Bowl gouge sizing ?

[OldWood]

Well I thought I had this sussed out but I've bought what I thought was going to be a 1/2" bowl gouge off Ebay - it's marked 1/2" by one of the established brands, but the top of the flute is only 3/8". To confuse me more the stock is 5/8".

I've already got a 3/8", again a good brand, but it is in comparison a much lighter tool.

Peter Child shows a table on his site that indicates that 1/2" gouge is milled from 5/8" stock, but equally says that the top of the flute is the defining tool size.

Can someone clarify please - and no comments about Ebay buys either !!! The tool was a good price to me and is unused.

Rob

 

[CHJ]

If it's Henry Taylor 'Long and strong' then the top of the flute may well be narrower due to straighter flute sides.

Some more info. on the Toolpost Site

 

[OldWood]

The Toolpost site just reinforces the oddity as it indicate a 5/8" stock for a 1/2" gouge. This is superflute shape - ie not parallel sides - and is just over 9mm (not even 3/8") at the top of the flute on 5/8 stock.

It's a heavy tool and maybe I'm better to use it than pursue a 'real' 1/2" one - comment ?

Rob

 

[CHJ]

Quite honestly I never even consider what 'size/standard' a given tool is. I have always just picked on the basis that I wanted something a bit heavier to dampen the cutting loads or smaller to gain access, The effect of the flute profile on the grinding profile and flow of shavings when presenting the tool I note in use and end up with a preference for one tool over another but if you ask me which is which I could not tell you with any certainty and may even have difficulty in identifying them when the time comes to replace.

I would just use the tool and see if it suits your needs, if you find its on the rack more often than in use then try something different.

 

[Mark Hancock]

Rob

Sizing depends on what side of the Atlantic you are In the UK we size a bowl gouge by measuring from inside the flute on one side to the outside of the bar on the other side. In the States it is simply the diameter of the bar.

In the UK a 3/8" bowl gouge is milled from 1/2" bar. In the States that would be called a 1/2" bowl gouge.
So UK 3/8" = States 1/2"
UK 1/2" = States 5/8"