Bowl Turning Tool Kit

cincinnati · Post by **cincinnati** » Fri Aug 22, 2008 11:57 pm

Looking for info on the Bowl turning tool kit that is on sale right now.

First- Any users like to give an opinion?

-How long is the bowl gouge?

-How is the 3/8 or 1/2" gouge measured? Some are measured from the inside, others from the outside. In other words a 3/8" gouge from one maker may be a 1/2" by another.

-Where are they made? Is it a product from China, England or another country?

Was just about to purchase a set from PSI. But this set is not much more and like to think the Shopsmith offering would be a better tool.

http://www.shopsmith.com/ownersite/item ... tem=518733

rkh2 · Post by **rkh2** » Sat Aug 23, 2008 9:05 am

Cincinnati

I purchased this set 2 years ago at a traveling academy. The steel is HSS and the instructor suggested that they were made in England but was not allowed to say where (Sorby ??) They are good quality and stand up well holding their cutting edge. The size for the 3/8 is about 1/16 shy on the inside edge to edge but wider than that on the outside edges. That is the same for the 1/2 gouge. As for the other 2 chisels, they are exactly as stated. The length of the gouges are 23" from tip to tip with the blades being 8 1/2". I am quite pleased with this set and I also purchased it while it was on sale. My vote is yes. Hope this helps.

jbooher · Post by **jbooher** » Sat Aug 23, 2008 10:28 am

Likewise I was told they were made in England. The sale price is a good deal and the tools are great.

James

RobertTaylor · Post by **RobertTaylor** » Sat Aug 23, 2008 2:32 pm

i believe it was posted on this forum, however i can not find it but alan lacer did a steel materials test on several well known brands of chisels including the shopsmith bowl set. the origin of the shopsmith bowl set is listed as CHINA. the article is on page 52 of the summer 2008 issue of American Woodturner. on another site i once read that Sorby makes tools only under the Sorby name and many have copied their handle style for look-alikes. the shopsmith set does have an almost identicle steel composition as Sorby. even the harbor freight set has decent steel.

if it was posted here, i bet that dusty will know where it is or find it, bob

shydragon · Post by **shydragon** » Sun Aug 24, 2008 10:21 am

I believe this was the article.

http://www.alanlacer.com/articles/ToolSteel.pdf

RobertTaylor · Post by **RobertTaylor** » Sun Aug 24, 2008 10:55 am

shydragon wrote:I believe this was the article.

http://www.alanlacer.com/articles/ToolSteel.pdf

thanks shydragon. i still have the magazine but had actually read about the article here (i think) before it came. seems like the tests were properly done. shopsmith scored well i feel. just that so many seem to think they are made by sorby. i say what's the difference if they perform well. except for the chinese steel i have no complaints.

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Sun Aug 24, 2008 11:15 am

Talk about data overload.

If you really want to use this data to determine whose turning tools are best for you, you have to go back to the research table to learn about what ingredients make a good tool.

We also don't know for sure which tool set has been evaluated here. It sure would be nice if they included part numbers. All we do know is 1) the set evaluated was not made by Sorby and 2) it was made of steel from China and 3) they are being distributed by Shopsmith.

Maybe Shopsmith can tell us which tool set (by part number) was evaluated for this article.

shydragon · Post by **shydragon** » Sun Aug 24, 2008 11:29 am

According to the article, it is the 4 piece bowl turning set, but not the standard SS set.

RobertTaylor · Post by **RobertTaylor** » Sun Aug 24, 2008 11:36 am

dusty, there is a small #3 next to shopsmiths name that leads to a footnote that says they tested the shopsmith bowl turning set. not the regular turning set. hope that helps clear up any confusion. that also the reason for my original post to this subject as it asked specifically about the bowl set. i know of no tests done on the regular shopsmith turning set except that mine seem to do what i need them to do for now. as i'm learning to turn i find that my biggest problem has more to do with learning to sharpen my tools.

curiousgeorge · Post by **curiousgeorge** » Sun Aug 24, 2008 4:24 pm

From cincinnati:

How is the 3/8 or 1/2" gouge measured? Some are measured from the inside, others from the outside. In other words a 3/8" gouge from one maker may be a 1/2" by another

If British, the measurement is from inside (3/8). America measures from outside (1/2).