Your opinion on my tool inventory

[Adrian Anguiano]

Started turning bowls about a month ago, and soon realized I wanted something larger than my 3/8 aka (1/2 American) Bowl Gouge for roughing bowls. So far ive been turning in the 9 - 14" range green fresh cut logs. I havent gotten to finishing any bowls, as my oldest one is only 6 weeks into the drying stage.

I was going to pick up a 5/8" Thompson V Bowl Gouge Probably, but was curious based on what I have below what else you may suggest that looks like I'm missing.
As far as handles go, my homemade ones are solid and epoxied, the sorbys are pretty good, the woodriver scraper gets some rattle vibration during use. I wish they epoxied.

Anyways, what do you suggest?


Gouges are in European sizes
All Tools are HSS

3/8 Sorby Spindle Gouge 10" Fixed Handmade Wooden Handle
1/2 Sorby Spindle Gouge 10" Fixed Handmade Wooden Handle

3/8 Sorby V Bowl Gouge 13" Fixed Wooden Handle

3/4" WoodRiver Roughing Gouge 14" Fixed Wooden Handle

1" Oval WoodRiver Skew 14" Fixed Wooden Handle

1" Round Nose WoodRiver Scraper 14" Fixed Wooden Handle

Sorby Thin Parting Tool 6" Fixed Wooden Handle
WoodRiver Diamond Parting Tool 14" Fixed Wooden Handle

WoodRiver Small PenMaking Sized Tools (1 gouge, 1 skew, 1 parting)

[Reed Gray]

Sounds like a fairly good start to tools. As you may have heard, you can never have too many. One note of caution, the roughing gouge in your inventory is for spindles, and not so good for bowls. A 5/8 Thompson gouge would be a great addition. For scrapers, my favorite roughing tool, they have to be about 3/8 inch thick. 5/16 is okay, but the 1/4 inch thick ones will chatter if they hand more than an inch or so out over the tool rest. I also prefer the square tangs rather than the tapered ones. Mostly they are much stronger. For a wood handle, I make a sandwich. The center piece is the same thickness as the scraper. You cut out a rectangle on your bandsaw that is just a tiny bit bigger than your shaft on your scraper. Then the bread goes on the outside of the center piece. This is far better than drilling a round hole, and then pounding the square shaft into it, and then using epoxy to make it stick. Go to You Tube and type in robo hippy. I have a couple of clips up, including one where I turn a bowl with just scrapers, and one where I turn with just gouges.

robo hippy

[Thom Sturgill]

+1
I heartily agree with Robo Hippy. I prefer a square scraper (actually slightly rounded) and an inside bowl scraper, but each has its place. Sorby makes both in 1/2" thick versions.

You may also want a detail gouge or beading tools for decorating bowls. A proper detail gouge has a shallower gullet than a regular spindle gouge, which allows it to be sharpened at a sharper angle of 25-30 degrees. A triangular tool (easy to make) is good for cutting circles in the base of the bowls for decoration and depending on the length of the point can be used similar to a skew.

D-Way has some interesting beading tools. I have two and like them better than the Sorbys (which i also own one of). I don't have Dave's Diamond point tool, but it looks to be a good substitute for the triangular tool.

[Dennis Ford]

You have a good selection.
+1 on a detail gouge, I use a 8mm P & N. I would buy a D-Way if I did not have that one.
If you don't have one now, one bowl gouge sharpened @ 70 deg with a traditional grind is good for bowl bottoms (a "U" profile is good for this), a heavy scraper works for the same job.
It looks like you have not gotten hollowing, if you do; more tools will be needed!

[Kyle Iwamoto]

You did not mention if you have a grinder/sharpener. If you don't, that is where I'd put some money into before "more" gouges. As mentioned, what you have is a nice selection. Keeping them sharp is important. Contrary to what most say, I do like my Sorby bowl gouges. I have a 3/8, 1/2 and 3/4. The 3/4 monster bowl gouge is my "roughing" gouge also. Sharp gouges are more important than more gouges. LOL

To answer you original question, I'd get the Thompson 5/8 V, (same size as my 1/2 Sorby) I have Thompsons too. They are outstanding gouges.

[Marc Himes]

A frequently forgotten, but useful tool is the Bedan tool. It is a square end tool that can be rounded if needed (or get two and leave one square and round the other). This tool works a lot like the easy rougher but is much less expensive. It can also be used to obtain a fairly clean cut when you become familiar with it.

[Adrian Anguiano]

You did not mention if you have a grinder/sharpener. If you don't, that is where I'd put some money into before "more" gouges.

I'm using a woodcraft grinder with wolverine jigs. Just the basic white wheels, and they have done a great job so far. The dust and constant reprofiling the wheel is annoying, but as far as effectiveness its worked great.

I hear ya on sharp tools. The main reason I want a bigger gouge is for roughing. Id like something a little larger, a little heavier, and a little longer to help with the "pleasure" of roughing out.

[Pat Scott]

Adrian the first thing that caught my eye with your list was how short all of your handles are. If you are going to consider a larger gouge, you need a longer handle as well. A 3/8" bowl gouge (1/2" American) should have at least a 16" handle. If you're looking at a Thompson 5/8" V-gouge, look at his 16" handles while you're at it. All of my bowl gouges have a 16" to 20" handle.

A 5/8" gouge is what I use probably 90%-95% of the time. It's a perfect size for 9"-14" bowls like you've turned.

I might suggest that you take a look at the Glenn Lucas Signature line of tools that Craft Supplies sells. All of Glenn's handles have a 16" long handle and are made by Hamlet. One comment about the Hamlet gouges is they are a parabolic flute (like Sorby), and are not a V or U flute. If you could see Glenn turn you would know why he favors this type of flute.

Glenn has two different profile negative rake scrapers (GL1 and GL2).

His GL3 is a big 3/4" gouge with 55 degree bevel for making quick work of roughing bowls.

His GL4 is a 5/8" gouge with 55 degree bevel for all around use. If you can only buy one tool right now, buy the GL4 (add a GL5 later).

His GL5 is a 1/2" gouge with 45 degree bevel. This is used for finer finishing cuts and the top 1/3 of the inside of bowls. The 45 degree bevel slices through wood easier than 55 degrees and works wonderfully for the top inside of bowls. Ever get bevel marks or spiral marks on the top inside of bowls that you end up sanding out? You will get these with a 55 degree bevel because you end up pushing harder against the wood to maintain bevel contact. This pushing flexes the rim of the bowl outwards and it "bounces" in and out. This won't happen with the 45 degree bevel.

His GL6 is a 5/8" gouge with a short 55 degree bevel (without swept back wings) that is used for the bottom 1/3 of bowls. I think a 70 degree bevel is harder to master for this cut because it's so blunt that you can end up pulling the gouge across the bottom instead of pushing it. The handle is held farther away from your body in order to rub the bevel. For really tall narrow bowls you might need a 60, 65, or 70 degree bevel, but for more open salad bowls it's too much.

All of Glenn's tools come with sharpening instructions with pictures for the four most popular sharpening systems: Tormek, Oneway Wolverine, Sorby ProEdge, and Woodcut; so no matter which brand of sharpening jig you own you'll be able to replicate the exact same grind that the tool comes with.

[John Thorson]

I totally agree that Glenn's set for bowl turning is good and his bevel angles work great for me. I do think the larger gouged needs longer handles to get them anchored at your hip. When on the Thompson Lathe tools site look at his "Lathe Master" for his 3/4 inch (American) roughing gouge in a 20 inch handle. I've not put this handle on my big bowl roughing gouge yet but it is on my list. For bowls 14 inch and above the 5/8 bowl gouge (3/4 American) works great.

Also look at the Thompson U and V gouges to get an idea of how much these flute grinds affect the nose profile, great photos on this site. When finishing a bowl of any size the 3/8 inch (1/2 American) gouge is great for that finishing cut and the difference between the U and V grinds is handy for me. I use them both and go to the V grind rather than using a 1/4 inch flute in a standard grind.

Scrapers have their uses on some types of wood but in general a good set of tools (you are well on your way) and grinds (see Glenn's list) will keep you cutting with your gouges for most of the time.