Old Turner - starting back

[Chip Sutherland]

Hi folks. Need some suggestions on tools. Turned for 15yrs but took a hiatus. Now I have money to upgrade. What are suggestions for the following things?...

Big Roughing gouge - replacing a 3/4" Sorby. I'm going big so I need something beefier
Bowl Gouge - a true bottoming bowl gouge. I've always made due with bowl gouges with swept/thumbnails.
Hollowing jig - I think mine is a Monster? But if I remember right, the maker passed away and it was left to his kids.
Carbide tools - I only have tool steel cutters. Carbide stuff was new when I last turned. Any reason to look at carbide cutters? Ex: Hunter Tools or others

I already have several Thompson handles...which I love. Wish I could remember the size but I don't mind buying more if the tool fits.

I turn on a 3520B. No upgraded needed for this machine.

Thanks.

[Edward Weber]

I can't comment on everything but on the bowl gouge, it's not a big deal.
The BOB (Bottom Of Bowl) or bottom feeder gouges, are usually nothing more than a standard U flute gouge ground differently.

[Chip Sutherland]

I can't comment on everything but on the bowl gouge, it's not a big deal.
The BOB (Bottom Of Bowl) or bottom feeder gouges, are usually nothing more than a standard U flute gouge ground differently.

Turns out I have BOB gouge. It was not in the correct drawer with my other gouges. I've got quite a bit of reacquainting to do.

[Walter Mooney]

Chip, when you say you’re “going big” I hope you’re not looking for a roughing gouge (almost always called a spindle roughing gouge) to use in conjunction with bowl turning. SRG’s are only for spindle work, primarily due to the size (girth, shape) of their tang. If you’re going big on spindle work, like porch posts, newel posts, etc., then by all means go for a larger SRG.
The carbide tools have their place for certain things, like finishing the bottoms of boxes and such, but remember, they are scrapers unless held/used on a rotated angle to turn them into more of a shear scraper (still a scraper). The Hunter tools are great tools for hollowing, etc. I have several. The first one I’d get, if I didn’t have it, would be a Hunter #4.

Best of luck. Keep us posted on your reintroduction to our affliction. And great name for a woodturner!



Hi folks. Need some suggestions on tools. Turned for 15yrs but took a hiatus. Now I have money to upgrade. What are suggestions for the following things?...

Big Roughing gouge - replacing a 3/4" Sorby. I'm going big so I need something beefier
Bowl Gouge - a true bottoming bowl gouge. I've always made due with bowl gouges with swept/thumbnails.
Hollowing jig - I think mine is a Monster? But if I remember right, the maker passed away and it was left to his kids.
Carbide tools - I only have tool steel cutters. Carbide stuff was new when I last turned. Any reason to look at carbide cutters? Ex: Hunter Tools or others

I already have several Thompson handles...which I love. Wish I could remember the size but I don't mind buying more if the tool fits.

I turn on a 3520B. No upgraded needed for this machine.

Thanks.

[Chip Sutherland]

Chip, when you say you’re “going big” I hope you’re not looking for a roughing gouge (almost always called a spindle roughing gouge) to use in conjunction with bowl turning. SRG’s are only for spindle work, primarily due to the size (girth, shape) of their tang. If you’re going big on spindle work, like porch posts, newel posts, etc., then by all means go for a larger SRG.
The carbide tools have their place for certain things, like finishing the bottoms of boxes and such, but remember, they are scrapers unless held/used on a rotated angle to turn them into more of a shear scraper (still a scraper). The Hunter tools are great tools for hollowing, etc. I have several. The first one I’d get, if I didn’t have it, would be a Hunter #4.

Best of luck. Keep us posted on your reintroduction to our affliction. And great name for a woodturner!

I just need the SRG for rounding big chunks of wood. My 3/4" Crown is from my starter set. I've always wanted a bigger one. I've never been attracted to spindle turning. I keep my belt/pulley Jet Mini just for the odd finial. FYI...the Hunter #4 is discontinued.

[John Kananis]

Pretty novice next to a lot of these guys but here's my two cents. Roughing chunks for bowls is done with a bowl gouge. No matter how large the srg, the tang is weak and can snap with a big chunk of wood (that isn't a spindle or orientated in the long grain direction).


I just need the SRG for rounding big chunks of wood. My 3/4" Crown is from my starter set. I've always wanted a bigger one. I've never been attracted to spindle turning. I keep my belt/pulley Jet Mini just for the odd finial. FYI...the Hunter #4 is discontinued.

[Bill Howatt]

John may think he is a relative novice but he is absolutely correct about the roughing gouge and where it is weak and there have been lots of snapped off ones to prove the point!
I did know a very experienced turner whose primary work was very large bowls and the like. He did use a roughing gouge but it was also reinforced with a piece of angle iron. Regardless of the reinforcing, it is not the tool to use and I can't see many people saving that much time over using a good-size bowl gouge.

[Darryl Hansen]

whatever you decide be certain you check out the new wheels. The old stuff is just that old go for the fewer non wearing shaping wheels.

[Darryl Hansen]

oops the new sharpening wheels are CBN they are the way to go

[Kevin Jenness]

Do you not like your Monster hollowing setup? They seem to be well regarded. For deeper hollowing you might look at the Steve Sinner https://advancedlathetools.com/ or Keith Clark systems https://www.theokspindoctor.com/Default.asp, or consider making a beefed up version of Lyle Jamieson's rig.

[Chip Sutherland]

When turning a log round, I have it between centers so in essence I am spindle turning. I've never roughed a bowl blank with a roughing gouge. I've seen the videos of some hapless souls who didn't know better. I know better.

[Chip Sutherland]

I have CBN wheels. I got them when they were half of todays price. I think it was a SWAT conference.

[Neil Strong]

I just need the SRG for rounding big chunks of wood. My 3/4" Crown is from my starter set. I've always wanted a bigger one. I've never been attracted to spindle turning.

I think we are all clear about where SRGs shouldn't be used... we don't let them get any where near crossgrain wood.

This is not to do with the strength of their tangs, although that can be an issue with some SRGs, but is more to do with the size and grind on a large SRG and their propensity to self-feed into crossgrain.

The modern bowl gouge that was developed specifically for crossgrain work came in during my time as a turner for which I'm most grateful having struggled with the gouges that were available to us before that.

On size, I have several 1" bowl gouges from Crown and Hamlet that only get used when I'm turning large green blanks. However, they have become absurdly expensive in that size and I don't think that they are worth the additional cost over the 3/4" offerings that come in better steels, like V10, than M2 Cryo.

Chip - If you will be doing a lot of larger work, my suggestion would be to get another 3/4" BG and grind one to your preferred bevel for crossgrain cuts (40/40, 45 or 55°) and the other to whatever is your preferred bottom of bowl grind, which will also get a lot of use on larger platters.