Using traditional grind bowl gouge.....Video needed

[thelastgizmo]

I'm trying to find an instructional video on bowl turning using a traditional grind gouge. All the ones I've found so far are using the fingernail type grind which I am told is not good for beginners (not turned for a decade or more so consider myself a beginner). I need to check my technique which I don't think is ideal.

 

[Duncan A]

The various Sorby ProEdge videos show it quite clearly. Even if you don't have a ProEdge, the standard grind is achieved in the same manner: Decide on a bevel angle, present tool to the grinding surface, rotate to either side to form the wings.
You can use the grinder tool platform or make one up yourself.
Good Proedge video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-nTHpfcwkQ
Tool platform/jig: http://turningtools.co.uk/widgets/grind ... harpen.pdf
Countless other variations are out there on the internet
Duncan

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

I'm trying to find an instructional video on bowl turning using a traditional grind gouge. All the ones I've found so far are using the fingernail type grind which I am told is not good for beginners (not turned for a decade or more so consider myself a beginner). I need to check my technique which I don't think is ideal.

That's an interesting perspective on what's good/not good for beginners. I would argue that a slightly swept back wing coupled with a convex curve on the wing grind is substantially better for beginners. Reason being that the danger points on a bowl gouge are the two points where the wings meet the bevel and the tip of the bevel. By fingernail grinding the wings off you move those danger points further apart and that's helpful for beginners as it reduces the risk of a catch. Further, the very act of sweeping back the wings removes the point of those corners which itself reduces the catch risk.

The main reason people have a standard ground 45 degree bevel left on a bowl gouge with no wings swept at all is to facilitate access to the transition between the wall and the base of the bowl. So many experienced turners will have 2 gouges with those two profiles. However, as long as the bowl is relatively shallow, a standard fingernail will do the entire interior.

The last point is that the reason you leave a convex curve on the ground back wing is so that only one point at any one time will actually be in contact with the work, reducing the risk of too much tool digging in and causing a catch. Also if you flip the gouge onto its side, that convex edge is very useful for sheer scraping so it increases the versatility of the tool.

I remember when I first switched from standard to fingernail grind and the difference was amazing in terms of the lowered catch count.

It really is a very positive step for a beginner to take

Edit: Chas makes a good point regarding the rotational forces and based on that principle I can see why a school of thought would back the idea of a straight grind being preferable for a beginner. My personal experience is that I found that true for spindle gouges on between centres work and found swept back grinds more "frisky" but for bowls it was quite the reverse where I found fingernail grinds more forgiving of the curved cuts for the reasons stated above. Interesting debate in fact. It might be worth you having one of each and testing them to see how you get on.

 

[CHJ]

I'm trying to find an instructional video on bowl turning using a traditional grind gouge. All the ones I've found so far are using the fingernail type grind which I am told is not good for beginners (not turned for a decade or more so consider myself a beginner). I need to check my technique which I don't think is ideal.

The "technique" is the same regardless of bevel shape as far as 'push mode' is concerned.
The reason for advocating a tradition 'blunt nosed' grind in the first instance is this is easier to control with less 'twisting' potential of the tool in the hand. The more the bevel is swept back, culminating in something like the Ellsworth grind the more rapidly the tool is likely to rotate in your grip and dive into the wood when using a normal push cutting mode, the traditional grind does have the disadvantage of being more critical of presentation angle and progressively sweeping the wings back will make presentation easier and catch risk less, but at the same time need more rotational control to overcome the rotational forces on the longer edge that may be in contact.


I'll have a try at describing how I would present it.

Taking a reasonably smooth piece of wood, with the heal of the handle against your hip or close to your body as possible to provide as rigid a hold and stance as possible, press the tool bevel against the rotating wood
so that the bevel is in maximum contact but not cutting, just bruising the surface. (practice this presentation with the tool firmly on the rest with the wood stationary and adjust the tool rest height and your body position to achieve this, there is no perfect arbitrary setting, everyone's personal height and lathe positioning differs)*

Now swing the heal of the handle by swinging your hip/body combined with a very slight rotation of the tool until the cutting edge starts to penetrate the wood, being mindful all the time that the bevel must remain the primary support of the tool cutting edge.


When you are confident with the tool for basic turning you may well find that adjusting lather height etc. is of benefit to you personally for ease and comfort of use.


Referring to "Push" is intended as a direction of travel, if the tool is correctly sharpened there should be no forward resistance to tool travel from the wood.

 

[Dalboy]

There is nothing that I can add to the above two posts, I am one of those as stated by Random Orbital Bob who finds it great to have one of each in my rack I can cover most of the bowl turning with them.

 

[Keithie]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Hliecq--lYw