Easy Rougher and pictures

[Tom Lewis]

On the AAW forum there has been quite a discussion about the Easy Rougher. For truing up out of round bowls I think it's pretty hard to beat.
The first picture shows a large out of round ash bowl blank on my Vicmarc VL300.
The Second pictures shows the blank after truing up with the Easy rougher. For working with out of round bowl blanks the Easy Rougher is much easier and faster to use than any other tool I know of.
The third picture shows the blank after coreing with the McNaughton Center Saver.
I posted the pictures here because they don't need to be re-sized on Sawmill Creek like they do on the AAW forum.

[Frank Townend]

On the AAW forum there has been quite a discussion about the Easy Rougher.

To say the least! Great pictures and demonstration of this awesome tool Tom. I've gone ahead from here to sweep the tool side to side to create a rather smooth exterior. There are many times this is my go-to tool.

[John Frigillana]

;) I will attest to what the Ci1 does. It has cut my roughing time to half and even more in some cases. Combined with the Thompson gouges for final finish and you have a winning combo!:D

[David Christopher]

Thanks Tom, I just bought one...it should be here in a day or two

[Ken Glass]

Tom,
I just received mine today and made a new handle for it. Wow! I have to say the claims are not exaggerated at all. It will become my favorite roughing tool, without a doubt. It also leaves a great finish.

[curtis rosche]

in the grizzley industries catolog they have metal turning bits. one of them is a triangular one that looks like the bits for the easy rougher, but they are carbied coated with that gold titanium stuff. the bit has a little chip breaker on it. would this be that same as the easy rougher if put into a turning handle?

[George Conklin]

Does the tool work well on dry wood?

[Tom Lewis]

I have used the easy rougher on dry wood with a lot of knots. It works better on green wood but it works a lot better on dry wood than a bowl gouge does.

[Jess Wetherhold]

I absolutely love mine and it was the best money I have spent on a turning tool. It saves me so much time. The videos do not lie. It does exactly as promised and with dry wood.

[Tom Lewis]

Curtis, to give my answer to your question about using metal lathe carbide inserts in place of the easy rougher, I have a metal lathe and use the carbide inserts on it.
I have made wood lathe tools using the metal lathe carbide inserts and while they work, they don't work as well as the easy rougher.
The reason is the easy rougher is made for wood. It has a very sharp thin edge. If this sharp thin edge was used on metal it wouldn't last very long. The metal carbide inserts have a thicker edge which is made to cut metal.
I do use the metal lathe carbide inserts when I run into a nail or piece of metal in the piece of wood I am turning.

[curtis rosche]

ok. thanks tom.

[Dave Schell]

So can anyone explain "exactly" why this tool is any better at roughing than other tools? :D:D:D


PS reference the AAW forum thread if you don't understand the humor in this reply.

[Reed Gray]

The carbide in the Easy Rougher, Hunter, and Eliminator tools is a 'micro grain' carbide and is much finer then most tooling carbide. The Easy Rougher is a scraper, pure and simple. I have used scrapers for roughing my bowls for several years, and find them to work better for this type of work than gouges.
robo hippy

[Don Carter]

I have seen some "homemade" easy roughers using the shelix joiner inserts from Grizzly. I am not sure if they work as well as the original.
http://www.grizzlyindustrial.com/products/Shelix-Replacement-Tips-10-Pk-/H7354

All the best.

Don