Some Help Finding a Bottom Bowl Gouge

[John Kananis]

I'm looking for a U-shaped gouge for working the inside of a bowl, 3/4 or 5/8. No one seems to have the Thompson. All I'm finding is the Ashley Harwood line and that's 250 bucks for steel and handle...a bit much but if I HAVE to. Not saying I'm not willing to pay for quality tools, just seems a bit much at +$100 to the oneway mastercut.

[Don Orr]

Get an inexpensive gouge like Hamlet, Crown, Sorby, Packard, Apprentice, even Benjamin's Best and grind it to suit your needs. That's what probably most of us have done. Sure, Thompsons are the best, but you can do good work with other good tools.

[Kevin Jenness]

https://d-waytools.com/gouges/bowl-gouges/

https://carterandsontoolworks.com/co...-bottom-feeder

Or you can buy a standard grind U-shaped gouge from Thompson and regrind it.

https://thompsonlathetools.com/product/58-u-bowl-gouge/

[John Kananis]

Thanks for the help guys. However, the ones listed are all parabolic with the exception of the Thompson, which is out of stock. Looking for a U-Shaped gouge.

[Kevin Jenness]

Thompson does have U-shaped gouges in stock, but you would have to do some reshaping. I bet you would be grinding the Harwood gouge to a steeper angle too as it is supplied with a 50* bevel. My guess is a parabolic shape would work as well. The Ellsworth grind is 55*-60* at the nose and will reach the bottom of most bowls. Here's another "bottom feeder" if you must have a pre-ground U-shaped tool.

https://carterandsontoolworks.com/pr...ped-bowl-gouge

[John Kananis]

Oh the Carter is perfect actually. I found it elsewhere but no handle. Didn't think to go to the manufacturer's site. M42 to boot. Thank you.

[Brian Deakin]

Please see link below

https://www.woodworkersemporium.com/...bottom-feeder/

[Pat Scott]

D-Way has a 3/4" U shape gouge on sale (with or without handle). https://d-waytools.com/3-4-bowl-goug...with-5-8-tang/

[Reed Gray]

I have several spindle detain gouges that I have ground for BOB tools, along with a number of others. I prefer a 70 degree bevel, and a very slight sweep to the nose, rather than square across, like this ). Ashley Harwood has one that she just came out with that is some what similar to the spindle detail gouges. I like Doug's fluteless gouges as well. They are for taking off very small shavings. I did one video just on them.

robo hippy

[Neil Strong]

D-Way has a 3/4" U shape gouge on sale (with or without handle). https://d-waytools.com/3-4-bowl-goug...with-5-8-tang/

If I could only have one bowl gouge I would choose a D-way... but not the 3/4" U.

The website claim.... "An excellent gouge for roughing, and with the full radius flute - it makes a great shearing cut for finishing the inside and outside of bowls and platters."

Shear finishing cuts, yes. The larger the radius, the sweeter the shear cut. Long swept back wings on parabolic and catenary flutes are also good for that.

However, I found Dave's 3/4" U far too light for roughing cuts. To get its long U fluted edge that is optimised for shear cuts you are left with relatively little steel in the gouge. I found it to be too light and flimsy for big roughing cuts compared to my various other 3/4" BGs (Thompson, Woodcut & Crown).


I'm not convinced that you need a traditional U flute profile for the inside bottom of bowls. The V flute is definitely not ideal, even with a less swept back grind, but some parabolic and catenary flute profiles work quite well with a grind that is optimised for finishing off in that inside bottom area. I have found the slightly wider flute (as specified by Peter Child) on my Henry Taylor Superflute with a 65° grind does as good job as did the U flute on my old P&Ns.

Here are some of the flute profiles side by side...

PN-Thomp-Dway-Ellsw flute profiles.JPG
From left to right, P&N Super,
Thompson V, D-Way and Crown


Thompson-HT gouge flute profiles.JPG
Thompson V on left and
Henry Taylor on right.

Looking at the flute profiles side by side you can see why the Peter Child designed HT Superflute is going to do a reasonable good 'BoB' job compare to the Thompson V.

The now departed Vicmarc bowl gouge would also do a reasonable 'BoB' job...

VM - grind end view - sm.jpg

...as would the Glenn Lucas designed bottom finisher made by Hamlet. See flute profile near the bottom of this webpage... https://www.glennlucaswoodturning.co...ng-bowl-gouge/

A dedicated U flute may be preferred by some for dedicated BoB work...

Crown 1in bar dimension.JPG
Crown 1" U

...but, IME, they are not as versatile as the parabolic or catenary BG flute profiles and should you decide to change over to finishing the inside if your bowls with scrapers, like for example Richard Raffan does, then you are left with a gouge that is not so good for re-purposing for other uses...

[John Kananis]

I went with the Carter and sons, direct from their site. I'm hopeful the handle feels nice... regardless, all the help is appreciated - thank you.

[Thomas Canfield]

For a dedicated bottom feeder you can make a wood handle and know that it is always ready and not be changing tools, and save some $$ to buy a better gouge or something in the future. This is a never ending process.

[Reed Gray]

I never liked their handles. My favorite handles are straight wood cylinders. The metal handles can be cold to the touch on cold days in the shop. Wood just feels better for me.

robo hippy

[John Kananis]

I went ahead and ordered the handle (although I share the same fear of a cold handle). Worst case, it's not that hard to turn a new handle.

[Richard Coers]

As far as I am concerned, the bottom feeders and bottom gouges are purely snake oil. Just another way to sell a bowl gouge to support professional turners that hawk them at demos. A highly refined scraper does a perfect job, and then a shear scraper to transition from the bottom to the sides is how I do it. Been doing that for 35 years.