Have you ever wondered how solid wood is shaped into fascinating structures and arts? With the right tool, even a complete beginner in woodworking would have the means to get creative and produce impressive results!
The best woodturning tools sets equip you with everything you need to transform tough woods into beautiful crafts. Paired up with your expertise, you’ll be smoothening and sharpening the work-pieces flawlessly to replicate the work of the professionals!
Now, the market for this product is pretty wide, so you might be asking how someone would identify the right one from so many seemingly similar alternatives. We’re going to give you the perfect answer through our reviews and buying guide, so stick with us!
Top 5 Woodturning Tool Sets: Wood Lathe Chisels Comparison Chart
Product Name | Image | Material | Pieces | |
Robert Sorby 67HS Lathe Turning Set |   | High Speed Steel | 6 Piece | |
Savannah Carbide Turning Tool Set |   | Tungsten Carbide | 3 Piece | |
PSI Woodworking LCHSS8 HSS Chisel Set |   | M2 High Speed Steel | 8 Piece | |
Robert Sorby 52HS Woodturning Tool Set |   | M2 High Speed Steel | 5 Piece | |
Simple Woodturning Tools |   | Tungsten Carbide | 6 Piece |
10 Best Woodturning Tools (Lathe Chisel) Sets Review
We’ve designed our list with top-notch woodturning tools sets, filled with all the required information. So, let’s dive into the details!
1. Robert Sorby 67HS 6 Piece Lathe Turning Set
The Robert Sorby 67HS lets you apply professional-level details on your workpieces with ease. You’ll have all the necessary tools required for finishing the most delicate woodturning projects perfectly.
Coming with six different tools, each designed for specific purposes, you won’t have to look elsewhere to complete separate tasks. As a result, it’s ideal for a wide range of woodturning activities like smoothening, sharpening, skewing, etc. This thing will complete any woodworker’s arsenal of toolsets.
The beautiful wooden handles are super-comfortable to hold. They offer a firm grip without tearing or scratching your skin. So, you’ll get to work comfortably. Additionally, they give you better control, which is essential for dealing with intricate details.
This fine instrument boasts a sturdy build that’s been manufactured carefully with high-quality components. So, durability is guaranteed. The sharp tools are designed to retain their sharpness for an extended period, making it a highly convenient product.
Both professionals and beginners will find it remarkably easy to use. The art of wood-crafting won’t be as difficult once you pick this one up. All in all, it ticks all the boxes of a superior woodturning tools sets.
Pros:
- Equipped with comfortable wooden handles
- Comes with enough sharpness for prolonged operation
- Boasts multiple tools for facilitating woodturning
- Built with durable components for withstanding abuse
- Perfect for a wide range of activities and applying details
Cons:
- One of the most expensive toolsets on the market
- The skew is prone to breaking unless used with care
2. Savannah Carbide Turning Tool Set
The Savannah Carbide Turning Tool Set is an amazing instrument that allows you to produce impressively clean cuts every time. It’s designed to make woodturning activities much easier so that you can get professional results even if you’re a complete beginner.
This slick model allows three types of cutting with its three different cutter tools, including large round, diamond, and square. The cutter heads come with long-lasting sharpness for ensuring cleaner and smoother cuts. They are completely rotatable so that you don’t have to put up with the hassle of re-sharpening.
Compared to steel tools, this carbide unit comes with longer edge retention. Besides, the entire product boasts incredible durability.
The ease-of-use of a woodturning tool set depends largely on the handle design. Savannah is well aware of it, so they’ve designed amazing handles for all the units. They feature a rubber grip coating that enhances the comfortability so your hands won’t get fatigued quickly.
Moreover, the handles boast a flat back for offering turning stability to ensure improved control.
With sharp cutters, comfortable handling, and reliable durability, you’ll be completing your projects successfully in a fast manner! You’d be amazed at how easy it is to apply intricate details with this item.
Pros:
- Designed to be astoundingly easy to use even for beginners
- Eliminates the need for re-sharpening with rotatable cutter head feature
- Solid carbide offers longer edge retention
- Features a comfortable handle that prevents hand fatigue
Cons:
- The packaging could’ve been better
3. PSI Woodworking LCHSS8 HSS Chisel Set – Best Budget pick
The PSI Woodworking LCHSS8 set gives the beginners a reason to rejoice as it’s designed to be suitable for woodworkers of any skill set. Packed with all the essential items, you’d never have to look elsewhere! It’s got all you need for your smaller and larger projects.
With eight different pieces, you can do all sorts of carving with this product. They come in various shapes so you can rely on the smaller ones for the intricate tasks while the larger ones offer quicker work. This thing is going to make wood-crafting easier than you perceived if you’re just starting out.
The sharp heads are built with carbon steel that is recognized for its toughness. So, it’s likely to last over the years. This unit is perfect for turning pepper mills, pens, bowls, spindles, and more!
Each tool sports hardwood-turned handles that looks attractive. It will stay in your grip firmly and comfortably so that you don’t hurt yourself during turning. Besides, you’ll get to work with more control as the items won’t fall off or twist in your hand.
After every successful turning, you’ll be able to store the set safely in a nice-looking attractive carrying box.
Pros:
- A fantastic wood lathe chisel set suitable for beginners and professionals alike
- Comes complete with 8 pieces for meeting every woodturning demand
- Equipped with high carbon steel heads for durability
- Feels easier to work thanks to the comfortable wooden handle
Cons:
- This traditional tools might be too small for some of the larger projects
4. Robert Sorby 52HS Tool Set – Best Beginner Woodturning Tools Set
For all the novice woodworkers, this model from Robert Sorby can be a great choice. It’s designed to eliminate the issues that most beginners face when picking up woodturning. With high-quality production and top-notch design, this one will help you produce beautiful works of art!
Surprisingly enough, this budget-friendly unit offers superior quality boasting an M2 high-speed steel construction. This makes it incredibly durable and allows it to retain the sharp edge for a decent amount of time. Additionally, this thing is perfectly capable of resisting damage by overheating during operation.
The hard white ash handles are wider than average products, designed this way to prevent hand cramps so that beginners find it easier to get started. Besides, it’s more comfortable to work with. The solid brass ferrule keeps the tool firmly attached to the handles in addition to making each tool look cooler.
So, this unit is sure to help you make quick work of the solid wooden objects. The final results will look impressive as you’ll be able to add extremely detailed designs using your expertise and creativity. Overall, it’s definitely an amazing choice for beginners who are thinking of getting into woodworking.
Pros:
- Offers reliable durability with high-speed steel construction
- Comes with 5 pieces of tools for allowing you to handle multiple turning tasks
- Features wider handles for allowing comfortable and painless operation
- Perfect for beginners and DIY’ers who are looking for quality on a budget
Cons:
- The blades might be too short in length for certain turning projects
5. Simple Woodturning Tools – Best Carbide Woodturning Tools Set
The Simple Woodturning Tools will allow you to create the best designs with minimal effort and simplistic operation. It’s highly reliable for woodworkers of any skillset as you’ll be able to add the most intricate details flawlessly. With multiple tools, you won’t face any issues in completing your projects.
This model comes with fantastic sharpness; you won’t have to waste your time and focus on sharpening it. So, you can get right to turning woods after unboxing the items.
The durable edge can be retrieved just by rotating the carbide cutter head. There is no need to spend your money to buy pricy sharpening equipment.
Carefully engineered with solid stainless steel, this unit won’t be damaged by frequent use. In fact, it’s sure to last a pretty long time. Thanks to the swan neck hollower, you’ll be reaching into areas that aren’t accessible with straight shaft tools. Five of the tools feature a square shaft for easy storing.
The sturdy aluminum handle comes covered with a foam rubber grip that sticks firmly to your hand so that you can work flawlessly and comfortably. Although it’s a bit expensive, the features and performance make this thing worth every penny!
Pros:
- An excellent woodturning toolset designed for giving superior performance
- Designed to be easy and simple to work with
- Crafted from solid stainless steel for improved durability
- Equipped with a sturdy aluminum handle sporting foam grip for comfort
Cons:
- Comes with a hefty price tag
6. YUFUTOL Carbide Woodturning Tool Mini Size
The YUFUTOL Carbide Woodturning Tool offers striking sharpness, good quality, and streamlined operation, making it an excellent choice. It’s going to be one of your favorite toolsets with the ability to make clean and precise cuts. Applying those amazing details won’t feel like a dream anymore!
As all the items come sharpened, there is no need to spend any of your precious time sharpening them. So, you can get to turning almost instantaneously! Thanks to the incredibly simplified learning curve, it doesn’t take long to master every technique of this model, making it ideal for all skill sets.
With the nicely crafted finisher tool, you’ll be taking on the small and mid-level project tasks with ease. The rougher will do more than flawless roughing as it’s also great for shaping the wood bowl’s outer radius and turning beads. For creating intricate details, the detailer will prove to be an absolutely remarkable tool!
The solid handle should feel easy and comfortable to hold in your hand. You will have great control aided by it so that you can finish your projects effortlessly. This unit is designed to be kept flat on any tool rest to make storing easier. It’s highly affordable as well.
Pros:
- Arrives with plenty of sharpness, so it’s ready to be used right off the box
- Boasts a simplified learning curve to match the skill levels of any woodworker
- Comes with three amazing toolsets for handling various turning jobs
- Features a decent handle that allows you to work comfortably
Cons:
- Overall build quality could’ve been better
7. Savannah HSS Woodturning Chisels Set
This is a widely popular woodworking lathe chisel set manufactured by Savannah, a reputed brand in the woodworking industry. It comes with many pieces for allowing you to complete a wide range of activities. With this model, you’ll be hogging away tons of materials quickly, precisely, and effortlessly!
Each tool is constructed with M2 High-Speed Steel material that’s known for outlasting the average carbon steel ones. So, this one’s got durability in check! You can expect these HSS tools to give you years of use.
The items come fitted with a ferrule that keeps it firmly connected to the handle. They provide balance and stability in performance so that you can do the turning with outstanding efficiency. Although they come sharpened, it’s advised to hone them before using them.
With eight turning tools, this unit has got something ready for different woodturning activities. This saves you from having to buy separate tools. They are pretty simple to use and allow you to add exquisite details with ease.
When not in use, you can keep everything safe and organized in the closable wooden case that comes with it. Surprisingly enough, this thing is offered at a competitive price.
Pros:
- One of the most popular toolsets due to its simplicity, quality, and value
- Offers balance, stability, and improved control for easy operation
- Boasts comfortable handles for reducing hand fatigue
- Ships with a closable wooden case that keeps the set safe when not in use
Cons:
- The gouges may wear out too fast
8. IMOTECHOM 8-Pieces HSS Wood Turning Tools Set
The IMOTECHOM HSS Wood Turning Tool Set offers clean and precise cuts every time to help you get amazing results quickly. You’ll be completing your projects with finesse and style. It’s got all your woodturning activities covered with eight pieces of tools.
Accurately pre-sharpened chisel heads allow you to begin woodturning right after its arrival. The 6.3-inches sharp tool blades are large enough for most works. It’s built with high-quality, high-speed steel that offers extreme durability and stability. Even after years of use, they aren’t likely to break.
The hard 10-inch handles are both durable and comfortable. They don’t cause pain after a prolonged operation or pinch your skin. So, you’ll get to work with superior comfort. Additionally, you’ll also have better control over the turning, allowing you to finish the delicate works with ease.
After using, you can safely store every item in the alluring wooden case. It’s got double-layer panels and an enlarged structure along with a thickened hinge. When stored inside, all the tools will be completely protected from outside harm. In addition to that, they’ll be well-organized so that you can easily find them later.
Pros:
- Sharpened chisel heads allow you to get right to work after unpacking
- Equipped with sharp blades for allowing you to finish the tasks cleanly
- Comes with a comfortable handle made from walnut
- Keeps your new tools protected inside an attractive wooden case
Cons:
- The handle finish is kind of sloppy
9. Simple Woodturning Carbide Lathe Tools Set
This is another outstanding product from Simple Woodturning Tools. Being a carbide lathe tool, it’s astoundingly simple to use so getting those professional finishes won’t feel as difficult anymore! It effectively eliminates the lengthy learning curves and the need for investing in expensive sharpening equipment.
You’ll find an amazing turner and hollower tool with this set. With it, you’ll be turning and hollowing woods quickly and efficiently to shape them into your desired design.
The rougher carbide tool allows clean roughing and smooth cutting. When you need to add super-small details, the simple 55° detailer tool will prove to be highly effective. All these items make this set incredibly useful for people of any skill set.
Created from high-quality stainless steel material, this one offers reliable durability. The parts are tough enough to withstand abuse and resist rusting. So, it’s guaranteed to last for years before you have to buy a newer one.
Premium quality aluminum is what shapes this unit’s handle. You can feel free to engage in long hours of operation as there won’t be any hand fatigue thanks to the foam rubber grip. So, you’ll be working with fantastic comfort.
Pros:
- Fitted with three outstanding tools for smooth turning and cutting
- Each tool is made from solid stainless-steel for giving years of use
- Comes complete with a high-quality handle that offers enhanced comfort
- Especially reliable for adding intricate details
Cons:
- Comes with only one handle, which might be off-putting
10. Yellowhammer Turning Tools Lathe Chisel Set
The Yellowhammer toolset is a budget-friendly option that offers quality and value without putting a dent in your wallet. It’s highly versatile as well as durable. This model is sure to meet all your creative woodturning demands with ease.
Thanks to 8 different items, it’s suitable for a lot of woodturning activities so that you don’t have to look elsewhere. They don’t arrive sharp, so you’d require additional tools for sharpening them. This thing will allow you to transform solid woods into pieces of appealing art!
One of the notable features of this model is that it’s fitted with an ergonomic beech handle. It offers superior grip and control in addition to ensuring comfortable operation. So, you’ll find it super-easy to shape your workpieces any way you see fit using your creativity and expertise.
Built from high-speed steel (HSS) material, there is no room to complain about the durability even though it’s a cheaper product. Overall, with an affordable price tag, this is one of the best budget-friendly turning toolsets out there.
Pros:
- Features 8 essential tools for suiting various woodturning demands
- Boasts HSS blades that are extremely durable
- Comes with beech handles for offering enhanced grip and control
- A highly affordable and reliable turning toolset
Cons:
- Not the best beginner-friendly unit out there
Woodturning Tools: Wood Lathe Chisels Buying Guide
Rummaging through the market randomly to select a woodturning toolset is the worst way to approach it. That’s because there are all kinds of them available out there, varying in sizes and quality.
So, in addition to checking out reviews, you should also be aware of the things that must be considered when picking this type of product.
Tools in the Set
Each tool in the set is designed to serve a different purpose. So, depending on your turning needs, you’re going to want to select a set that comes complete with the exact tools you need. In case you’re unsure, it’s best to go for one that comes with lots of items.
The most common tools are gouges, skew chisels, scrapers, parting tools, etc. You can’t use skew chisels to do the job of roughing gouges. So, it’s important to check the available tools in the set before buying them.
Material
Most high-quality woodturning tools are constructed with high-speed steel or HSS material. Their wear and corrosion resistance, durability, and long-lasting edge make them more reliable than traditional ones. There are many HSS variants, and among them, the M2 HSS is the best.
Carbide tools, nowadays, are even more efficient in terms of quality and durability. Made from tungsten carbide, they are incredibly wear-resistant. Their edge retention is top-notch as well so that you don’t have to sharpen them frequently.
Handle Quality
Working with poorly made handles will significantly reduce your woodworking performance. You won’t be able to focus on adding intricate details if you’re too busy trying not to lose the grip or feeling pinching pain. The best sets come with ergonomic and durable handles that are covered with foam grips.
Also, the quality of the handle is important for enhancing the level of working control. Briefly speaking, you can’t hope to achieve the desired results unless the handle is decent.
Budget
Woodturning tool sets come with various price tags. Naturally, the high-quality ones made by reputed brands tend to be more expensive. They are often more versatile and exceptionally durable. You must go for the best product that your budget allows if you want the best performance.
In case your budget isn’t all that high, there are still many affordable options that are pretty cheap, so don’t worry. You just have to look hard. Fortunately for you, we’ve included many highly affordable products that are sure to meet your demands in our reviews.
Essential Woodturning Tools:
Spindle Roughing Gouge
Obviously, this is among the essential tools, but it is not made for putting the finishing touches on your materials. This tool chops off big masses from the material, a go-to tool for making a square wood blank material round. Whenever you have that lumpy material that requires drastic measures initially, grab your spindle roughing gouge.
The advice I always give beginners and amateurs is never to use the spindle roughing gouge to work on a bowl-turning project; this is a shaping 101 tip from me. The joint between the tool and its handle is very fragile, and you will be at the risk of breaking the tool if you use it to work on bowl-turning projects.
With experience, rules can be redefined, but you just have to be very experienced. An expert can achieve unbelievable results by doing untraditional improvisations, but if as a beginner, don’t start with experiments.
Skew Chisel
This is arguably the most versatile tool you should have in your catalog. It can be used to make wood plain, and it generally has a great finish. The finish of the skew chisel is so great that sanding is not really required after using it. It can definitely do most of the tasks.
This tool has always been the scary one that proves difficult, especially when you are just starting out. Once you have mastered the tool and how to use it, it will become a good friend with you.
A keener surge of attention is all you need to avoid injuries when working with the skew chisel; concentration is key.
To maintain precision while making cuts for planning, always use the middle of the skew chisel blade and not the corners. Cutting or marking with the skew chisel’s corner edges can actually ruin your project, and I can attest to that.
You should not lack the required coordination for using this tool, and you definitely don’t want to be caught up in that.
Spindle Gouge
This one is a great tool for making details, so much that it works well with coves and beads. It offers stress-free shaping of the spindle work. The spindle turning gouge is also called shallow fluted gouge.
The tool can handle different profiles that include vases, candlesticks, goblets, and bedposts. The spindle gouge has a twin brother named bowl gouge; let us discuss it now.
Bowl Gouge
This is a special type of gouge with a channel deeper than that of the spindle gouge. It is basically for shaping bowls, but it can also serve pretty well on wood spindle works because of its grinding dynamics. It is a pretty handle tool for the internal bowl shaping and also the outer layer. Bowl gouge is also called deep flute gouge.
Parting Tool
This is no mysterious tool; as the name suggests, it parts the wooden material. It is very advisable that you don’t part through the whole work so that you won’t lose dimensions unnecessarily.
Parting tools can even serve other purposes like scraping or even creating a spigot to work with the chuck. After parting, don’t use the saw while the lathe is on. That is very important to note for your safety. It typically has a diamond shape with a thin profile. That’s why the parting tool is also known as the diamond parting tool.
Scraper
Like cabinet scrappers, the woodturning scrappers come with varieties of profiles. It works at blunt angles because the profile shape has a blur that is expected to get the job done. Thickness and width are attributes that separate different types of scrappers. They handle different material types, shapes, and sizes when it comes to scraping.
The most common sizes of scraping tools are 1/4″ Round Nose Scraper, 1-inch Round Nose Scraper, 3/4″ Round Nose Scraper, 1/2″ Round Nose Scraper, 5/8″ Spear Scraper, and 5/8″ Round Nose Scraper. All these tools are best for removing marks on wood bowls’ interior and exterior surfaces.
Although a lot of experts can do without this set of tools, I often find myself using them. You can try a few hacks and tricks with the scrappers, but first, you have to master its basic use.
Swept-Back Grind Bowl Gouge
This is typically a normal bowl gouge with a unique grind. As opposed to the normal bowl gouge with a straight grind, the swept-back bowl gouge has a U shape with the wings becoming unhidden from cutting edges. The cutting range here is very versatile.
The M2 High-speed steel often used in this tool’s manufacturing process contributes to great edge-maintaining ability and extreme sharpness. Although some types have different materials, the M2 is my preferred option, and honestly, it is not scarce at all.
Frequently Asked Questions(FAQ):
1. What Tools Do You Need For Woodturning?
You don’t need all the available workshop tools possible. The woodturning lathe machine is primary. After that, get yourself a set of skew chisels, scrapers, spindle gouges, bowl gouges, and parting tools. You will be doing fine with those.
2. Why Do Woodturning Tools Have Long Handles?
There are quite a number of reasons why you should want long handles for your woodturning tools. The first major reason is comfort.
With long handles, it is easier to have a secured grip on your tools. Also, long handles are safer than shorter ones. You don’t really want your fingers to touch a spinning workpiece. The last reason I will mention is efficiency; you will get your jobs done faster and easier when you don’t have to worry about handling positions.
3. What Size Roughing Gouges To Use?
For experts, it may vary for different jobs and different scenarios. A 32mm roughing gouge with a handle of about 450mm should be perfect, safety-wise, and productivity-wise on a general scale.
4. What Size Spindle Gouge For Beginners?
For very good reasons, the recommended standard is the half-inch spindle gouge. The diameter allows for more rigid hollowing, and sharpening the tool is easy.
It can handle a wide range of operations, including roughing, hollowing, shaping, and others. If your working conditions are unique in job requirements, your preferred size for the spindle gouge will change over time.
5. How To Use Woodturning Tools?
The answer to the question is not a direct one, and that is because different tools require different approaches when working with them. The key is to know the right tool to use, the way to use it, and to ensure that you are safe as an operator.
6. How To Sharpen Woodturning Tools?
Grinding wheels does the job alongside a flat platform to align your tool with. There are quite a bunch of bench grinders and grinding machines that can be very useful.
An important detail is that low-speed grinding is way more effective. Also, you most definitely need stationary grinders instead of movable ones. The tool you are sharpening is what needs to be moved about.
7. What Speed Grinder Do You Use For Sharpening Woodturning Tools?
A low-speed bench grinder with a wheel of 8 inches or 6 inches will be just perfect for you, although you can always manipulate your way through with other alternatives. The bench grinder is a must for an active woodturning operator. You definitely don’t want to interrupt your jobs or travel miles to get your tool in shape.
Final Words
We’ve researched the market rigorously and tested many products before deciding on these 10.
While preparing the list, we couldn’t take our eyes off the Robert Sorby 67HS 6 Piece Lathe Turning Tool Set because of obvious reasons. It’s one of the best woodturning tools sets because of its quality, simplicity, durability, and the inclusion of the best tools.
For beginners with a tighter budget, you can look at the 5pc. Robert Sorby 52HS Woodturning Tool Set. It will help you get into the world of wood-crafting as it’s super easy to use without costing a fortune!
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