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| Tools of the Trade |
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Wood, the relatively hard material of choice requires even the most skilled artisan to have the proper tools to express his visions. In the realm of wood turning, tools include the lathe, the cutting tools, blank preparation tools, work cabinets, dust collection and arguably most important, safety equipment for the artist.
In each of these areas, a vast range of quality and prices are available. However, being cheap in the tool area will actually cost more as the limitations of inexpensive tools are revealed. Inexpensive machinery is inexpensive because they must cut corners to hit their price point. This can result in bushings versus bearings, thin metal versus cast iron, and so on. In cutting tools, inexpensive usually means steel with lower hardness - resulting in more frequent trips to the sharpening stone. You probably get the idea by now...that inexpensive tools, while often suitable, won't last to the rigors of wood turning.
Check the sections below for more detail on those essential (and in some cases, non-essential) tools and equipment. | | Tool Upgrade |
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With a dozen or so logs of wood sitting in the garage waiting to be cut into turning blanks, it was time to invest in a large, production quality bandsaw so the car could reclaim its space. After a few weeks of research, I came across a bandsaw that approaches the quality and features of saws that were way out of my reach (like the Laguna bandsaw). Similar to the other asian-manufactured saws, this one had a number of included upgrades that put it well above the rest.
Originally shopping for a 17" bandsaw, the price of this 21" bandsaw with 12" vertical capacity put it in reach of affordability. It includes a 3HP 220V motor, cast wheels, and bearing guides rather than the usual block-type. Also included is a decent rip fence, but it lacks a resaw fulcrum for on-the-fly centering. This saw dwarfs other units, standing over 80" tall and tipping the scale at 400 pounds.
Destined for the shop, it's found a home in the garage to cut incoming wood into managable pieces (although I had planned the space for a different kind of two-wheeled machine). Matched up with a pair of new Timberwolf blades promises to make this an excellent production machine. If you are interested in more details, throw an email my way. Now, where's the nearest 220 outlet? |
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Cutting Tools - (Upcoming article, not available yet) Take a closer look at the range of lathe cutting tools including gouges, scrapers, skew chisels and hollowing devices.
Dust Collection - (Upcoming article, not available yet) More than just saving your lungs, good dust collectors can help eliminate the tripping hazard of a pile of wood chips under the lathe.
Machinery - (Upcoming article, not available yet) This section looks at stationary power tools, including the lathe, band saw, sharpening grinders and dust collection.
Safety Equipment - (Upcoming article, not available yet) Yeah, I know - safety gear doesn't seem to be a profit-earner, but they certainly keep the expenses down. Besides, who wants to spend time in the doctor's office rather than in the shop?
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| © 2003-2010 - Dave Daniel |
