PSI Woodworking LCHSS8 HSS Wood Lathe Chisel Set, 8-Piece

Reviews of PSI Woodworking LCHSS8 HSS Wood Lathe Chisel Set, 8-Piece

1.) excellant value
Reviewed by: William L. Purcell
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This is a high quality set of chisels for a great price. I looked at many other sets, some for twice the price, and I'm am really happy I purchased these. The wooden handles have a great feel, they are nice and long which gives good leverage when cutting. The blades hold an edge for a long time. I highly recomend these chisels.

2.) Experienced Turner Gives High Rating
Reviewed by: J. Z. Kartchner Morgan, UT
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I occasionally mentor novice turners and so bought all sets of the Benjamin's Best tools--four of the penturner's set. As I sharpen and test these tools to get them ready for use, I find that, in many cases, the quality of the steel compares favorably with steel costing up to four times as much, and it's the steel you're after, not the handle or the case! (The most expensive tools come indiviually packaged in a plastic sheath and many of them are unhandled.) If the B. B. handles come loose bang the end opposite the ferule down on a hard surface. If the handle cracks make a new one out of a $2.00 piece of ash (or a hardwood stick out of your woodpile). You can shine the metal with 0000 steel wool or crocus cloth if you are worried about appearances. Some have said they have to sharpen the B. B. tools often. So do we all! Experienced turners working on hard wood sharpen their tools (even the expensive ones) several times an hour (I said sharpen, not grind) because dull tools don't perform. Keep these babies sharp and clean and they will serve as well as Sheffield steel for almost as long. Happy turning!

3.) Great Beginners and Hobbyist's Set
Reviewed by: T. Drake
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I initially bought a set with the lathe I bought at Rockler. They wanted almost $200 for their set of five. As a beginner, I'm happy I spent under $60 for a set of eight that I can try and see what I like before I sink a ton of money into the wrong ones. I spent a little time sharpening each of them and they cut a great deal better then the "out of the box" sharpness. About the wood case: Mine was coming apart at the sides, but a little glue and a couple of clamps and it's a better case then when it started. The $200 Rockler set I looked at came with a cardboard box, so I'm going to call the lightly glued wood case a plus rather than a minus.

4.) Tools are a great beginner's find
Reviewed by: C. Adams Usk, WA USA
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I had no idea what all I wanted but I found this set and feel it will teach me how to use the lathe. Also will teach me what tools I will need in the future. The tools I found a little dull and needed sharpening. The tools came in a timely manner

5.) Another good buy from PSI !
Reviewed by: R. Nicholls
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At half the price of a SIX piece set of woodturning chisels from my local store, this EIGHT piece set seemed like another no brainer for a beginning turner. Other reviews had mentioned that the storage box that comes with the tools would likely be destroyed in the shipping process, but mine arrived in first class condition. I took the set to a tool sharpening class and everyone there, including the instructor, was very impressed with both the quality and the price. Several people said they were going to order a set!

6.) A Good Set
Reviewed by: SOLTC
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This 8-piece set of Benjamin's Best lathe Chisels is a great set for the beginning turner.

The assortment is excellent. The heads are broad and the handles long. Each tool is well balanced.
I find them very comfortable to use.

While some experienced turners prefer Henry Taylor or Sorby chisels, for the beginner or casual turner, 40.00+ for a single tool is a lot to spend.

7.) Better than expected - excellent value
Reviewed by: J. W. Vincent St. Paul, MN
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I'm new to wood turning. Having just purchased my first lathe I was looking for a good starter set. After some research, I "settled" on these as offering a good balance of quality (HSS & nice handles), selection and number of tools, and price. Ordering through Amazon was easy, and even with free shipping, they were delivered within a few days.

Based on other reviews here, I was expecting the tools to need immediate sharpening and the box to be falling apart. I was pleasantly surprised on both counts. The tools were reasonably sharp and the box was sound. Initially they didn't cut as well as I though they should and I wondered if they needed sharpening, but, then I noticed there was a filmy coating on the tools (probably some kind of protectant) which I removed using "Goo Gone". After which they cut much better. Any new sharp tool can use some sharpening, so I dressed them slightly with a diamond "stone" and they cut great.

I do wish the parting tool was an 1/8" diamond profile rather than the straight 3/16", and, I can see where bigger, heavier tools will be nice in the future, but, I've already done several small spindle projects (and a fair number of practice spindle trials of beads and coves) which I'm happy with (I really love how you can shave the wood with the skews and get such a smooth finish).

I'm very happy with this set and would highly recommend it as a starter set for any new wood turner.

8.) great for the money
Reviewed by: adw Oklahoma
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Really decent quality set. Nice handle length and a great set - especially for a starter.

9.) Quality Set For The Price
Reviewed by: Larry C. Newsome
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Let me first say that I am new to woodturning and that this is my first set of chisels. After using them about a dozen times already, I would have to say that they are really great. I've had no trouble with them at all and the tips seem to be just as sharp as when they were new. The length of the chisels plus their weight makes them relatively easy to control. The box that they came with is not the best in world but it is alright for the money. I would suggest these to anyone getting started in woodturning or even an experienced woodturner who would like to save save money.

10.) Great starter set, with most every tool you would use.
Reviewed by: YMMV Savannah, GA
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It has a decent bowl gouge, that will work for you bowl/platter needs. Decent scrappers for fine cuts and clean up. Parting tool. The spindle gouge and roughing gouge are ok as well. The skews are decent but are a little tricky for the beginner to get the hang of.

I figured out what I liked from these and then bought higher quality version after I learned a bit.

Amazon has the best price on them and free shipping as well.

11.) So far, so good.
Reviewed by: Henz73 Wilmington, DE
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The chisels are well packed in the wood case. I have done one turning, so far, and the chisels have worked well. I am a novice, but I can say that the chisels had a nice feel and balance.

12.) Just Starting? Buy These.
Reviewed by: Wood, Photos, Music, and Tech Deerfield, MA
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A fantastic set for those just starting to turn.

They hold an edge well and for a pretty long time.

Only negative is that the handles are a bit short, but if you have a lathe, it's easy to turn your own longer handles!

GREAT value for the price. You get a lot more than you pay for with these.

13.) Very Pleased
Reviewed by: David C. Carriker Charlotte, NC USA
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I am new to the world of turning but, after sharpening, I have been very pleased with the quality of these tools.

14.) Great chisels, great price
Reviewed by: drgnslyr Indianapolis, IN
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I really like these chisels. would be nice if they had longer handles but that would be the only negative comment I would have. I like these so much I have added a set if inboard and outboard scrapers (very nice long handles and big blades) as well as a mini hollowing set for my hollow forms and received just today my BB square nose chisel. I have yet to get a crappy box or crappy chisel. 4 different orders of add ons and not so much as a loose handle or anything. you WILL need to sharpen these before you use them however, they are coated and not super sharp. I tried using a scraper straight out and thought it was very sluggish... threw it on the grinder and DANG! that sucker was flipping some curls. so obviously I really like these and recommend all BB chisels. get them today! I have successfully turns pens, bottle stoppers, a vase and my personal favorite bowls with these. no problem.

15.) Good midi set
Reviewed by: BKC Turkey Calls
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I have to say I have purchased three of these sets in the last few years. I like them for small turning work. They aren't the highest quality available, but more than worth the money.

16.) Good starter chisel set
Reviewed by: Richard Wills Crofton, KY USA
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Better than average starter set that includes more than you will need to get started turning. Arrived faster than I was expecting.

17.) Offshore chisels a great deal for getting started
Reviewed by: Cal's Girl Iron, MN
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I searched the Internet over and this seemed to be the best deal on chisels for beginner lathe work. For the cost the quality is satisfactory and the shipping was free, which I like very much. I only wish I could secure a deal similar to this from an American manufacturer. It seems that soon our whole economy will be based off of unemployed folks like me buying offshore stuff like this to pass the time away while we wait for the Politicians to stop selling America down the river! But hey, I am a sucker for a deal and who can afford patriotism these days? It is a sad state of affairs....

18.) Out Standing value from the U.S.A.
Reviewed by: Valerie Young England
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I cannot give a detailed or specific review of the wood lathe chisel set until after 7th February, because we had them delivered to a family member who will be visiting us then. The reason for that is cost in the U.K. they would cost us Â£100.00 in the U.S.A. they where Â£25.00. I will give another review after this date.

19.) good tools, great price
Reviewed by: RF LA, usa
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I am pretty happy with this set. I will be comparing this set to a 5 chisel set I previously purchased from Woodcraft at a sale price of $86 after tax, original price was $130 + tax. The PSI set cost me under $50 with free shipping and no tax. The blades on the PSI chisels measure between 6.25 to 6.5 inches from ferrule to tip, which is the same as the more expensive Woodcraft set. The Woodcraft set came with what I felt were clumsy, overly large, overly long, and slippery handles that felt too light, while the PSI handles are made with denser/harder/heavier wood that IMO handle better for more detailed work. The overall fit and finish of the PSI set is better, except that the Woodcraft set is sharpened better. For some reason, the edges of the PSI chisels that are supposed to be flat (not the ground cutting edges) round over near the tips of the new tools. Grinding/sharpening gets rid of the problem for good but that means you'll have to spend more time preparing the tools for use. This is the reason I gave it 4 stars out of 5. The PSI set also comes in an softwood/plywood case while the Woodcraft set came in a sad cardboard box. Funny enough, the PSI case needed some fixing just as I had read from the other reviews here. It wasn't broken though, there just wasn't enough glue applied to the lid and bottom of the case. A tiny bit of glue and some light clamping pressure fixed it up like new - a job that really should be a piece of cake for anyone. Amazon did a good job of packing it. The case is actually a nice touch. It's good enough to use on it's own, but I keep all my tools in a large rolling chest with drawers. The tools will roll around even if your drawers are lined with the good tacky drawer liners, so I unscrewed the hinges of the box, removed the lid and placed the box in one of my shallow drawers. This saved me the trouble of having to make individual partitions for each chisel inside my drawers to keep them in place. The PSI set was overall better, cost about 40% less, and came with three extra chisels, so I returned the more expensive set. I found all the tools included useful, except I don't need two skew chisels of similar size so I plan on grinding the tip into a different shape when the need arises. The well known Sorby chisels are good, but I couldn't justify spending $30-$40 for just one tool when an extra $10-$20 buys me eight of these.

20.) Great customer service
Reviewed by: IggyLove
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We really haven't had the chisels long enough to tell how well they hold up. I got them as a gift for my husband, and he likes them a lot, though he's only used them a few times, and you can't beat the price. I can, however, highly recommend the company for its customer service. One of the chisels developed a crack in the handle a little while after we got them. I emailed the company, and within a little over a week, we had a replacement chisel mailed to us.

21.) Pleased
Reviewed by: Mathew Anderson Glens Falls, NY
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It is true that they require sharpening often...but for the money, you really can't go wrong...unless you"ve been turning for a while and are ready for the next step. I've turned dozens of piece (exotic hardwoods - we're talking hard wood) and I am happy with the tools. I need to resharpen about twice per piece...but I'm ok with that.

22.) IT IS TRUE...!
Reviewed by: Mr. Geweke Tucson Az US
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Do not expect the box to make it thru shipping, Amazon could do a better job of packing but a little glue cures the box problem. Now the LATHE TOOLS are a very good beginners set. Quality tools good enough for getting into wood turning without spending $200 just to see if you like it. NOTE: They really do need to be honed to a fine edge.

23.) Good set
Reviewed by: RB44317 Fredericksburg VA
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Overall good set of chisels - I would recommend esp for those new to turning or sharpening. I was very concerned about the loose handles as others have described, but fortunately my set were all secure. I think the picture led me to think they would be longer than they are, but had I paid attention to the "Product Details" that stated the shipping dimensions are only 18x2x13, my expectations would have been more realistic. Regardless, they are still comfortable and fun to use. All pieces needed sharpening before using especially the 2 larger gouges, so be sure you have access to a grinder (slow speed) or somewhere you can get them honed - I think Woodcraft offers a sharpening service. Given the free shipping and $30 savings for opening an Amazon credit card, the cost was only $19.99 - about $2.50 per chisel for M2 steel! Bottom line, I'm glad I got them and I'd get them again.

24.) Nice Case
Reviewed by: Maddog Colorado
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I just received my tools today. When I opened the box I couldn't get it out in one piece because the case was falling apart! I had to laugh out loud. Now the tools look nice to me, but I am a rookie turner. They look real "Beefy" and are labled nicely with M2 HSS and the size in fractional inches. The edges look great and I can hardly wait to try them. (My lathe is on order)
Right now the case is clamped and the glue is drying. It is a pretty nice case, just comes as a "kit". But I would have bought the tools without the case, so big deal.

25.) Great starter set
Reviewed by: B. Meyers Wheaton, IL USA
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I have used this set for 9 months. It comes with many of the tools you need to start turning. A great set to start with and build on. As you learn your style of turning, you can add to or replace the tools as needed. If you want to turn bowls, I would recommend adding a bowl gouge to your order.

26.) Good set for a beginner
Reviewed by: D. Fellows
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I am a beginner at woodturning and needed a moderately priced chisel set that I could learn with. This set meets my needs very well. I have used five of the eight chisels so far. They hold an edge reasonably well and I have been able to do some good turning with these tools.

27.) very good tool set for the price
Reviewed by: Rick Hartley Shingletown, CA
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Some have complained about the wooden chisel storage box. I ordered for the chisels not the box and was surprised that the box arrived intact and is a fine compliment to the chisels. The chisels required a touch up sharpening but all in all this has been a worthwhile purchase.

28.) Works good after sharpening
Reviewed by: Ira L. Whitacre
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This set is nice and heavy, seems like a good deal, but make sure you sharpen the edges straight out of the box. I'm new to turning so at first I didn't know anything was wrong, except that people on TV seemed to cut through stock like butter, and I was struggling to round-out a square blank. I honed the blades a little with an eze lap paddle, and wow, the difference was like night and day. I don't know how long these chisels will hold an edge, but they are capable of very nice cuts. Also, there is some kind of coating on the steel that I removed with fine sandpaper before honing.

29.) Not bad but not great either
Reviewed by: Rod Davidson
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For what it's worth, I have a set of Rockwell lathe tools that I bought new in 1973 but needed some specialty tools so I bought a set of Benjamin's Best HSS tools from Amazon for them. I am also selling my old Rockwell lathe and thought I'd get new general purpose tools to go with the new lathe and include the old tools with the old lathe. So I bought a set of Windsor Design HSS tools so I could compare the old and the new before I parted with the old ones.

There is very little cosmetic difference between Benjamin's Best HSS and Windsor Design HSS - same size, and the same wood handles. Finish was not as good on the WD and the labeling was painted on the blades rather than etched into the blades as they are on the BB chisels. But are they any good?

The method - both of the sets came semi sharp and will cut wood as delivered but I wanted to compare and keep the best tools. So I used the skew chisel from each set as the reference, re-ground and honed the edge of all three chisels. First I shaved aluminum with each of the skew chisels because I'm impatient and wanted them to dull quickly. After 4-5 slices each I checked and decided aluminum wasn't dulling them fast enough so I got a brass rod and shaved some off it with each chisel - now they showed that there was some wear. Then I took a chunk of 45# particle board and shaved on the edge of it with each chisel until I had an observable defect.

The results - the Rockwell chisel looked sharp (no chips) but did not cut very well. Benjimin's Best cut fine but had tiny, un-feelable (seeable with a magnifying glass) chips in the edge. Windsor Design's had noticeable chips in the edge. But both of the HSS tools were still sharp enough to cut particle board! (Or at least knock chunks off it.)

Good luck with your decision.

30.) For the Price Great tools
Reviewed by: Thrifty Spender East Coast
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I don't have this full set of tools but I have several Benjamin's Best tools, including several in this set. For the price they are great tools. In my experience they hold an edge for about the same length of time my HHS Sorby or Hamlet tools do. The depth of the flutes or the gouges are different from my other tools, and I find the ones on my other tools to be superior, but that is probably because I am more familiar with the other tools. This is a good beginners set, and other Benjamin's best tools are available which can round out this set. I am a particularly big fan of their scrapers which are a small fraction of the price of the brand name tools.

31.) Just good basic tool set!
Reviewed by: Praire Craftsman Lee's Summit, Mo USA
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I had just gotten back into woodworking and needed a new set for a large, short bed lathe I had just finished building. I had given away the my set of sears tools to my son and was upgrading. A lot of the other sets being sold were either very expensive, too short or just kind of ugly. These tools seemed to fit the bill all around. The fit and finish is a good as could be expected considering the price and the handles are not slippery and fit my large hands well. The only down side, I did have reshape a few edges and sharpen others before use. But this I have done to expensive cutting tools as well. As to others saying the wooden case gave problems, they must have fixed them, as mine was perfect as shipped. Finally, I always look to where tools are made and try to avoid imported, but most, even the expensive ones are made in China these days, so what the hey! I was pleasantly surprised and will probably buy more in the future.

32.) Great Customer Service
Reviewed by: R. Westmoreland
Rating:

Due to my inexperience I broke the 7/8 gouge on the very first day of use. While trying to turn some "yard oak", I was using the gouge on the end of the piece and had a massive kickback that broke the gouge at the handle. I contacted PSI Customer Service, told them what happened, and with in days, they sent me a replacement part. No hassles, just had to send in pictures of the broken part. Now I just need to learn the correct way to use the tools.

33.) NOT IN STOCK
Reviewed by: B. Spargo NH USA
Rating:

Amazon claims this is "In Stock"
I have received 3 delays on the shipment so far and am completely losing my trust in Amazon's claim of "In Stock" status for any items! Ridiculous... Did the MFG stop making these or what? I am still keeping my order since I don't have any urgent turning projects that I'm waiting to be able to do with the tools, but it I do find it crazy that this product has a status of "In Stock" when it is obviously not true. Amazon - get your act together on this!

34.) Good for the money
Reviewed by: db Utah
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The only complaint I have is that they don't hold their edge as well as others I've used. Could be my sharpening. Otherwise they perform well. This type of tool is only as good as the user.

35.) losing the handle
Reviewed by: wood turner san diego
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After using several of the tools from this selection three of the tools began to loosen from the handles. I have been turning some seasoned stock and maybe these tools can't handle hardwoods. They seemed to work fine with green stock. Other than the loosening of the handles they perform fine. I solved the problem by shimming the tool stock back into the receiving end of the handle.

36.) reasonable
Reviewed by: Morgan L. Garner Nassau, NY
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This set seems like a good beginner set, not extremely expensive, but it doesn't stay sharp for very long. I am quite happy with it though. would recommend.

37.) You get what you pay for
Reviewed by: Rev Hawg Seattle, WA
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At $6.50 a tool you get what you pay for, not a bad purchase for the price. Next time I will pay more and get better quality. I had to re-temper the tips, because they would hold an edge.

38.) Initial impressions...Buy it for the chisels, throw the case away.
Reviewed by: SuperDave3006 League City, Texas U.S.A.
Rating:

My set came in this afternoon, and I was able to check them out, and was able to use every one of the tools except for the scrapers.

The chisel set handles are marked "Benjamins Best" burned into the handles which appear to be well made, and the high speed steel tool sections seem well attached.

In use the gouges worked as they should, and cut as cleanly as a gouge would be expected to. The parting tool cut fast and clean, and the skews left a nice finish, ready for sanding.

However the "decorative storage box" is utter junk. Mine came with unglued box joints and paper thin metal hardware. All joints on the box were so badly done that a 6th grade wood shop student would have received a failing grade if this were a class project. I don't know WHY PSI would market this under their name. I guess they don't care if they are getting a reputation for corner cutting.

I have a friend with the high end HSS set from Harbor Freight. The tools in the set appear almost identical to these, but at least that had a glued, trimmed, and finished case.

I opted for the PSI set over the HF set simply because I thought it was only a few bucks more than the HF after you figure in shipping, and it should be higher quality stuff...

I was wrong.

I don't regret buying this set. The tools cut really well. But I am planning on tossing the case in the fireplace and building a proper rack for these...

I don't claim to be a wood turning expert, I am just starting out after not having touched a lathe for 20+ years... But I know quality, and I know junk, and the box that they sent had a mixture. Reasonable quality tools inside an absolute junk case.

Suggestion for PSI. Instead of including the box that nobody likes, replace it with a decent tool wrap / roll that we can keep the tools protected and stored...

39.) Good for the money but...
Reviewed by: Joseph Evans
Rating:

I didn't expect a lot for the price so I can't complain too much. One chisel had a loose handle and the wooden box's bottom needed to be reglued.

40.) An ok set, you get what you pay for.
Reviewed by: Duckcake Chicago, IL
Rating:

After reading all these comments, I thought I was gonna get a broken box and some crappy chisels. And i was right :) but it's not THAT BAD. As i said, you get what you pay for.

I just got these a couple minutes ago so I haven't gotten the chance to test them out. And I won't be able to until Christmas. But I'm sure they're good, and sharp.

On the other hand... when I opened it up I found that my 3/4" chisel (7th one from the left in that picture) was bent, more than just a little, but I'm still a rookie turner so I'm not sure if its suppose to be like that. But i highly doubt it.

As for the box, It's oooook, I just have to re-glue the middle divider. And there's some strange red marker (i hope its marker) stuff on the bottom of it. That's all I've got to say about these.

Hope i helped :)

41.) Don't put any value on the box.
Reviewed by: Papa-fix-it New Hampshire United States
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These chisels appear to be OK for us beginners and are priced right. Just wanted other buyers to know the box is very unlikely to survive shipping. Mine was in terrible shape. I am not returning the item as this will get me nowhere...as far as the box is concerned, (balsa wood?)...besides, I bought this item for the chisels.

42.) bad impression right off the bat
Reviewed by: A. Weiss
Rating:

opened up the box and right away, the wood is coming unglued. Open it, and you can see where the pad that they cushion the tools with, had fallen off and they reglued it on, but in a different spot. So there's a strip of glue running down the lid. So far chisels seem ok for the price, but could be better.

Features of PSI Woodworking LCHSS8 HSS Wood Lathe Chisel Set, 8-Piece

1.) Ideal kit for turning small pens, spindles, bowls and larger projects;
2.) The M2 High Speed Steel 5-1/4-Inch blades outlast high carbon steel 6-to-1 and will give you years of use;
3.) Set includes 8 essential chisels: 3/16-Inch parting tool, 5/8-Inch spear scraper, 1-Inch skew chisel, 5/8-Inch skew chisel, 5/8-Inch round nose scraper, 1/2-Inch bowl gouge, 3/4-Inch spindle gouge, 7/8-Inch roughing gouge;
4.) Comes with beautifully turned 10-3/4-Inch hardwood handles in an attractive wood display box;
5.) Super value for all turners;

Package Height x Length x Width: 18.1 in. x 18.1 in. x 13.8 in.
Package Weight: 5.2 lbs.