# JET 8-pc Wood Turning Chisel set any good?



## mrunge340 (Jan 30, 2013)

I just found an 8-piece set of JET Wood Turning Chisels on CL and I was wondering if they were any good. What price should I expect to pay for a set of them unused? Looks like an older box, says "Professional Quality Lathe Chisels" and, I think, "High Carbon Steel," but the pic is a little fuzzy.


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https://flic.kr/p/8861041387


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## Kreegan (Jul 10, 2012)

They don't look like anything special. I wouldn't give more than $20 for them. Make sure they're HSS first.


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## mrunge340 (Jan 30, 2013)

I should mention that I don't actually have tools of my own right now. I'm borrowing my dad's set. Thanks for the input. I'd like to keep hearing from more people, especially if anyone has used this set before.


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## gtbuzz (Sep 19, 2011)

+1 on HSS vs HCS.

For that reason alone, I really wouldn't go out of my way for this set, they don't look like they're anything special. What kind of tools do you currently borrow? Why not get some of those if you like them?

If you just need a beginner's set, Penn State has a couple different options for under $100 that seem to be pretty decent. Also, what kind of stuff are you turning? If you're only going to do pens or smaller things, you don't even need that much.

Do you have any way to sharpen these chisels? Need to account for that too.


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## mrunge340 (Jan 30, 2013)

My understanding is that HSS is better than the HCS because it retains its temper when sharpening and heating up, correct? In other words, if you don't sharpen carefully with HCS, you will be sharpening often. My dad's set is a hodgepodge of tools from over the years.

I haven't turned a whole lot (on account of not having my own tools, my own lathe until recently, or the wood to turn), but I've done chair spindles, honey drippers, and I'm going to be turning a platter/bowl in the coming week or so.

I have a couple of bench grinders to sharpen chisels.

Want to find the best I can for the least I can, you know, every woodworker's dilemma.


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## PurpLev (May 30, 2008)

in RE to: My understanding is that HSS is better than the HCS because it retains its temper when sharpening and heating up, correct? In other words, if you don't sharpen carefully with HCS, you will be sharpening often

It is less about the sharpening process (although your facts are correct) and more about the ongoing usage - HSS can stand up to higher temperatures that occur when drills/parts are turning at high speeds (hence the name "high speed") due to high friction. While HSS would have no use in slow speed cutting applications such as handplane irons, it does come to play in machine operations such as drill bits, and turning tools where the high speed of the turning will create excessive heat during the cutting operation where a HSS tool will keep it's temper and a HCS will lose it and will no longer have a cutting edge until re-tempered.


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## rkober (Feb 15, 2012)

I think those are like the set I got when I bought my lathe. He threw them in and said "They'll get you started." and that's about it. They're pretty cheap and I don't think they are HSS. You'll get good at sharpening because they need it a lot. I put new handles on them for the fun of it. All of that being said, they are ok to get started with and not worth more the $20 (imo).


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## Kreegan (Jul 10, 2012)

Actually looking closer at that pic, I'm pretty sure it says high carbon steel, not high speed steel. In that case, you're going to want to pass on those. If you have a Harbor Freight close by, you can get a set of 8 HSS lathe chisels there for around 40ish with a coupon/sale. There's also Benjamin's Best from PSI, Savannah/Stone Mountain tools from Peachtree, or the tools from The Woodturning Store.

http://www.pennstateind.com/store/lathe-chisel-sets.html
http://www.ptreeusa.com/wood_turning_tools_sets.htm
http://thewoodturningstore.com/


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## Wildwood (Jul 22, 2012)

Better to find carbon steel tools at yard or swap-meet sales and pay about $5 each for quality carbon steel turning tools.

Ashley Isles, Crown, Henry Taylor, and Sorby carbon steel tool set when and if find them in new or good condition might be worth about $60 to $80. Carbon steel tools from those manufacturers sold in the UK. Quality carbon steel tools are hard to find there are a few vendors here that sell carbon steel tool sets new. Only one could find today little different than Rick's.

http://www.toolsforworkingwood.com/store/dept/WIT/item/IT-CSPOLE.XX/Carbon_Steel_Pole_Turning_Tools

Already mentioned if want new inexpensive tool set go to local Harbor Freight store, some stores still have Red Handle set for more money.

http://www.harborfreight.com/8-piece-high-speed-steel-wood-lathe-chisel-set-69723.html

Many folks pay a lot of money on E-bay for this style:

http://www.harborfreight.com/8-piece-wood-lathe-turning-tool-kit-3793.html

Think Windsor tools made for & sold by Harbor Freight found on e-bay all the time as well as that $20 Harbor freight set that has been sold at swap meets for eons.

Of course, Penn State already linked has inexpensive tools too!


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## mrunge340 (Jan 30, 2013)

Thanks everyone for the input. I'm always afraid of what I'll get here because it seems like there are a lot of "tool snobs" out there who don't really know how to shop for a bargain. Anyway, the guy wanted $75 for the set, which was $25 more than what he was asking for the lathe in the picture, so I told him I wouldn't pay more than $20 for the set. Needless to say, he wasn't willing to sell them for that price. Anyway, my search goes on…


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