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Thread: don't get the bowl gouge.

  1. #1

    don't get the bowl gouge.

    I can rarely go more then 20 seconds without a catch with a modern bowl gouge. With a plain generic gouge from the 1950's I can scoop out bowls with just one or two catches. I can turn spindles for an entire afternoon using just a skew with no problems. I have watched video after video and it makes no sense to me. Do I turn the gouge into the direction of the cut or away? This is driving me to distraction. If I go back to the old style gouge, I am fine, well mostly. Decades ago, I turned a couple hundred bowls with the old style gouge that every one says is so dangerous. Seems to me the newer style is more dangerous.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    Peoria, IL
    Posts
    4,443
    I guess you are comparing a bar style bowl gouge to a continental spindle gouge? How do you cut down the side of a bowl and across the bottom with a spindle gouge? How do you have the "modern" gouge sharpened? If you are turning bowls that look like dog bowls, then maybe we have an answer. But if you turn bowls with a centenary curve, you will get catches. Nearly every gouge cut is with the curl coming off the flute at the 1:00-2:00 position. If you try to cut a curl at the 10:00 or 11:00, it is hard to control the torque of pulling it over and it self feeds and you get a catch. There are some horrible turners on Youtube, just looking for subscribers. Watch some from John Lucas or Lyle Jamieson, our John Jordan and see if that helps.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    Mesa, Arizona
    Posts
    1,798
    Perry -- Do not despair! Most turners would say that learning to properly using a bowl gouge is FAR less difficult than learning to use a skew. As has been mentioned, there are several very bad videos on YouTube that purport to show proper bowl gouge use. The best resource I've found on YouTube are the in-depth videos Brian Havens has made on various aspects of turning. He has two showing the hows and whys of using a bowl gouge -- Facework: Cutting Side Grain and Facework: Cutting End Grain. They are well worth your time (as are the rest of his videos). https://www.youtube.com/user/BHavensWoodworker/videos
    David Walser
    Mesa, Arizona

  4. #4
    I use a bowl gouge as my main tool for my bowls and can't remember the last time I ever had a catch....

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    E TN, near Knoxville
    Posts
    12,298
    Quote Originally Posted by Perry Hilbert Jr View Post
    I can rarely go more then 20 seconds without a catch with a modern bowl gouge. With a plain generic gouge from the 1950's I can scoop out bowls with just one or two catches. I can turn spindles for an entire afternoon using just a skew with no problems. I have watched video after video and it makes no sense to me. Do I turn the gouge into the direction of the cut or away? This is driving me to distraction. If I go back to the old style gouge, I am fine, well mostly. Decades ago, I turned a couple hundred bowls with the old style gouge that every one says is so dangerous. Seems to me the newer style is more dangerous.
    It's all in getting used to it, and the only way is practice. After some experience, you should get no catches. The only time I get catches these days is when I get distracted and stick the tool into the wood!

    Hard to tell what you mean by "old style gouge" vs what you are using today. Maybe some good closeup photos of your tools would help. Most of my bowl gouges are "U" or "V" flute profile and are grind with swept back wings. I don't know what you mean by "into" or "away" from the direction of the cut.

    The way you use the tool depends on the cut you are making - on the side, in the center. Be sure to always cut "downhill" relative to the grain on either face work or end grain orientation (spindle turning).

    If possible, watch an experienced local turner work. Let him use your tool as ground. He can advise if a different grind would be better.

    JKJ

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Sep 2013
    Location
    Wayland, MA
    Posts
    3,654
    I'd suggest some hands-on or remote video coaching from a mentor. It's probably something simple that an experienced bowl turner will be able to quickly see and help you fix. Catches when hollowing with a "modern" bowl gouge (for example a parabolic flute in round stock sharpened with an Ellsworth-type grind) should be few and far between. Like John, pretty much the only time that happens to me now is when my attention wanders and I stick the tool someplace I shouldn't. Having a catch (or two) on every bowl indicates something seriously wrong.

  7. #7
    Best bet would be a hands on session, and that would most likely result in one of those 'well DUH!' moments. This is most likely a 'presentation' issue. I do have a bunch of bowl turning videos up on You Tube.

    I think most of the time, beginners tend to try to use the bowl gouge with the flutes straight up. If you roll them over on the side, this eliminates a lot of those catches.

    Are you getting the catches on the inside and outside of the bowl? Generally, the outside doesn't present as many problems, while the inside presents more, Most of the time those catches happen in the transition area, from the side of the bowl to the bottom of the bowl. You need a more specialized tool for this. Most of us have BOB (bottom of bowl) tools, which have about a 70 degree bevel and a more ) shape to the nose rather than being pointed. If the gouge is too pointed and you don't have that steeper bevel, you have to come off of the bevel to get through the transition. This gets very catchy.

    robo hippy

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Apr 2018
    Location
    Cambridge Vermont
    Posts
    2,280
    I would suggest you take a picture of the two of them side by side and post it. It's very possible that there's something wrong (maybe the shape of the edge) that's causing you problems. How often do you sharpen your tools? Do you use a jig or do you do it by eye? A poorly shaped edge or one that's not evenly sharp will be more frustrating than useful.

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