Turning tools

[southern_leo]

So I'm considering getting into call making. I'm planning to buy one of the lathes from HARBOR FREIGHT. The central machinary 10x18 , 1/2hp. I know it's not the very best but it should get me started for around 200. Now the question is what tools do I NEED. What's my best bang for buck starting out. Main goal is pot calls. May venture into grunts at some point as well but that's down the road. If you were me starting out economically what would you buy. Thank you. I'll take any and all suggestions revolving around this topic.

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[outdoors]

BACK WHEN I STARTED A MEMBER ON HEAR SUGGESTED high speed steel lathes by Craftsman.  FOUND ON EBAY ,
TO START AND THEN GET THE BEST TOU CAN AFFORD FROM  THERE
I ALSO BOUGHT A HARBOR FREIGHT LITTLE  LATHE HAD IT FOR FOUR SUMMERS NO PROBLEM

[southern_leo]

I'm pretty set in the central machinary lathe. I've discussed it with a few other members before. For tools I've been reading THO and think Benjamin's Best maybe a good starting place.

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[misfire]

I get the HSS sets on ebay. I only use three when turning calls, a 3/4 gouge, 3/8 gouge and the parting tool

[mmclain]

Get a jet lathe.  Save your dollers a good lathe.  That HF thing is junk.
www.woodturnerscatalog.com for good tools. 
If you can find a decent used jet.  If there is a wood turners club close find it and ask if they know someone that has one and wants to sell.   

[pappy]

I agree with Matt, buy what you can afford (after) you save up....even picking up a used Jet on Craigslist is better then buying Harbors junk. And you were right about the Benjamins best, their three and four piece sets are great to run.

[southern_leo]

What about carbide tools? I was talking to a guy at a woodworking shop and he told.me I needed to buy a quality sharpener as well. He said when he turns hardwoods he resharpens EVERY 4 SWIPES!!! That seemed wild to me. I'd think it would take you forever to make anything. So my question now is how often do yall find yourselves sharpening and is carbide the best way to go economicall?

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[misfire]

I have two carbide cutters, hardly use them unless its acrylic or micarta. Just more comfortable with the HSS tools. The one thing I do is make a sharper bevel on the HSS straight out of the box. I find they are not only sharper, but retain that edge longer

[ol bob]

I've been making calls for 20 years and have never bought a turning tool make my own from M2 lath tools never found anything that works better including carbide.

[lightsoutcalls]

I have gone through several sets of Grizzly and Benjamins Best HSS tools over the past 12 years.  I still use some of them that have not worn out. 

My current favorite parting tool is the Robert Sorby Micro Gouge -


Given the contoured shape of the outside of my pots, I use the carbide tipped "detailer" by Easy Wood Tools -


I use a 3/4" roughing gouge to get my initial round outside on the pot and a 3/4" skew to clean up my final outside surface before sanding.  These are both Benjamin's Best HSS gouges.

[southern_leo]

Thanks for replies. I got the large set of Benjamin's best as a Christmas gift so I ordered a slow speed grinder to get me started.  I'd like to explore carbide as I gain experiance but I've spent PLENTY just to get to a decent starting point lol

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