge is the tool used to take the wood from square (or other non-round shape) to the early round stages, and it is designed to remove material quickly. As roughing gouges get wider, their arc tends to become flatter. Roughing gouges are usually used on spindle stock, turned between centers.
Bowl Gouges have deeper flutes and remove wood faster than spindle gouges, but they are meant mainly for use in end grains, unlike the roughing gouge. The end results tend to be smoother than those left by roughing gouges. This is a gouge type that creates a lot of different opinions as to what angle of flute is best. The simplest procedure for learning how to use wood lathe tools is to get a standard gouge (HSS) and try the original angles. If those don’t suit, don’t be afraid to grind different angles until you reach one that you really like and that really suits your style of bowl making. For a good turning project, turn a stylish salad bowl set.
Spindle Gouges are shallower and more refined versions of roughing gouges that remove less material, usually, with each pass, and bring round objects closer to their final shapes. These woodturning tools are generally ground in a fingernail shape, in a half arc, versus the flat nose of the roughing gouge. Diameters are usually smaller. Like the roughing out gouges, the spindle gouges are used to quickly remove material. Their shape also makes them suitable for cutting beads and coves. Spindle gouges are useful even in finishing up the surface, as they can clean up hollows and similar spots where skews don’t work.
Skew Chisels are used to refine the surfaces produced by the gouges. Properly used, a skew chisel can take a long, long ribbon of wood from the piece the gouge has turned round. It quickly becomes evident how the tool cleans up the surface.
The Family Handyman offers valuable woodturning tips for beginners.
Scrapers do a nicer job on end grain woods than most other woodturning lathe tools. This means face turning, of course, but may also mean the edges of raised bands on spindle turnings. Square Nose and Round Nose Scrapers are also available for bowl turning.
Parting Tools are used for parting off or removing your finished work from its resultant scrap that remains on the lathe. They’re also useful in several areas that have nothing to do with their name. These woodturning tools do nicely in cutting deep grooves and cleaning up the bottoms, where skews may narrow things down too much.
Here’s a great selection of Woodcraft turning tools for beginners.
Carbide tipped woodturning tools
Turning tools with replaceable tips are the other type of tool that should be explored. Most replaceable tips are made from carbide.
What is a replaceable tip tool? A replaceable tip tool is just that; it is a tool with a removable cutting tip that can be rotated or removed once it has become dull, allowing you to always have a sharp cutting edge.
Learn more about what you need to know to get started on the lathe.
What makes them different from traditional style tools? Some traditional-style tools have a steep learning curve and can be difficult to navigate. How to use wood lathe tools is easier to learn with replaceable tips. Keep the tool flat on the rest, parallel to the ground, and advance slowly into your work. These woodturning tools allow you to easily cut from left to right or right to left. Another major difference is that most replaceable tip tools do not require sharpening like traditional style tools, which can be difficult to master at first. Some can, however, be resharpened, such as ones produced from high-speed steel, but most are treated as disposable when dull.
Let’s take a look at the four most common profiles or shapes. This set of Woodcraft turning tools feature replaceable carbide tips.
• Square Tip are used primarily for turning square stock round. Able to remove massive amounts of material quickly and efficiently.
• Round Tip are used for finish cuts and works especially well on end grain. Easily creates coves in spindles and bowls.
• Diamond-shaped Tip can be used to create details in spindle work, such as coves, beads, and other fine detail work.
As your tool collection grows, you’ll need a place to store them. This compact lathe stand, holds your mini lathe and organizes your tools.
How to use wood lathe tools
Always wear proper PPE to protect yourself when using power tools. Before jumping into a project, practice turning on a small block of dry wood, such as pine or hardwoods suitable for wood turning. Find the center in your blank, chuck it on the lathe and just make shavings. Don’t worry too much about coming off the lathe with something nice your first couple of times. Take your time getting used to the mechanics.
In this video, woodturning master Richard Raffan demonstrates how to use wood lathe tools for your first go on a lathe.
To start, take a comfortable, yet solid stance at the lathe. Adjust the tool rest so that it’s just below the horizontal center of your block or spindle. Move the tool rest close to the work, but leave enough space that the work spins freely. Beginning with a roughing gouge, grip the woodturning tool near the ferrule with your right hand. Tuck the rear end of the handle against the side of your body. Place your left hand on top of the tool’s flute at the tool rest. Vice versa for southpaws.
Then slowly move the tool forward while maintaining a firm grip. Once you see a little sawdust, raise the handle slightly and slowly push in. Don’t raise the handle too high or you risk losing control of the tool. Follow the wood grain and take light passes to get the feel.
Now it’s time to get turning. You have the woodturning lathe tools and the skills, try your hand at turning a spoon.