Are you having a hard time smoothening and sharpening the woods? Then chances are you aren’t using the right tool. As a result, even with ample expertise, making beautiful structures will prove to be extremely difficult as your performance will be greatly limited.
With the best woodturning tools, you can finish the most intricate woodworking project flawlessly as they allow you to break free from your limitations. It will be far easier to shape the woods with them.
Woodturning tools sets are available in various shapes and sizes in the market, so buying the right turning tools set may not be as easy as you think. That’s why we’ve presented and reviewed the best choices, so keep on reading!
Top 5 Best Woodturning Tools - Wood Lathe Chisels Comparison:
Name | Image | Pieces Set | Editor's Rating | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
  | 6 Carbide Tipped Pieces | Top Quality | ||
  | 3 Pieces | For Beginners | ||
  | 6 Pieces | Best Value | ||
  | 8 Pieces | Budget Pick | ||
  | 3 Pieces |
10 Best Woodturning Tool Sets - Wood Lathe Chisels:
We’ve designed our review section with only the best possible turning tools options. You will find every information you need to pick your own woodturning tool easily.
1. Simple Woodturning Carbide Tools Set
The Simple Woodturning Tool Set is truly a simplistic toolset in the sense that it gets the job done perfectly without raising any nonsensical issue. With its six different tools, making the most intricate details won’t seem as difficult anymore. This thing is considered to be the best carbide woodturning tools set.
You can start using the tools right out of the box as they all come sharpened. So, you won’t have to spend any time in sharpening them. Both amateurs and skilled artisans will find it uncomplicated and easy enough.
Each material is constructed with solid stainless steel for enhanced durability, complete with carbide tips. Thanks to the soft and comfortable foam grip, you will enjoy painless operation for hours. The innovative swan neck hollower design allows you to make your way into the inaccessible hollow vessels with ease.
These parts are usually harder to reach with normal straight shafts because of their smaller and narrower size. Additionally, you’ll be able to easily make convex and concave shapes with it.
With the simple shear cutting finisher tool, you can apply for the best finishing job on your woods as it sports a cupped carbide cutter along with a shaft that’s round. The other five tools come with a square shaft so that you can store them flatly on the tool rest.
And you can complete any project with this unit, but it’s mostly suitable for medium to large-sized ones. This model is sure to add a professional touch to your works!
The Set includes:
- Swan Neck Hollower
- Turner and Hollower
- Simple Roughing Gouge
- Shear Cutting Finisher
- Simple 55 Detailer
- 90 Detailer
Pros
Cons
2. Savannah Carbide Turning Tool: Best Beginner Woodturning Tools Set
This 3-piece woodturning tool set is designed with accessibility and user-convenience in mind, making it perfect for beginners as well as professionals. It’s quite large so that you have better control over the tools. The durability and sharpness are sure to leave you amazed!
In addition to coming with enough sharpness to cut through the hardest wood, each tool boasts a completely rotatable cutter head. That means you won’t have to re-sharpen this thing at all as it will always remain sharp and ready for anything!
Thanks to the use of solid carbide, retaining the sharpness for a long time is one of its many qualities. Featuring a flat back on the shaft, you will find this model to remain stable and balanced in your hand.
The three turning tools are enough for allowing you to do pretty much anything you want. With them, making cleaner cuts will be super easy to perform. So, you will be able to add amazing details without going through any trouble.
On the solid ash handle that does a great job of making this unit look elegant, you will notice a rubber grip that feels soft and comfortable to the touch. It also gives you a stronger grip. As a result, you’ll be able to use this thing for hours without feeling hand fatigue. Additionally, this feature ensures better hand control.
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3. Robert Sorby 67HS 6 Piece Lathe Turning Set
The Robert Sorby 67HS is a piece of great equipment to get started with as it has little to no learning curve. It’s a robust toolset that features 6 different tools, making it ready to handle a wide array of woodturning activities. With it, you’ll be able to refine the boring woods into artistic models.
All 6 instruments are constructed with great care using the finest materials. Made from polished ground steel, this unit offers excellent quality and sturdiness. It’s not going to break or wear out too fast even if you use hardcore woodworking. No matter the project, it’s going to help you out with all that!
Each tool features sharp tips so that you face no trouble in shaping the wood. The polished wooden handle sports a round design that fits comfortably into any hand. So, gliding this one across any wooden surface will feel smooth and easy. This gives you better control for allowing you to finish your projects immaculately.
It’s quite light and offers excellent balance as well as grip. You will have fun using this product for cleanly cutting and shaping. The tools include a spindle gauge, roughing spindle gauge, standard parting tool, a round scraper, oval skew, and a bowl gouge. They come in appropriate sizes to suit your needs.
Tools Included:
- 3/4" Spindle Roughing Gouge
- 3/8" Spindle Gouge
- 3/8" Bowl Gouge
- 3/4" Standard Skew Chisel
- 1/8" Parting Tool
- 1/2" Round Nose Scraper
Pros
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4. PSI Woodworking LCHSS8 Wood Lathe Chisel Set
We’ve got another beginner-friendly product that will make woodturning an easy-breezy task. Equipped with 8 pieces, each made for handling certain aspects, this may even be the only chisel set that you need! Whatever you need for your woodworking projects, this thing’s got them all.
The chisels boast fantastic designs for allowing you to carve woods just the way you want it. You will get to cut through hardwood materials like a hot knife slicing through butter aided by the razor-sharp carbon steel tips. The results will be clean and untainted.
Applying those beautiful finishes won’t seem difficult at all with this thing. Each tool is shaped like a pen and sport rounded handles with a smooth texture. This makes them easy to handle and allows you to complete your projects in comfort. The tools come in all sizes and lengths, so you won’t have to buy newer ones.
This unit comes with an attractive wooden box where you can store the items in an orderly manner. So, you’re less likely to lose them.
Overall, this is a great piece of equipment that is sure to facilitate your woodworking activities. It’s pretty cheap too, so you won’t have to worry about your bank balance to purchase this one! Ease of use, durability, and excellent design - this model has it all!
Tools Included:
- 3/16-Inch Parting Tool
- Two Skew Chisels (5/8-Inch & 1-inch)
- 5/8-Inch Spear Scraper
- 5/8-Inch Round nose scraper
- 1/2-Inch Bowl Gouge
- 3/4-Inch Spindle Gouge
- 7/8-Inch Roughing Gouge
Pros
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5. Simple Woodturning Tools COMBO: Best Carbide Woodturning Tools Set
The Simple Woodturning Tools Combo is an ideal choice for those who value simplicity in finishing the jobs perfectly. It’s designed to be incredibly easy to use even for beginners and comes with amazing features for making it a convenient product.
Being a carbide lathe toolset, it’s easier to use than others on the market. It allows you to be fast and precise in your woodworking activities.
You won’t have to invest any time in learning to sharpen this thing or spend money on buying expensive equipment because it features a rotatable cutter. Instead, you can put your entire focus on finishing your projects.
That’s because it doesn’t require any re-sharpening at all. All you have to do is rotate the cutter to bring back the sharp edge and continue carving! Besides, it comes pre-sharpened so you can get to work right away. The shiny red aluminum handle does more than pleasing your eyes. It’s sturdy and super comfortable to hold.
Thanks to the lightweight and balance that it offers, you won’t end up with fatigued hands even after long hours of operation. The beautiful finish that you see on the handle will stay that way for years, thanks to the powder coating.
As a result, you can confidently move it on wood surfaces to carve out beautiful arts. For enhancing the convenience, each item comes with engravings, so you know which tool you’re working with.
Tools Included:
- 55 Degree Detailer
- Simple Rougher
- Simple Turner & Hollower
Pros
Cons
6. Hurricane Woodturning 8 Piece Starter Set
The Hurricane Woodturning Starter Set comes with 8 pieces of chisels for finely cutting and carving wooden materials. It’s designed for beginners, so everything you need comes packed with this thing. Even experienced woodworkers can rely on it as it offers quality and durability.
For meeting the rigorous demands of woodworking projects, this unit is built with high-speed steel that’s been rightly treated with heat. So, when you bring it home, you bring along a durable component that will steer you right to the successful completion of any project.
And the items are impressively sharp for allowing you to cut through the hardest wooden material smoothly. They come with excellent edge retention, which is 8x more than the average carbon steel. So, you will be able to get a lot of work done before you have to sharpen again.
Moreover, for best results, the manufacturer recommends using CBN grinding wheels for sharpening this product.
Every tool brandishes an appropriately sized beech handle that’s designed to fit your hand comfortably. So, when you grab this thing, your palms will be safe, and you will enjoy decent control as you move it across the solid wood. Besides, it’s pleasantly lightweight for reducing hand-fatigue.
Tools Included:
- 1/2" (5/8" Bar Stock) Bowl Gouge; (1 pc)
- 1/2" Spindle Gouge; (1 pc)
- 1" and 1/2" Round Nose Scrapers; (2 pcs)
- 3/4" Square Nose Scraper; (1 pc)
- 3/4" Diamond Parting Tool; (1 pc)
- 1" Skew Chisel; (1 pc)
- 1" Roughing Gouge (1 pc)
Pros
Cons
7. Yellowhammer Turning Tools Essentials
The Yellowhammer Turning Tools Essentials offers remarkable versatility and durable at an affordable price. Featuring 8 pieces of high-quality lathe chisels, there is a tool suitable for completing any woodworking task. You can cut, carve, and shape any wood with fantastic precision.
This thing offers steady performance even whilst handling harder wooden materials as it boasts high-speed steel construction. As a result, you can safely use it for any project, whether it’s light or rigorous! Rest assured, it is likely to last a lot longer than carbon products.
You will enjoy operating this unit as every item features an ergonomic beech handle that feels soft and comfy to the touch. It will not strain your hand as you complete your projects. You will have a wonderful grip and control no matter what you’re doing. The black finish makes it look appealing and stylish.
All these neat features allow you to make the best use of your expertise. Your skills will not be limited by the tools; that’s for sure. If you’re a beginner who’s just started getting the hang of woodturning, this can be a great choice for you.
Although it doesn’t come sharpened, this product is capable of retaining the edge for a long time. It’s a solid piece of equipment that you can rely on confidently.
Included: (1 piece each)
- 5/8" Shear Scraper,
- 3/16" Parting Tool,
- 5/8" Round Nose Scraper,
- 5/8" Skew Chisel,
- 1" Skew Chisel,
- 1/2" Bowl Gouge,
- 7/8" Roughing Gouge,
- 1" Roughing Gouge
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8. Crown Tools 285 8 Pc Woodturning Tool Set
This is an impressive toolset manufactured by Crown Hand Tools Ltd., a reputed England based company. It’s designed to help you make the finest cuts on any wooden surface. You’ll be scraping all those difficult spots with ease. With 8 different pieces, it’s practically ready for any project!
Equipped with steel blades that are exceptionally tempered and hardened, you can expect lasting performance from this thing. It will not falter in handling even the hardest materials. So, you can rely on it for both restoring and refinishing.
In addition to making the items sturdy, the steel construction allows it to be wonderfully sharp. The tips sport appropriate angles for making cutting and curving a breezy task. They allow you to reach the narrowest curves and groves with ease so that you can add intricate details.
Thanks to the specially designed beechwood handle, you will always find comfort in holding this unit. It won’t get to lurch inside your grip at all so that you get to work without any issue. This handle will increase the control you have over the turning. Additionally, it boasts a brass ferrule for keeping the two parts intact.
Considering the sharpness, superb edge retention, excellent durability, and fantastic performance, this can easily become a woodworker’s favorite chisel set.
Tools Included:
- 3/4" Roughing Gouge;
- 1/4" Spindle Gouge;
- 1/2" Spindle Gouge;
- 1/4" Parting Tool;
- 1" Square End Scraper;
- 3/4" Round Nose Scraper;
- 1/2" Skew Chisel, and
- 1" Skew Chisel.
Pros
Cons
Read our take on best pen turning lathe!
9. YUFUTOL Carbide Tipped Woodturning tools Lathe set
Whether you need finishing, roughing, detailing, or hollowing, this toolset comes ready to handle them all! The four different pieces are designed for dealing with separate tasks, making it a versatile chisel set. Being so easy to use, anyone can pick it up and start turning woods right away.
You wouldn’t want your tools to break while you’re in operation, would you? Of course, not! The manufacturers understand this, and so they built this one with high carbon steel, giving it enough durability to withstand pressure. There won’t be any rusting or corrosion, either.
Aided by the tungsten carbide tip, the cutters are impressively sharp so that you can smoothly and cleanly cut any wood you want. It’s ideal for making refined finishes and beautiful curves. Since this thing ships with the sharpness you need, you can get to work right off the box!
The cutter can be easily rotated to bring back the fresh edge that you need. This effectively eliminates the need for re-sharpening, making it super convenient to use. Besides, the edge is retained for a long time.
Moreover, you can comfortably use this unit, thanks to the amazing handle on each of these units. In addition to fitting perfectly, it also offers a strong grip.
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10. HSS Woodworking Lathe Chisel Set
The HSS Woodworking Lathe Chisel Set is a brilliant piece of equipment designed for facilitating woodworking activities. It comes with 8 unique tools for making it suitable for a wide range of projects. Best of all, it’s priced reasonably considering the functionality and quality. In fact, this one’s one of the cheapest on our list!
Each of the tool blades boasts M2 high-speed steel material, so they are all tough enough for handling any sort of project. This material is known for outlasting the average carbon steel products. Consequently, it’s bound to last for a pretty long time. This type of durability is only seen in pricier units.
Also, the cutting tools are quite sharp out of the box, but it’s recommended to give them a proper sharpening before using it for the first time. Although they offer decent edge retention, you can feel free to re-sharpen whenever you want, as much as you need.
Thanks to the amazing wooden handle that’s designed to enhance comfort and control, this unit is super convenient to use. Each tool features a brass ferrule placed in between the handles and the blades. This keeps them together, even under pressure.
When you’ve got no use for this item, you can easily store it inside the closable wooden box that it comes in an organized manner. It’s one of the most popular products on the market due to its excellent quality, ease of use, and value in contrast to the low price.
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Read also: Best dual action polishers for beginners!
Best Woodturning Tools Set Buying Guide
Looking for some tips on how to choose a quality woodturning tools set for your job, here are some of the things you should consider-
Quality of Blades
The blade is like the pinnacle of operation; it is where the action goes down. The blade does not only play a major role in operations. It is also crucial to the factor of the durability of tools and flexibility of work.
Since the blade is the most active part of the job, the material for making the blade is very important. Strength and rigidity are required for the blade, the extent to which is determined by the type of wood you are working on.
The typical blades are made of steel. The constituent and concentration of the steel are solely dependent on the manufacturer, rather than a regular set standard that doesn’t exist. High-speed steel has proved to be very efficient, but some other steel blades also work efficiently. Quality of blade may be a stated specification of something to discover from experience. That is why it is important to buy from a trusted manufacturer or distributor. If you are a newbie in the business, it certainly won’t hurt to seek advice from experts in the woodworking field.
Lengths of Handles
The handle is the part used directly on the work. It is the part that gets you in control whenever a job is being undertaken. The blade is attached to the handle, and they usually have different materials and structures.
The handle has different attributes that are very important. Length is one of them. The length of the handle can determine the extent to which the tool is applicable. Your woodworking toolset should come with a variety of tools that have compatible handle lengths.
Logically, the length of the handle must not be smaller than the hand of the user. There should be some extra space for clearance and manipulation of use. Most standard toolsets come with similar handles and different blades to suit various applications.
Convenience of Grip
This factor is as important as the length of the handle. The tool must be easy to hold. The main consideration here is the material used in making the handle, which goes a long way.
Typically, most handles are made from wood or rubber. Wooden handles are not a bad idea, but they must be properly shaped to fit easy handling. A wooden handle should not necessarily be made like a cylinder or cuboid. It should be a combination of subtle curves designed to fit the human hand.
A rubber handle can be more convenient because of the elastic properties that are present, but it also comes with its downsides. To avoid slipping, the rubber handle should not be too elastic. A balance of firmness and elasticity does it. A major advantage of rubber grips is that they are still efficient when the palm is sweaty. Considerable disadvantages include wearing off and getting stained.
Availability of a Toolbox
If you are a busy technician, you will appreciate the importance of this factor. The toolbox can serve a lot of purposes. The main purpose is the preservation of tools in order to ensure that the tools last longer. Also, the tools are protected from stains when in the toolbox.
There is one more reason why the toolbox must not be underrated. It is common for technicians and operators to misplace different tools after use. With the availability of a toolbox, you can easily keep tools intact when they are not in use. That way, every tool is kept intact, and the whole set can last you longer.
Number of Available Tools
A toolset comes with various tools. It is logical to consider the number of tools it comes with. I have seen many great sets come with eight pieces of tools, sometimes more or less. This is not a standard, but a good set should come with around that number of tools. Various types of chisels should be included in the set; those are crucial to woodworking processes.
Also, you don’t want your toolset to be filled with very similar tools. There should be diversity in the sizes and shapes of blades. With this versatility of content comes diversity of application.
Essentially, the toolset should come with various tools that are useful for you. Even if some of them are not what you need, it is a good idea to have them down in case of future jobs or improvisation.
Cost of Tool Set
Toolsets have varying prices because the materials used are different. Sets with higher quality like carbide tip can cost more in price, but they are definitely worth it.
High cost doesn’t necessarily translate to high quality; that is where you have to be careful. High prices can be a result of the manufacturer’s status. Therefore, don’t be fooled by the hype.
The most established manufacturer offers quality tools, but your driving force should be quality over the name. Finally, check our reviews before making your decision.
Frequently Asked Questions
Read answers to some of the most frequently asked questions on woodturning tools.
Should I Buy a Woodturning Set or Buy Individual Pieces Separately?
The question is tricky. The mentality you should have is that you will be getting the tools that you need. If your budget is limited, you need to get the things that you need the most.
When buying individual pieces, don’t just start buying every tool you can think of using. That may be tempting but risky if your budget is not high, though it won’t necessarily be a mistake if you have a big budget.
Buying a toolset gives you a whole world of handy tools for woodturning and even other uses, but there are things to watch out for. A set can have some repeated tools. While having a spare or extra tool is not bad, you don’t want to spend all that extra money on extras that you may never need.
Regardless of the purchase scope, the quality of the tool is crucial. Ensure that you go for high-quality tools, preferably from a trusted manufacturer or one recommended with a good review.
I now go for individual pieces. With this, I can maintain my budget and have an opportunity to choose tools from various best makers.
What are the Benefits of Buying a Woodturning Tools Set?
Buying a woodturning set comes with some advantages that are worth considering. A toolset has a wide range of tools, coming with various options of size. With such freedom, you can easily work with different sizes and intricate geometries.
A woodturning toolset is a full kit containing tools that can be useful even outside of woodturning. The wide range of wrenches, chisels, and screwdrivers can definitely be applicable for a couple of household uses and workshop applications.
Having duplicates can be a good thing and a bad thing. While you may not need all the duplicates in some cases, they are perfect replacements when the current tool in use gets weak or faulty. Duplicate tools are well appreciated when your current tool develops fault when you are in the middle of a task.
Some toolset also comes with servicing equipment to keep your tools in shape.
The final advantage is that you don’t have to create an arrangement plan when you have a toolset; every tool has been systematically organized. Many toolsets don’t even use pockets. The tools fit exactly into a perfectly shaped space, making things a lot better and easier, especially when working out of your workshop.
How Can I Sharpen Wood Turning Tools?
Basically, woodturning tools are sharpened through the process of grinding. The approach is reductive. You increase the efficiency of the tool and relatively reduce the size. This approach can be executed with different means. Diamond parting tools can also be attached to a lathe and used to sharpen woodturning tools.
A grinding stone is mostly involved; it is usually of a stronger material with a relatively rough surface. The blunt tool is strategically ground against the stone to achieve smoothness and precision of the tool.
The grinding wheel of a stationary grinding machine is a go. All you have to do is to drive the tool edges against the wheel. That way, you have the freedom to alter the tool position to your taste.
Alternatively, the tool can be tightly clamped while a mobile grinding machine is operated by hand with the grinding disc, thus reshaping the tool edges to perfection. This alternative style can be more hectic because a portable grinding tool is a bit heavy, but you have the freedom to instantaneously switch tool position. Generally, it is less safe.
Carbide vs. Traditional Woodturning Tools: Which One Should I Get?
Although experienced traditional turners seem to bet against the relatively new carbide tools, I recommend choosing carbide woodturning tools for a couple of reasons. Traditional HSS woodturning tools take time to achieve proficiency. It is a process that may bore beginners when there is an easier alternative.
Carbide woodturning tools also stay sharp and intact for longer periods of time where you don’t have to be bothered with sharpening your tools. The main challenge of using carbide tools is that they are essentially scrappers. The impact angle is roughly 90 degrees, and it chips off the workpiece violently. This feature is perfect for turning the bowl’s interior, but you will need multiple carbide tools to work a bowl’s exterior.
It is worthy to note that traditional HSS woodturning tools are more gentle and cheaper to replace if tips become less efficient or bad.
Can I Use the Woodturning Tools for Aluminum or Brass Turning?
It is possible to turn soft non-ferrous metals like brass, copper, and aluminum with woodturning tools. High-Speed Steel tools will definitely do the job. Carbide alternatives would work too if carefully executed at low speed for close monitoring.
The essential thing to avoid is using actual metal-turning tools on a wood lathe; that will be a disaster. Also, don’t work stronger non-ferrous metal with woodturning tools; that is dangerous and not productive. A woodturning setup is not a replacement for an engineering lathe. For your own safety, don’t try any extreme compromise.
What are the Woodturning Tools I Start with?
Getting the complete woodturning tools is great, but you can always work out your way with a few important tools. The spindle turning tools you can start with include Spindle Roughing Gouge, Parting Tool, Skew Chisel, and Spindle Gouge. You make the first step with a spindle roughing gouge, shape the workpiece with the spindle gouge, make the chip cuts with skew chisels and run finishing touches with parting tools.
Scrappers and bowl gouges are efficient enough to handle face-turning processes. Bowl gouges do the most work while the scrapper handles the finishing turns.
What Size Tools Should I Pick?
There are no fixed sizes that do magic for every woodturning job, but I will make some recommendations for sizes that can serve the most. They are very applicable and easy to manipulate.
* 1-inch Skew Chisel (Replaceable with 3/8-inch parting and beading tool.
* 3/4-inch Square Ended Scraper (or the 1-inch alternative)
* 3/4-inch Round Nose Scraper (or the 1-inch alternative)
* 3/8 Bowl Gouge
* 1/8-inch parting tool
* 3/8-inch spindle gouge that has fingernail profile
* 3/4-inch spindle roughing gouge
Final Words
Woodturning tool sets can be an amazing addition to your professional woodworking workshop or your DIY workstation. They will enhance your craftsmanship as you will have the right tools and amazing control in your hand for making the best cuts and curves.
With the best woodturning toolsets, you will get to work like a professional as your expertise will get a chance to soar. Finding the right tool is undoubtedly a tough job, but you shouldn’t face any trouble in choosing yours after reading our extensive reviews.
If you still can’t decide, we’d like to direct your attention to the “Simple Woodturning Tools”. It’s got everything you need to finish any sort of project with ease.
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