If you’ve never used a tool rest other than the one that came with your lathe, then you’re in for a real treat.  Typically the tool rests that come with a majority of lathes (all but the most expensive) are in need of major filing to smooth the top and possibly even adjustments to tighten the up.  After monkeying with mine for over a year and never getting the results I desired, I finally gave up and ordered a few of these tool rests from Wesley Graham.  Smooth sailing ever since!

The hardened tool steel that is used across the top of the rest, and the part that guides the gouge in use, is silky smooth and allows the tool to glide effortlessly across as directed by the turner.  Where my old tool rest would get caught up here or there, these don’t suffer the same problem.

Another cool thing about aftermarket tool rests …. you can get the size you actually need!  My lathe came with a 14″ tool rest … and while nice for larger work, it was not good with smaller items (like turning pens, small bowls, bottlestoppers, or boxes).  With a few different sizes on hand now, I just grab the one that fits most appropriately and slide it in.  It’s a beautiful thing!

Would I recommend these to a friend.  Yes!  I’ve not experienced any issues with them, plus I’m supporting a friend in the business who’s keeping stuff made in America!

More information about these tool rests at www.metal-made.com

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A few facts about the Stronghold:

• Interchangeable adapter to fit virtually any wood lathe
• Standard #2 Jaws can support externally support bewteen 1 3/4″ and 3 1/4″, and internally support between 2 3/8″ and 4″ tenons.
• Comes with heavy duty, jumbo worm screw
• Offers a 5 to 1 gripping ratio for powerful clamping
• One-handed operation with included geared chuck key
• Serrated jaws help secure work better

In use, the Stronghold is an absolute pleasure now, however when I first received the chuck that wasn’t so.  At first, using the chuck was a bit of work and the jaws moved in and out only with a struggle.  Having seen these in use before, I was surprised by how difficult they were to open and close.  And considering they were brand new, a bit disturbed.  However, after a few weeks of use I decided to take them off the lathe and give them a good cleaning.  A little lubrication and blowing the dust out and viola!  Easy gliding action and no more fighting with it.

No jaws will hold everything, every time.  If you are a turner then you already know, each piece of wood is different.  While I have had a few bowls tear away from the chuck and go airborne, none would I attribute to chuck failure (most being operator failure).  The serrated jaws on the Stronghold #2 jaws (and available on others) are one of the main reasons I chose this chuck (and of course, Oneway Manufacturing’s reputation as a top quality tool maker also helped!).  The serrated jaws really bite into the wood tenon and make me feel more comfortable about the hold (afterall, being comfortable is half the battle).

A few photos:

The Oneway Stronghold mounted on the lathe.

A closer look at the #2 serrated jaws

The backside of the chuck showing the adapter and gears.  It is these gears that need to be kept clean and lubricated once in a while.

A closer look at the adapter.  It is attached with two bolts in a friction fit.

The worm screws, provided with the chuck, is massive (just how you want it!)

Would I recommend this chuck to a friend?  You bet I would, assuming they had a large enough wood lathe and the need for such mass.  The Stronghold isn’t cheap … price or quality.  Smaller lathes would benefit from the Oneway Talon instead.

More information about this product available here.

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Before I write about the good things this setup offers, let me tell you how I got to the Wolverine setup in the first place.  As always, I spend time researching things and in the end it came down to dollars and cents.  I purchased a competing red clone and figured it would work just as well.  After a year of use on that system, I got my hands on a Wolverine in a fellow woodworkers shop.  The things I disliked so much with the red system were so simply solved with the Wolverine sharpening system that it was a no brainer … I would need to fork over a few more bucks and just make it happen.

So, what did OneWay do right with the Wolverine system?  For starters, top-quality parts.  OneWay is known to use quality components on their equipment, and that goes all the way down to the Wolverine.  They also mastered simplicity with this one.  The bars that slide forward and back to adjust for bevel angle against the grinding stone are held in place with a very simple locking lever.  The system I had previously used a handled bolt which was far less convenient.

The system is also very easy to setup and install.  In about 15 minutes I had a base built to lift my grinder up off the table, and mounted the guides for the Wolverine posts.  You’ll need to provide a couple of your own screws (or bolts) on this one, but not a big deal … just grab a couple #10 screws and you’ll be set.

Between the quality differences, professional feel, and ease of use … I’d choose the Wolverine setup again in a heartbeat.  In the end it was only about $45 more than the competing system I initially selected and trust me when I saw that wasn’t worth it!  Spend a few extra bucks and just go with the best.  You won’t regret it!  I now have sharp tools … fast!

Now if I could figure out some way to get one of their big lathes in my shop!

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Why the Easy Rougher tools over a traditional bowl gouge?  If I said it’s easy, would that be enough?  I didn’t think so.  Let me elaborate.  The most obvious advantages to these tools are that they are VERY sharp and feature a durable cutter head.  The carbide cutter in these tools is a pleasure for a wood turner.  Not only do they come sharp (meaning you don’t have to figure out how to sharpen them), they also stay sharp a lot longer.  Another advantage of this tools is that it cuts, cuts, cuts.  You won’t be learning how to guide the tool through any special angles, or worry about riding (or not riding) bevels.  The Easy Rougher tools are about as simple as it gets … hold on to the tool and bring it in contact with the wood at a right angle (perpendicular to the tool rest).

A few more benefits of these tools are less obvious … for instance, if you have roughed out many bowl blanks then you know how tiring that can be.  The out-of-round wood can really bang you around and the slow progress seems to just drag out for hours while you prep your blanks.   The Ci tools make it much less of a workout and the whole roughing-out process is a lot faster.  Another example that may not be obvious is the reduced chance of kickback, or a nasty catch.  The way these tools cut really reduce the chance of a nasty accident and keep you safer behind the tool rest.

I’ve been using these tools nearly a year now and can’t say enough good things about them.  Everything is made with quality and the wood turner in mind.  Even the uniquely shaped handles are surprisingly comfortable.

The larger model is referred to as the Easy Rougher Ci1, and the smaller model is the Easy Rougher Ci2.  Both feature a four-side carbide cutter on the working end and (optionally) one of the Easy Wood Tools dual-grip handles.

Each tool is etched with the model, and the tool is secured with a brass fitting.

The cutters have four sharp sides.  When one gets dull, simply grab the provided allen wrench, loosen, rotate and re-tighten … it’s that easy.  You are back cutting in less than a minute.  No more running to the grinder, setting up the jig, making test cuts and grinding every so often.  The carbide tips on these tools last a LOT longer than any metal and can really take some abuse.

This is a side view of the cutter.  As you can see, the back side is dished out to protect the cutter’s edge.

The tool handles that Easy Wood Tools sells are fairly unique.  Some people are going to baulk at them because they are not traditional, but don’t let that steer you away.  I’ve found the handles to be really nice.  They are comfortable to use, the lip gives your hand a place to register time and time again, and the variety of colors makes it easy to identify a tool even from afar.

As you can tell, I’m a HUGE fan of the Ci tools from Easy Wood Tools.  They are a little pricey, but then again what great tool isn’t these days.

Want one?  Head over to http://easywoodtools.com/

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These bad boys aren’t cheap though … with the Ellsworth grind 3/8″ bowl gouge costing more than $110 in most stores at the time of this writing.  But don’t run away just because of the price … you might want to take another look and reconsider.  It took about two years before good old Saint Nick left one of these under my tree and let me tell you why I’m glad he did:  (1) the weight of the tool is perfect for bowl turning.  From the placement and thickness of the handle, to the length of tool, (2) the strength and extended lift of the powder steel is amazing.  On the few tools that I have from the Pro-PM line, they do without a doubt hold their edge longer and actually appear to get sharper than traditional HSS.  (3) They sharpen beautifully.  There are various grades of HSS and some are just ugly when they hit the grinder, however the Pro-PM powder steel works beautifully.  The results are consistently a clean, sharp edge ready to peel away a bowl effortlessly.

Personally, I started with an el-cheapo HSS set from Harbor Freight, then upgraded to a China-made set from Woodcraft and finally found my way to the Crown Pro-PM tools (which are made in England).  It took a couple of tries, but finally a quality tool that won’t break the bank (though it will bruise it!)

The Pro-PM line of turning tools are hardened to between 66 and 68 Rc, enabling them to have a vastly superior wear resistance, excellent grindability, superior toughness, a high working hardness and a high retention of hardness.

The handles are made of  ash and stained black.  The overall length of this tool is about 19″ tip to toe.

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I’ve owned it now for about 6 months and I’m very pleased with it!  I love the variable speed feature!  It has many uses!

I have one other lathe, and considered getting two lathes instead of just the one Jet.  I wanted one lathe for small work (like pens etc.) and another with a 14” to 16” swing over the bed.  Well, after using a small lathe for a bit, and comparing it to my new Jet, it seems the larger lathes have less runout.  I use a Stronghold chuck and with #1 Jaws, I no longer need to worry about a small lathe.  The Jet seems to be bang on the money for small work.  The height is convenient for me, and the lathe seems to be very stable with large blocks mounted.

The design of the lathe handles/handle location, and the operation all seem very efficient, easy to use and a pleasure.  Not everything is rosy however.  I have found that the accessories available from Jet are limited.  Fortunately, the spindle (1 ¼”), tailstock (MT2), tool rest mount (1”) are all common and therefore, about any accessory desired is available from other vendors.

I have been asked on more than one occasion, “Do you think it is worth purchasing a lathe with variable speed control given the extra cost?”  Well, I guess everyone must answer that one by their own needs, but for me, I’ve learned two things: purchase the best tool you can afford, and still get the functionality you need, and then consider what not having the feature would cost you in time and flexibility.  For me, I had to save for about 18 months before I could get what I both “wanted, and needed” which are two different things.

I am not a professional turner, but I think the Jet would well serve either a hobbyist or a professional.  One thing I will mention……The Jet headstock does not swivel!  For some turners, this may be an issue, but for me, it is an advantage.  I like being able to slide the headstock and tailstock to the end of the bed for bowl turning.  I had thought that a swivel head would be more functional, but then realized: a swivel head only causes the turner to have more fixtures because of the new head angle.  If you swivel the head for example, you must have a tool rest which reaches out to the workpiece and around to the front.  By sliding the headstock and tailstock to the end of the bed, these extra tools are not required therefore leaving more money for other goodies!  Plus, at some point, the radius of the workpiece is larger than the swing over the bed.  Well, all I can say is……..Then you will need a self supporting/free standing tool rest.  However, this is true for a swivel head lathe as well……therefore, unless you are going to be turning huge pieces all the time, the Jet is still your best bet.  If it should be that the latter is the case, then what you need is a large lathe designed specifically for doing large bowls.

I am please with my Jet, and have no regrets about not going to a more expensive lathe or inexpensive lathe.  This one meets all my work requirements well.  I have turned vases, bowls, chair and table legs, platters and other items all with no issues.

I am currently doing segmented turning and use the lathe regularly.  My previous lathe just sits over on the side of my shop relegated to waiting patiently for me to have a second turning setup to make while I have one mounted on the Jet.  In the last 6 months, that has not happened and I may create a little shop space by selling it.  I can always turn that old lathe into some neato exotic wood to turn on my Jet!

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This Crown roughing gouge is 1-1/4″ wide with a 14″ handle, and is 20″ long overall. As is the standard for Crown tools, this chisel is made very well with HSS (High Speed Steel) and a long, sturdy handle.

Brand new out of the packaging a chisel is not sharp enough to use typically — and this one was no different so it had to be sharpened. During the sharpening process I opted to make the bevel a bit steeper (personal preference) than the rather blunt bevel it ships with. The use of a sharpening jig (like the Penn State or OneWay Wolverine) make the job of sharpening much faster and accurate.

The first project for this new tool with a crisp edge was going to be a baseball bat made of white oak (yeah, that’s not a typical baseball bat wood … I know!). Several weeks ago I had assisted with the creation of a similar bat so I was familiar with the process and how a “standard” chisel would take to the task … so needless to say I was ready to put this one to work.

WOW! This bad boy took to the wood like a beaver (at least the cartoon kind) … chipping away decent size chips and quickly getting the stock down to a nice round blank. What took about an hour with the standard 3/4″ chisel (generic brand), I had accomplished in about 20 minutes using this large (better quality) tool. Not to mention the entire blank was roughed out without the need to resharpen mid-stream — another bonus!

If there would be a drawback to the larger chisel, the only thing I can think of is obvious … it doesn’t get into tight spaces as easily (or safely) as a smaller gouge — however, with that said a roughing gouge isn’t really designed for those tight space anyway.

Every turner needs a few essential tools and the roughing gouge is one of them. Considering the fair price and high quality of the Crown tools, I think this one would be a nice addition for anyone using a lathe for spindle work (meaning don’t use this on a bowl!). With proper care, occasional re-sharpening, and safe use this chisel would last a long time and serve to be a true workhorse in the shop.

Manufactured by Crown Tools, this gouge retails between $55-$65.

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