Bedan tooling ?

[Bill White]

How many of you use the bedan tool? Is it just another parting tool/rounding tool?
Bill

[Sid Matheny]

I have the Sorby 3/8" bedan and really use it a lot more than I thought I would when I first got it. Would hate to do without it now.

Sid

[Peter Fabricius]

Hi All;
I have the Henry Taylor 3/8" Bedan. Great for quick and accurate work on tenons. Also works well for small projects used like a skew. UTube has a few good video demos of the process.
A nice tool but not totally necessary.
Peter F.

[Greg Just]

I don't have one but see it as a big parting tool. I was going to buy one until I learned how to use the skew.

[Josh Bowman]

I have the 3/8" Sorby. Use it a bunch. Careful, it can take off a bunch in hurry!

[Ryan Baker]

I use mine mainly as a big parting tool and for dovetailing tenons for a chuck. I prefer to use other tools instead of the bedan for the other things it can do.

[Harry Robinette]

I use a Crown Bedan a little, but at Cincinnati Symposium a couple years back I was in a demo with Escolon (Misspelled name) and he said a French bedan is better then a English bedan so I been trying to find a French bedan before I get any bad habits. I never knew there was 2 different bedan and from what he said there is a big differents in the two. But I can't find a French bedan. So you got me.

[Josh Bowman]

I thought a French bedan was an English bedan used upside down.


I use a Crown Bedan a little, but at Cincinnati Symposium a couple years back I was in a demo with Escolon (Misspelled name) and he said a French bedan is better then a English bedan so I been trying to find a French bedan before I get any bad habits. I never knew there was 2 different bedan and from what he said there is a big differents in the two. But I can't find a French bedan. So you got me.

[Jerry Wright]

I use a Crown Bedan a little, but at Cincinnati Symposium a couple years back I was in a demo with Escolon (Misspelled name) and he said a French bedan is better then a English bedan so I been trying to find a French bedan before I get any bad habits. I never knew there w
as 2 different bedan and from what he said there is a big differents in the two. But I can't find a French bedan. So you got me.

Xxxxxx-xxxxx makes French bedans.

[Bernie Weishapl]

I use a bedan on spindles kinda like a skew and to make dovetail tenons.

[Jamie Donaldson]

I spent a week at Arrowmont with Jean Francois Escoulen several years ago, and it was a truly humbling experience for me as an "experienced" turner. He is an absolute magician with the French bedan, which is 1/2" square rather than the trapezoidal English bedan, his definition! He can use it like about a half dozen other tools, especially the skew, and it is basically a half profile parting tool for the rest of us.

[Roger Wilson]

Four good youtube videos which will show you the potential of a bedan. Much more then just a parting tool.
Escoulen (frenchman) introduced it in America as far as I can tell.
First two videos are of him doing a demo in Japan.
Second two videos are of Stu in tokyo practicing with his bedan.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMDPE8i4LiQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3Fvo4smGZk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kglcgy6TgxU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7TEeHoZM9Vk

[Edward Bartimmo]

Bedan is an extremely versatile tool. It can perform all same cuts of skew (planing, rolling beads and coves) and is much more forgiving than skew. Due to its additional mass it is effective for parting tool than using the skew. I like the French style with the parrallel sides, which makes it easier to hold the edges for rolling the edge for beads. Overall, the 1/2" size bedan is most useful. I came across a 1/4" Bedan from Sorby that I use for small finials, etc.

The Crown 3/8' bedan has some nice steel, but it is the English style with the non-parrallel sides (trapezoid). I believe the rational behind the trapezoidal sides (ie the top is narrower than the bottom with the sides angling inward) is to provide some extra clearance to get into tighter corners/grooves/spaces when rolling a series of beads beads

[Ron Bontz]

I have the Sorby 3/8th Bedan, (HSS) as well as the Glaser 1/2" Bedan,(10V). Both English versions, I believe. IMHO they are very versital. I sometimes use them as a parting tool, sometimes similar to a skew. They do peeling cuts very well as well as round over etc. Obviously the Glaser holds an edge much better. I'll be buying the 3/8th at some point.

[Bill Wyko]

I'll check out the Glaser one while I'm there this weekend and get back to you guys. From what I can tell, it too is a very well designed and built tool like the rest of the line up.

[Charles Bjorgen]

I bought my 3/8" Bedan from Packard last year and have generally used it more as an over-sized parting tool than anything else. I have generally used this tool in bevel down mode and was curious that the French turner Escoulen used his bevel up. The tool can probably be used both ways, I assume, or does that only work with the squared version? Mine has the trapezoid shape. Will test this next time I'm on the lathe.

[Wally Dickerman]

I made my own bedan type tool possibly 50 years ago. Many years before I'd ever heard of a bedan tool....Heck, they probably copied mine:)...I used mine a lot for hollowing bowls many years before the bowl gouge was invented. I still use the tool a lot for various cuts. Fact is, I have 4 or 5 of them in different sizes for different uses. I grind mine back an inch or so on each side at 15 degrees, which is more than the commercial bedan. The nose is ground at 60 deg....great tool!