bowl gouges are impossible

[Frank Fusco]

I've been turning about four years. But have to admit, my skills have not progressed much in the past two. I have tried bowls without success. The bowl gouge has me stumped. I have four, ranging from mini to 5/8". As soon as I touch to end grain they catch. Never have I done so much as a few seconds turning with one. It is touch and catch. Reading books and watching videos they say to keep the bevel in contact with the wood. Doesn't make sense to me. With the bevel touching wood, the cutting edge is not. What is the magic forumla?

[Jim Davenport]

Frank:
What kind of edge is on the gouge? I bought a Crown 3/8" bowl gouge from Woodcraft. it had a terrible edge. I ground an "Ellsworth" edge on mine. I used the settings out of the "Tormek book. Using one is definitly a learning curve, But I'm doing better. I still get "catches, but not nearly as many.Get some guidance if you can. There's an super turner at my local Woodcraft. I bend his ear with questions everytime I go there.
This Thursday, I'm going to a turners club meeting, to see if I like it. I'm usually not much of a club person. But I'll see what happens.
Good luck. I can use some help.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Frank...some really good bowl turners are located in Arkansas, are SMCers and I'd bet they'd be willing to show you first hand how to use that bowl gouge. Mark Cothren and Dennis Peacock are the gents I'm thinking of..........

I'm realitively new to turning and have only turned two bowls and none to finish yet..........but here's my take on it........while you are cutting, you want the gouge resting 1st on the tool rest and secondly on the bevel. I start a cut by rubbing the bevel and then raise the handle until the cutting edge starts the cut and then ride the bevel through the cut. I start by making very shallow cuts.........

Another key factor is sharpness......sharp........sharp.......sharp..... dull tools won't cut well if at all and I think I get more catches because I'm trying to force them to work......

Question.....are you mounting your bowl blank on the lathe with the grain running parallel to the bed of the lathe or perpendicular to the bed? In other words are you making an "end grain" bowl?.......If you are mounting the bowl bland with the grain running with or parallel to the length of the bed of the lathe....you are making an end grain bowl and I'd use a totally different technique..........

[Mark Cothren]

Frank, you're welcome in my shop anytime! But you need to come spend some time with Dennis. He taught me the basics and I think he does a great job demo'ing and teaching.

Of course it's easy for me to volunteer HIS services...;) Dennis, speak up!

[John Hart]

Isn't Tod just around the corner too?

[Ron Ainge]

I would suggest that you look for a woodturning club in your area becasue most of them have some type of mentoring classes that can help you with any problem you have I will include the web address to the American Association of Woodturners list of the associations they have in each state you can look and see if there is one in your area.

http://www.woodturner.org/community/chapters/members.pl?submit=Chapter+List#AR

in the mean time I would suggest you use the bowl gouge as you would a spindle gouge. Try taking a piece of ronded wood and put the end of the bevel on the wood so that the bevel is the only thing that is touching the wood as it turns, then slowly raise the tool handle up until the gouge starts to cut. Then when this feels comfortable to you try to cut some with it as you would your spindle gouge. try this for a while before you try to cut endgrain I think that you will see some difference in how you present the gouge to the wood. When you start to turn the end grain you need the bevel and the cutting edge of your gouge riding the endgrain the same way you did on the side grain, make sure that you do not let the wing of the cutting edge touch the end grain or you will get the catch that you are talking about. Start with the top of the gouuge facing the tailstock of the lathe. I hope this make sence to you, if not write me and I will try to clear it up for you.

[Bart Leetch]

go to Bill Grumbines site here

http://www.wonderfulwood.com/

& purchase his DVD it will walk you through proper use of the bowl gouge.

I hope this helps.

[Dennis Peacock]

Isn't Tod just around the corner too?

Yes he is, but I don't think Tod does any bowl turning, only spindle turning.

Frank,

Come pay Mark and I a visit. We'll get you going in the right direction. Brind your turning tools so we can adjust the grinds for you if necessary.:D

[tod evans]

Yes he is, but I don't think Tod does any bowl turning, only spindle turning.

Frank,

Come pay Mark and I a visit. We'll get you going in the right direction. Brind your turning tools so we can adjust the grinds for you if necessary.:D

dennis, i`ve got a 14" oak burl screwed to the faceplate as we speak.... but no more bowls than i turn any more frank would be better served visiting ya`ll:) .....02 tod

[Mark Cothren]

dennis, i`ve got a 14" oak burl screwed to the faceplate as we speak....


WOOOOOHOOOOO! Git'r done, Tod! Lookin' forward to some pictures!

[tod evans]

WOOOOOHOOOOO! Git'r done, Tod! Lookin' forward to some pictures!

mark, it`s roughed on the outside and chucked in the corner for paying spindle work....hopefully this year! tod

[Jeff Horton]

Reading books and watching videos they say to keep the bevel in contact with the wood. Doesn't make sense to me. With the bevel touching wood, the cutting edge is not. What is the magic forumla?
I just got a bowl gouge a couple of weeks ago but so far I have had good luck with mine. These guys have forgotten more than I know but I will tell you what I have found to work.

I will assuming the gouge is sharp (BTW I started with the factory grind, squared off end.) I would start the bevel rubbing, lathe on a slow speed. I would then just slowly rotate the gouge till it started cutting. I never had a bad or even moderate catch. I had a few when I was trying to do the inside of small bowl and had to leave a lot of the tool hanging off the tool rest but that was pretty much all. I was honestly surprised at how easy I found it use after all I had read about bowl gouges.

Last night I ground them both with an Irish grind and I found out really quick that it will catch on the sides if your not paying attention!!

[Bob Noles]

Just do like Dennis and stick a skew to it :D :D :D

[Dennis Peacock]

Just do like Dennis and stick a skew to it :D :D :D

:eek: :eek: :eek: :rolleyes: :D

Well....I've had some "catches" on bowl turning with my skew. So, I can't teach Frank about nice turning with a skew....but, I CAN teach him how to get nice catches with a skew on bowl turning and really mess up a nice bowl blank. :o :D

[Chris Barton]

I've been turning about four years. But have to admit, my skills have not progressed much in the past two. I have tried bowls without success. The bowl gouge has me stumped. I have four, ranging from mini to 5/8". As soon as I touch to end grain they catch. Never have I done so much as a few seconds turning with one. It is touch and catch. Reading books and watching videos they say to keep the bevel in contact with the wood. Doesn't make sense to me. With the bevel touching wood, the cutting edge is not. What is the magic forumla?

Frank,

I happen to be a fly fisherman. If I come to Mt. Home (which I know very well) and show you the tricks with a bowl gouge can I camp out at your house for a few days so I can fish the White and the North Fork (I relally like Goats Bluff and McCluland's).:D

[Frank Fusco]

Frank,

I happen to be a fly fisherman. If I come to Mt. Home (which I know very well) and show you the tricks with a bowl gouge can I camp out at your house for a few days so I can fish the White and the North Fork (I relally like Goats Bluff and McCluland's).:D

So many helpful responses, hard to reply to all. For the Arkansas guys: If you see a white Dodge pull up in your driveway, be prepared to make shavings fly. For others, Casa Fusco in the Ozarks is always open to friends. We have two spare bedrooms and are less than 30 min. away from either the White or Norfork rivers or Lake Norfork. Bull Shoals Lake is a little over 30 min. away. I do keep my tools sharp and the failures have been with end grain attempts of very dry/hard woods. I belong to a good local woodturning club but haven't availed myself yet of offers to help. My fault.