Roughing gouge suggestion????

[Bill White]

I don't have a roughing gouge. I've done well for a long time without one by using well sharpened, wide bowl gouges. Which dedicated rougher do you folks suggest that won't cost 3 Chevys, a used truck, and 2 meals at a nice restaurant?
Bill

[Jim Burr]

I'd go with a I'd go with a Henry Taylor 1" Kryo just to mix things up a bit. The 3/4" Crown is really pricey IMHO, but they have a good rep. Hope Santa is good to you!!

[Kyle Iwamoto]

Since you mentioned cheap, and I'm all about cheap, I got the 2" monster RG from PSI. I just checked, it runs 42 bucks. Since it's big, it has a lot of fresh edges to use. Less trips to the sharpening station. I can hone it a few times at the lathe keeping the trips down even more. I just got done with a 15" Norfolk pine log..... It really doesn't take off much more wood than a 1" RG, but it has a lot of tool to get a fresh edge. I like it. IMO a roughing gouge is not somewhere to plink your hard earned dollars. There are better places to invest in a high quality tool.

Just my $0.02.

[Jim Burr]

Good point Kyle. Except they take a ton of abuse and need to be of beefier material...just MHO. I think is was my buddy Bill Wyko that had a roughing gouge snap on him...I may be missing some details...but that's the last place you want to see something fail. I'd opt for a little more beef and spend a little more $$...but not two fancy dinners worth!

[Bill Wyko]

I've been using the Glaser 15V to do turnings from beginning to end. It stays sharp from beginning to end as well. I had a Crown Pro PM snap in 2 on me. The tool was only 1-1/4" into the handle. I was shocked to see that. The Glaser has a weighted handle and a rock solid tool. I know they're pricy but if you break a tool, you'll be down and waiting for a replacement. Crown did replace it but I waited quite a while for it to come from England. The Glaser is 100% made in the USA and Paulo has really strived to make the best tools in the industry. I just ordered another one, I have a 10V on the way. I'm going to put an Elsworth grind on it.

[William Bachtel]

Doug Thompson has one right now, but it may cost you part of one chevy.

[Ralph Lindberg]

Since you mentioned cheap, and I'm all about cheap, I got the 2" monster RG from PSI. I just checked, it runs 42 bucks. Since it's big, it has a lot of fresh edges to use. Less trips to the sharpening station. I can hone it a few times at the lathe keeping the trips down even more. I just got done with a 15" Norfolk pine log..... It really doesn't take off much more wood than a 1" RG, but it has a lot of tool to get a fresh edge. I like it. IMO a roughing gouge is not somewhere to plink your hard earned dollars. There are better places to invest in a high quality tool.

Just my $0.02.

Me too, the only problem we have with it, is that is the go-too roughing gouge for both the wife and I, and we only have ONE

[robert baccus]

I've had a friend break one too close to me--too far off the tool rest. most tool companies do not recommend their use on bowls as the 45deg grind is really intended for rounding spindles. i have 2 roughing gouges but ground back to 70 deg and they really rip off green wood on bowls. with this grind they are very difficult to get a catch.---------old forester

[Ryan Baker]

Just to be sure, we are talking about spindle roughing gouges here, right? If so, my currently preferred SRG is my 1.5" Sorby. But I don't use it that often, frankly. I will more often just grab my 3/4" Thompson bowl gouge, which is usually faster anyway. If I have a rough log or something that needs some serious hogging down, I will often use my homemade easy rougher. For a strictly spindle roughing gouge, pretty much any 3/4" or 1.5" gouge on the market will do.

[Ken Whitney]

I use a P&N spindle roughing gouge. It isn't too expensive (under $100, anyway). It has a hefty round tang and appears well made.

[joel nucifore]

P&N roughing gouge not that bad in price and works great. inch and a quater I think

[Bernie Weishapl]

I like my P & N roughing gouge. Rather hefty and not a bad price.

[Chris Stolicky]

While I would have liked to get the Thompson version (I do own several of his other tools), I opted to purchase the D-way 3/4" version recently. It is about a third of the price of the Thompson (and smaller), and its really nice. I have seen and felt the Thompson SRG and it is an awesome tool, but the D-way seemed fill my need right now.

[Roger Chandler]

I have a Crown pro 1.25" roughing gouge.........it has served me well............keeps a pretty good edge, and I have the corners ground back just a bit on either side..........that helps eliminate catches.