Roughing Gouge

[Paul Lebel]

What Would be the best size roughing gouge for turnning pens PAUL L

[Brian Effinger]

I've been using my 3/4" Sorby lately with success.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Paul,

Like Brian I use my standard 3/4" Sorby but......

my favorite tool for pens is a skew.

[Greg Just]

any size will work provided it is sharp. However, I'm with Ken and prefer a skew

[Brian Effinger]

The skew is one tool I need more practice with. I mostly use mine as a neg rake scaper.
Ahh, oneday.

[David E Keller]

I use a one inch roughing gouge but agree that any size will work if sharp. I would go big rather that small... Longer cutting edge means more sharp edge available between sharpenings.

[Bernie Weishapl]

I would use a 3/4" but since the skew is my favorite tool that is what I use.

[Chris Stolicky]

I have only one ever used a 1" roughing gouge for pens, but that's probably because its the only size I have....

I actually started making pens that way but have evolved to using a Thompson 5/8" spindle gouge. Keep it sharp and it works great with all of the mass behind it. His 1/2" also works well.

After roughing it down I always use either a 1/2" or 3/4" oval skew.

[Mike Minto]

i have the big sorby - fella at woodcraft, when i bought it, said, 'that's a versatile gouge, you'll use that to turn pens' - he was right, i do.

[Ron Bontz]

Mike, So how big is big? 1-1/4"?

[Mike Minto]

ron, yes, it's the 1 1/4".

[Dan Forman]

I have the 1 1/4" P+N roughing gouge, and have used it for roughing pens. There is no need for a smaller roughing gouge, nothing you can do with a small one that you can't do with a big one. Less sharpening, longer edges, bigger bites, more mass, and only one space on the rack. The skew is not so difficult to use on pens, the tricky part is rolling beads and such, and I think after a few frustrating hours, I'm finally getting the hang of that aspect.

Dan

[Paul Lebel]

Thanks all i guess i'll stick with my 3/4 gouge.

[Gordon Seto]

Size is not as critical in selecting a SRG as how it is made. Go with the P&N (bottom in picture), it has a half inch round shank, which is much stronger than the tapered tang of forged method SRG. The top is the Thompson, it is an overkill for pens. Mark St. Leger has a 5/8" SRG in A-11 steel, I have not tried that one.

[Paul Atkins]

My Sorby rough out gouges have a pretty small tangs too, but they are long enough that the stresses are not near the handle usually.