Buying guides
Choose woodturning tools
Find the cutting profile, dimensions and fit for the next job at your lathe.
Choose a tool for bowl or spindle work
Start with how the wood sits on the lathe and the cut you need to make. Compare the maker's intended workpiece before comparing the size on the tool label.
Read guide ↗Read tool width, flute and grind
A listing can use one number for the tool size and another for the physical bar. Find out which dimension matters for the cut, handle or fixture you are trying to match.
Read guide ↗Compare parting tools, skews and scrapers
A narrow cut, a spindle detail and a finishing pass call for different profiles. Compare the edge shape and the dimension that actually touches the wood.
Read guide ↗Choose a hollowing tool by its reach
A tool that reaches the center of an open bowl may not pass through a narrow opening to reach the shoulder. Compare the path of the cutting head as well as the shaft length.
Read guide ↗Match a replacement carbide cutter
Start with the tool body and its specified cutter code. Compare the edge outline and rake after you establish that the replacement sits correctly in the holder.
Read guide ↗Compare turning tool sets and handle systems
Count the jobs a set covers before comparing the number of pieces. For a modular system, identify the bar or tang and confirm what secures it in the handle.
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