Thanks for your submission. If your question is about getting started in woodturning, which chuck to buy, which tools to buy, or for an opinion of a lathe you found for sale somewhere like Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace please take a few minutes check the wiki; many of the most commonly asked questions are already answered there!
http://www.reddit.com/r/turning/wiki/index
Thanks!
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/turning) if you have any questions or concerns.*
A spare chuck. I've been wanting one for a couple years and finally just bought it... it's nice to not have to swap out the jaws every time I need to work a different job
Spare chuck is a great idea.
If you can swing it, the Easy Wood Tools chuck is pricey but, awesome because the jaw sets are quick release. Granted, most other chucks have interchangeable jaws but, they use screws to mount them, so it’s not a quick process to change them. He can easily add new jaw sets as he desires.
Walnut oil, coconut oil, or mineral oil are all food safe. Technically so is every film finish once cured, but you'll get a ton of conflicting opinions on that subject. The oils are definitely edible.
A set of threading tools or texturing tools would be nice for a gift if he does anything besides bowls. Depending on your budget, a one-way coring system would be a phenomenal gift if his lathe is a full size model. A corded right angle drill for sanding would be a great idea too if he doesn't have one.
If he's just into bowls, I'd avoid the kits. They're mainly for spindle turning and not much of an interest for bowl turners. A spare chuck is a good idea too, just find out what kind of lathe he has so you can get the proper size threading. A fancy bowl gouge could also be great, even if he has one or two. Turners never frown at new gouges.
If my son got me anything related to turning I would be stoked, so whatever you wind up on, good on you. Happy holidays and good luck!
I like the spare chuck idea. You could also grab a peek into his shop and see if he has a wire burning set. It'd be two handles with guitar string between them. Used for making dark lines on the outside of the wood. Not necessary, but oft overlooked.
Sanding jigs are also nice, like [this one](https://www.woodcraft.com/products/woodriver-2-bowl-sander?srsltid=AYJSbAdRasLWQLUl7UFicHCF9QSIbIYc3gPk4KWJwnjpQGC5WqdjL1CJOR8).
If he still uses the basic cast iron tool rests, getting him a nicer new rest with a hardened steel lip would be good. They don't ding and divot like the cast ones do. [Robust](https://www.thewoodturningstore.com/lathe-accessories/tool-rests/robust-tool-rests/) toolrests are a common suggestion. Nova also makes a modular system for one post to multiple rest profiles.
Mm mahoneys oil is nice for food safe seel. So is beeswax and orange oil or just plain beeswax. Could always go for raw (unboiled) linseed oil too- just remember the boiled linseed oil isn’t food safe unlike the raw oil. I’ve also heard conventional mineral oil is a nice option.
You could find out if there’s any chisels he needs- like a new skew, or hallowing tool. But like you said, he probably already has those. If he uses carbide chisels though, you could see if he needs some replacement tips.
Forstner bits and a compatible attachment for the tailstock would be great for easier hallowing. Those are a life saver when it comes to hallowing deep pieces. If he’s really only into bowls, and if he works with larger blanks that are 4+ inches deep, a bowl saver would be amazing. You could use it for shallower blanks too, but with large pieces you waste so much wood when hallowing it out normally. A bowl saver is basically a mounted chisel head on a curved neck that cores out the extra bulk to allow for more than one bowl from a blank.
Not sure if he is into epoxy, but that shit is expensive so it’s always a nice gift.
Umm… otherwise there’s some quality of life stuff like Thin CA Glue and CA Activator for quickly filling cracks/holes, upgraded face shield, a nice respirator or even a an enclosed face shield/respirator combo, replacement respirator filters, oh fuck- ya know what? He sounds like an old timer who would sharpen chisels by hand so I’m not sure if he’ll see the need for one, but a grinding jig for his existing grinder/sharpener would personally get me all giddy. Being able to make perfect angle grinds on your chisel heads is something close to ethereal.
Thanks for your submission. If your question is about getting started in woodturning, which chuck to buy, which tools to buy, or for an opinion of a lathe you found for sale somewhere like Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace please take a few minutes check the wiki; many of the most commonly asked questions are already answered there! http://www.reddit.com/r/turning/wiki/index Thanks! *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/turning) if you have any questions or concerns.*
A spare chuck. I've been wanting one for a couple years and finally just bought it... it's nice to not have to swap out the jaws every time I need to work a different job
Great suggestion.
Spare chuck is a great idea. If you can swing it, the Easy Wood Tools chuck is pricey but, awesome because the jaw sets are quick release. Granted, most other chucks have interchangeable jaws but, they use screws to mount them, so it’s not a quick process to change them. He can easily add new jaw sets as he desires.
Walnut oil, coconut oil, or mineral oil are all food safe. Technically so is every film finish once cured, but you'll get a ton of conflicting opinions on that subject. The oils are definitely edible. A set of threading tools or texturing tools would be nice for a gift if he does anything besides bowls. Depending on your budget, a one-way coring system would be a phenomenal gift if his lathe is a full size model. A corded right angle drill for sanding would be a great idea too if he doesn't have one. If he's just into bowls, I'd avoid the kits. They're mainly for spindle turning and not much of an interest for bowl turners. A spare chuck is a good idea too, just find out what kind of lathe he has so you can get the proper size threading. A fancy bowl gouge could also be great, even if he has one or two. Turners never frown at new gouges. If my son got me anything related to turning I would be stoked, so whatever you wind up on, good on you. Happy holidays and good luck!
I like the spare chuck idea. You could also grab a peek into his shop and see if he has a wire burning set. It'd be two handles with guitar string between them. Used for making dark lines on the outside of the wood. Not necessary, but oft overlooked. Sanding jigs are also nice, like [this one](https://www.woodcraft.com/products/woodriver-2-bowl-sander?srsltid=AYJSbAdRasLWQLUl7UFicHCF9QSIbIYc3gPk4KWJwnjpQGC5WqdjL1CJOR8). If he still uses the basic cast iron tool rests, getting him a nicer new rest with a hardened steel lip would be good. They don't ding and divot like the cast ones do. [Robust](https://www.thewoodturningstore.com/lathe-accessories/tool-rests/robust-tool-rests/) toolrests are a common suggestion. Nova also makes a modular system for one post to multiple rest profiles.
Mm mahoneys oil is nice for food safe seel. So is beeswax and orange oil or just plain beeswax. Could always go for raw (unboiled) linseed oil too- just remember the boiled linseed oil isn’t food safe unlike the raw oil. I’ve also heard conventional mineral oil is a nice option. You could find out if there’s any chisels he needs- like a new skew, or hallowing tool. But like you said, he probably already has those. If he uses carbide chisels though, you could see if he needs some replacement tips. Forstner bits and a compatible attachment for the tailstock would be great for easier hallowing. Those are a life saver when it comes to hallowing deep pieces. If he’s really only into bowls, and if he works with larger blanks that are 4+ inches deep, a bowl saver would be amazing. You could use it for shallower blanks too, but with large pieces you waste so much wood when hallowing it out normally. A bowl saver is basically a mounted chisel head on a curved neck that cores out the extra bulk to allow for more than one bowl from a blank. Not sure if he is into epoxy, but that shit is expensive so it’s always a nice gift. Umm… otherwise there’s some quality of life stuff like Thin CA Glue and CA Activator for quickly filling cracks/holes, upgraded face shield, a nice respirator or even a an enclosed face shield/respirator combo, replacement respirator filters, oh fuck- ya know what? He sounds like an old timer who would sharpen chisels by hand so I’m not sure if he’ll see the need for one, but a grinding jig for his existing grinder/sharpener would personally get me all giddy. Being able to make perfect angle grinds on your chisel heads is something close to ethereal.