Using a wide forged gouge for bowls

[TEP]

Hi Shaun, you will have opened a can of worms with your questions. :lol:

First have you got a copy of Keith Rowley's Woodturning. A Foundation Course. If not BUY one, it has all the answers to your questions in there, and some you haven't asked yet.

In the mean time I can answer your questions but this is only the way I do it. Some others may have different ideas.

Spindle work, you have been using the correct tools ie - roughing gouge/spindle gouge/skew.

Bowl turning, I would never use a roughing gouge on face plate work. It just grabs too much wood, and is not designed to reach over the rest too far.

It is OK using a spindle gouge on the outside of a bowl as long as it is NOT extended too far over the rest. Spindle gouges do not have the strength to work too far out. You would never use a spindle gouge inside a bowl, again it is just not designed for that.

Personally I would only use the bowl gouge on both sides, but it would have a Irish grind (ground back wings) on it. Also it can be used on spindle work as well.

You mention what is face plate work. Is it attached to a face plate? Not necessary, generally in spindle work the grain is orientated with the lathe bed. On face work the grain is lying across the bed.

Example making a goblet could be classed as spindle work if the grain runs head to tail. Where as a half log held in the centre with the grain running across the bed would be face plate work. It doesn't matter if you use the tail centre for support or not, it is the orientation of the grain.

Wooow! this is too much for a Sunday. I should be sitting with my feet up. :-({|=

Hope this little narrative has helped you a bit, but as I said earlier buy the book.

 

[jpt]

Hi Shaun

I will come back to the question of gouges in a minute, every thing else you are doing is OK.

You don't need to bring the tailstock up for support when the piece is held on the screw chuck, faceplate or chuck jaws. But, I do do it myself at times for added security and to dampen out vibrations if I get them, if you prefer to use it there is nothing wrong in that.

It is also good practise to use the tailstock for support if the piece you are turning is large and/or out of balance. It is better to work safely and be cautious than be cavalier and end up in hospital.

In my opinion the terms spindle and faceplate work to describe different ways of turning are out of date. These days we also have chucks which are capable of holding work to do either. I have used a chuck to hold a square piece of wood and turn a spindle instead of removing the chuck and putting drive centres in, I was feeling lazy.

I have also part turned a bowl blank between centres before putting it in a chuck to finish it off.

One definition that seems quite common is that spindle work is where the grain of the wood runs in line with the lathe bed and faceplate work is where the grain runs at right angles to the lathe bed. But I can quote you several instances where so called spindle work is done using a chuck or face plate and faceplate work is done using drive centres.

I hope I haven't confused you, I think I have confused myself now though. :?

On the subject or gouges and when they should be used this is a discussion that has been going on for years and will probably carry on for as long as there are turners around.

If you ask a manufacturer such as Ashley Isles they will tell you it is not called a roughing gouge its correct name is a spindle roughing gouge and should only be used where the grain of the wood is in line with the bed of the lathe. The reason for this is the way it is attached to the handle, a roughing gouge has a triangular shapped tang which goes into the handle and is designed to be used with a minimum overhang over the tool rest. Whereas a bowl gouge is the same size bar for its entire length and therefore much stronger and designed to be used a long way over the rest. Also when turning a bowl it puts force on the gouge due to changing from side to end grain every 1/4 turn and therefore you need a stronger tool. I am not sure how that affects turning burrs. :?

I have heard of several turners who have used roughing gouges in the wrong way and had serious injuries as the tang has broken through the handle.

manufacturers will also point out that whichever gouge you use you should use the correct size. For instance a 1/4" roughing gouge is good for pen and lace bobbin blanks but dangerous for a 12" diameter log, if you see what I mean.

I have used a roughing gouge on a large bowl blank but it was an 1 1/2" gouge used on the outside and with the tool rest close to the wood.

With regards to bowl and spindle gouges there is one argument that there is no such thing they are all just gouges, some are just longer and stronger than others and some are ground differently for certain uses.

I have used spindle gouges on bowl work to put in details where the surface being worked on is close to the rest. I have also used bowl gouges on spindle work where due to the size and design I am working a long way over the rest and the normal spindle gouge vibrates too much.

Having read that back it is a bit confusing, the main point though is it doesn't really matter what tool you use is called it is how you use it and as long as you work safely you should be OK.

Or to put it another way if in doudt don't do it and ask for help and advise.

john

 

[Bodrighy]

I tend to use a bowl gouge for virtually everything as the wood that I use has grain running in every which way, full of knots and goodness knows what else. Having said that If I am doing spindle work (I mean with the grain running along the bed of the lathe) I use a 1 1/4" roghing gouge to round the wood off. If it is only a small piece I again use a bowl gouge. Main reason is I started off with a few real cheap gouges that bent into almost artuistic shapes with the catches I was getting. After a few bits flying off and tools bending I decided to go for strength and safety and as said use the bowl gouges for most things. You can even do fine details with them if they are ground right.

I do have some spindle gouges but only tend to use them on small or delicate stuff.

Pete

 

[santiniuk]

Gents,

Many thanks for taking the time to write such lengthy and detailed replies. Keith Rowley's book is now on order I have put it off too long.

You have clarified some of my concerns and more importantly made me aware of the risks I had with the roughing gouge.

I was very concious using this tool and made sure the overhang was well supported. From now on it won't be used.

Thanks again.

Shaun

 

[santiniuk]

Just following up.

My book "Keith Rowley's Woodturning, A Foundation Course" turned up this week and it's excellent. If only I had this earlier a lot of my questions would have been answered.

Thanks for the advice, I cannot recommend this book enough.

Cheers

Shaun