Need help turning beads/coves on face-turned end grain

[John K Jordan]

John, next time you photograph in your shop, could you photograph your spindle gouge grinds and start a new thread? I know what a many versions of a bowl gouge grind looks like, but have seen few spindle gouge grinds, and no detail gouge grinds. My skill with each of these probably reflects this.

I looked through my photo files to be sure and I can't find a single good photo of spindle gouge grinds.

I can shoot some. But you might have to remind me - I'm way overbooked until after the first of Sept! I can always take quick pictures with my phone but to see grinds properly would need closeup photos with the "good" camera. In the mean time perhaps someone else will have some photos on hand.

Also, the Tormek manual has some instruction about sharpening. Their gouge jig is very similar in operation to the Varigrind although the settings are not. Like elsewhere, bowl gouges get most of the attention but is a bit on page 78 in here: https://www.tormek.com/media/448711/...01-svd-185.pdf
I think the top drawing in the spindle gouge section of the table looks pretty close to what I use. If your spindle gouge looks remotely close to this it is probably fine - you can do the same cuts with a significant variation in the grind once you get used to it. Must be scary sharp, though!

I actually like the Tormek jig better for spindle gouges but the Varigrind works fine and I did use it for a few years. These days I sharpen the spindle gouges on the Tormek with a 1200 grit CBN but reshape if necessary (rarely) on a coarser CBN wheel on a bench grinder with a extra Tormek jig support bar. I may have mentioned this, but if not, I keep six of my most used spindle gouges (3/8" Thompson) with identical grinds. When one gets dull I put it in the dull pile and put a sharp on in the handle. When they are all dull I stop and resharpen them all. This lets me keep turning without interruption and saves a lot of sharpening time since most of the time is setting the jig for the exact grind.

tormek_B.jpg

JKJ

[Chris Bumgarner]

I found a couple of videos where a guy makes bases for a mug or earring stand, so he is making similar cuts to the ones I want to learn (decorations on the end grain of a face-turned piece). He mostly uses a negative rake scraper, but at 1:55 he uses his shallow gouge on the end grain with the flute facing up. I was under the impression that doing this was dangerous. I've read that getting a catch with the gouge like this could cleave the wood in half. Of course, this guy is a pro with 35 years of experience, maybe he is skill enough to get away with it. I don't think I'm skilled enough.

What do you all think?

[Bert Delisle]

I found a couple of videos where a guy makes bases for a mug or earring stand, so he is making similar cuts to the ones I want to learn (decorations on the end grain of a face-turned piece). He mostly uses a negative rake scraper, but at 1:55 he uses his shallow gouge on the end grain with the flute facing up. I was under the impression that doing this was dangerous. I've read that getting a catch with the gouge like this could cleave the wood in half. Of course, this guy is a pro with 35 years of experience, maybe he is skill enough to get away with it. I don't think I'm skilled enough.

What do you all think?

Raffan uses a spindle gouge to cut details in the edges of flat platters and trivets, also woodturner21 uses a spindle gouge to do the cove and oggee cuts in his demo videos. Both appear use the bevel with flute pointing the direction of cut. In a workshop with Richard R. he showed us how to do the cuts with spindle gouge, explaining that tool presentation and sharpness are crucial to clean side grain cuts. Emphasis on sharp cutting edge, as a tool that is not razor sharp will need more pressure making control difficult and likely result in a catch, a sharp tool cuts with light pressure on the wood. It takes practice to learn the feel of sharp edge compared to a nearly sharp edge, when in doubt sharpen, give yourself the sharpest edge to give you the best chance of a clean cut. Good luck and stay safe.