# Turners Smock



## Biggamefish (Jul 7, 2014)

I looking for a good smock for the shop. I don't want to cheap out on it but dont want to spend a ton of money. Looking for something of quality.


----------



## OSU55 (Dec 14, 2012)

AAW and Lee Valley have them. Im a cheapskate and use a windbreaker style jacket that zips the collar around my neck and has slick nylon type fabric that chips slide off of. I have 2 - 1 with short sleeves (just cut them off) and the back cut out of it, and another intact for winter. Less than $10 each at salvation army/veterans etc resale shops.


----------



## LittleShaver (Sep 14, 2016)

I'm also a cheapskate and use the windbreaker method as well. I've also read where some turners use barbers jackets. I haven't tried it yet. Perhaps next online shopping spree? I don't do a lot of turning, so the windbreaker works fine for occasional use.


----------



## Tennessee (Jul 8, 2011)

I found a welders jacket in a Northern Tool for under $20. Has a way to lock up the collar, and buttons to tighten up the sleeves. It is button, not zipper, but it does a great job of keeping chips off me. Kind of a dark denim. Oh, and it says Hobart on it, but that's OK by me.


----------



## BoardButcherer (Feb 21, 2018)

Did someone say SMOCK?!

We've got Nylon Smocks

We've got Poly Smocks

We've got Embroidered Smocks.

We've got Denim Smocks

We've got custom smocks

We've got imported smocks

We've got leather woodturner's aprons.

And we've got many, many more smocks.

What kind of Smock are you, sir?


----------



## DustyM (May 16, 2016)

I've got one of the nice Atlas 46 shop aprons I use to keep myself mostly clean and layout/marking tools nearby. It's heavy, well-made, and I like it quite a bit.

However, when I'm turning, I wear an old starbucks apron from my minimum wage days. It's light, unobtrusive, and dusts off easily (without having any pockets or anything else for shavings to infiltrate).


----------



## dhazelton (Feb 11, 2012)

Tons of shop aprons on Amazon. I have a Bucket Boss brand but it usually sits on a hook. I wear a long denim Dickies brand one I got at one of those tool reseller tents at a county fair for a couple of bucks and wear that when I'm standing at my buffing wheel.


----------



## BoardButcherer (Feb 21, 2018)

> Tons of shop aprons on Amazon. I have a Bucket Boss brand but it usually sits on a hook. I wear a long denim Dickies brand one I got at one of those tool reseller tents at a county fair for a couple of bucks and wear that when I m standing at my buffing wheel.
> 
> - dhazelton


Now if we're talking straight aprons with no turtleneck it's hard to beat a good waxed canvas apron. Easier to maintain and often just as long-lived as leather. Lots of options in the $30-40 range that're pretty good.

Such as Option A and Option B

Both have flaps over the pockets to keep the majority of the trash out.

This works for me, but I typically wear button-up shirts anyways. so when the chips start to fly I just make sure the top of my shirt is buttoned up.


----------



## Wildwood (Jul 22, 2012)

I wear these and like them, 2nd one has my name embroidered on it along with Craft Supplies logo.

http://www.packardwoodworks.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=appr-aprons

https://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/p/89/4554/Craft-Supplies-USA-Woodturners-Smock?term=turners+smocks

JMHO, would rather wear a wind breaker than heavy canvas or leather work in no air or heated shop.


----------



## Knockonit (Nov 5, 2017)

i have a nylon one, and boy howdy is it hot, so most time i don't wear it, put on a carhart shirt backwards and go that route, hate it when the chips get inside my shirt. 
oh well, nice looking smocks there.
Rj


----------



## lew (Feb 13, 2008)

+1 for the welders jacket.


----------



## LeeMills (Nov 2, 2014)

The Dickies was a long sleeve altered. Sleeves provide enough material for shoulder pocket (pencils, markers, diamond honing, etc) as well as a back pocket. About $10 if you have someone who can sew.










1+ on a welders jacket. Pockets on each sleeve about 1.25"W and 5" deep. Open interior pocket in front left bottom for calipers, etc (abt 8" X 7"), zippered interior pocket in front right bottom (that is where i keep my phone to protect from any dust). Two snaps on neck and cuffs to adjust tightness. Not sure how it will be when weather gets hot.
https://www.amazon.com/Black-Cotton-Welding-Jacket-Resistant/dp/B00AW0A9L8/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1520607171&sr=8-4&keywords=Revco+BSX+B9C+9oz.+Black%2FRed


----------



## rizzo (Dec 21, 2014)

I have this one and I really like it, light, comfortable, well designed.

https://www.woodcraft.com/products/easy-wood-tools-turners-smock-xl


----------



## bigJohninvegas (May 25, 2014)

I have a barbers smock that I bought years ago when I started grooming my dogs.
Then I picked up turning some years later. It has worked very well over the years.
The pockets have zippers in the bottom of the pocket to clean out wood shavings/ dog hair.
So about a year ago, it started to fall apart after a good ten years of use.
And since I spend more time in front of the lathe then grooming the dogs I went with a turners smock as a replacement.
Picked up the lite weight smock that craft supplies sells. It is everything they promised. But is heavier than the simple barbers smock that I have been using. 
This will become an issue for me in a month or so as summer sets in. 
The barber smock was only $25. And I will most likely by another soon for the hot months.
I live in Las Vegas, and get the 100+ summer temps. 
Keep your local temps in mind when making your choice. Even that barber smock gets hot for me. and never cool enough here for the heavy smocks like what Lee Valley sells.


----------

