Gouge advice needed

[paul ashman]

Hi all,
I submitted a thread about the small wands that I am making for a company and have finished my first 50. Due to the size (6-7 inches long and 5/8" and less in diameter) I have been using mainly a small Woodcraft pen turning (mini)
gouge. The tool is very small and as I have lots more to make I am in the market for a 3/8" spindle gouge. Any suggestions out there, any experience with spindlemasters or skewchigouges? Thanks in advance!
I will get my first check for my first commercial order tomorrow!

...if heartaches were commercials we'd all be on TV.
John Prine

[Neal Addy]

Congrats on the business! I always knew Harry Potter movies must be good for something! :rolleyes:

I've got a Spindlemaster and use it occasionally. Frankly, it's a nice tool but I don't see the big deal. I can do the same thing with a skew much easier.

For small detail work (such as finials) I use a 1/4" skew from a Crown "mini" set. Despite its size it's surprisingly easy to control.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Paul.....I have a mini Pinnacle set but I turn all of my pens with just a 3/4" skew.

[Darrell Feltmate]

Paul
I would use a couple of skews for this, they work faster and leave a better finish, i.e. less sanding by far. I have a 3/4" skew I ground from a parting tool and a 1/4" round skew made from a tool bit I got from Enco.

[Paul Heely]

Paul, I have a 3/8" Henry Taylor spindle gouge that I use on occasion.
Like the others, I use my skew the majority of the time though.

[Jason Clark2]

I've done about 30 wands over the past 3 week or so. Most are turned from 3/4 or 4/4 material and are 11" - 15" in length and are turned as a single piece. 75% of the time I use a 3/4" Crown Pro-PM spindle roughing gouge, 10% of the time I use a 3/8" Crown Pro-PM spindle gouge, the remaining 15% I use a 3/4" Crown Pro-PM rectangular skew.

I use the roughing gouge to remove the majority of the material and to make smooth consistent tapers easier than I can with the 3/8" spindle gouge. The only time I really use the spindle gouge is for the smaller detail areas such as the transition between the handle and the shaft, the tip of the shaft, and the base of the handle. I will also use it to cut small detail grooves on the handle. The skew is used primarily to make a final smoothing cut on the shaft and for any sharp transitions. These cuts are normally made with a couple of fingers on the back side of the piece to help prevent flex and chatter.

Jason