Woodturning shopping

[lighthearted]

Where do you shop online for woodturning supplies?

I often shop at Woodcraft online and don't necessarily think I am getting the best options or bang for my buck. And certainly not Rockler.

[alindsey]

I mainly shop Woodcraft, but that's because I work there. ;-)

When I can't get it there, the first place I go is Craft Supplies, USA.

Sometimes Penn State as well, though their quality can be hit and miss on their own products.

[carverken]

the other place I have made some purchases is WWW.Packardwoodworks.com I have been successfull with them.

Ken

[jHop]

Allen swiped my first choice, but I also have browsed through Berea Hardwoods site. They seem to be more a reseller than an independant provider. I haven't purchased anything (yet) from them, but I keep looking.

Berea hardwoods

I occasionally go to the Sorby site to drool, but they have the same problem (to me) as Lie Nielsen... they may be worth the cost, but the wallet's not that thick for everyday purchases.

[Lawrence Brown]

All of the above are great. Woodcraft isn't actually too bad on a lot of turning supplies. Like everything else, it does pay to shop around a bit. I agree with Rockler being a bit high on the turning stuff (and I pretty much love rockler), but once in a while it's worth it. I recently went in to purchase on of those live tailstock sets with all the different ends. I looked at the one that woodcraft carries, and the centers visibly wobbled about the central shaft. The only thing holding them in at all was literally magnets. It was obviously cheaply made, but it was the only one they carried. In disgust, I went to Rockler and found the Robert Sorby version (which I couldn't even find at woodcraft), and the difference was immediately obvious. All the centers were precision press-fit into the center, and they all had slight tapers, just a little moris taper, so the harder you pressed, the more stable it became. In line with the above notes, I of course paid more for the sorby name, but in this case the difference was a no-brainer: a center that wobbles, even the tiniest bit, is completely worthless no matter how little you pay for it.

So short answer: if you shop around and compare between all the above sources, you should be good.

[kevin]

sometime if you join a locale turners club you can get supplies like ca glue, green sealer and wood for a song. All the stores mention are good places for tools and lathes.

[APierce]

New here at the forum but I am building a good turning tool selection as well. My favorite place to shop online is www.packardwoodworks.com but I also enjoy going to my local WoodCraft because it is nice to be able to hold an expensive piece of steel before you buy it. What I like to do is buy the Sorby unhandled tools at WoodCraft and make my own wooden handles for them because they are significantly cheaper than the handled versions of the same tools.

[mlehikoinen]

Penblanks.ca for pen and other small project supplies.

For larger blanks, haven't found a source yet and don't have the room to store tons of greenwood.