Alan

Owning a set of Craftsman turning tools is a rite of passage for most
turners! Have no fear, these tools are pretty good and can be used without
doubt of their ability to do the job. They are HSS and will hold an edge
quite well.

The best tool in the bunch will be the Diamond parting tool - it has a good
configuration for making the parting cuts with clearance - although it will
prove to be a bit short at times.

My experience is that these tools are quite versitile. I have reground
almost every one - the skew was turned into a 45 degree scraper for shear
scraping the outside of a form. The narrow skew (1/2 inch) was reground
with a very long point for making cuts into deep V's and the round nose
scraper was reground to have a long bevel along the left edge to scrape the
inside of boxes.

The small (narrow) spindle gouge is basically worthless, unless you cut down
the length (to reduce chatter) and regrind the edge for making grooves.

So, these tools are great as special application tools - they are cheap and
there is little money lost if the tool is ground down to a nub in a few
months! Plus they are a good set of tools to use to learn how to sharpen at
the grinder!

Use them!

Ray Sandusky






"Alan Van Art" wrote in message
news:4YX0d.1827$yJ3.1819@trndny08...
Went to a flea-mkt and picked up a set of old Craftsman Turning tools
cheaply. I was wondering if anybody knew anything about these tools, I
realize they aren't exactly Sorby tools, but I won't be afraid to
experiment with different profiles with them. They came in a blue box with
metal hook closures in the front. The top of the box has a metal badge
with the Craftsman name, and 'Guaranteed Highest Quality'. Inside, the box
has dividers between the tools. The tools have nothing marked on the
steel. The handles are very red in color, pretty obviously not the natural
color of the wood, but stained or dyed or tinted. There is a small decal
on each handle with the Craftsman name and aforementioned catch phrase.
There are 8 tools in all. As far as weight, they are lighter than my Crown
tools, but heavier than the cheesey Jet tools that came with the lathe.
Looks like only two of the tools have been used, but the box has seen
better days (on the outside at least).


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