How to use a thin bowl gouge.

[Bodrighy]

I have a very narrow Sorby bowl gouge that is on loan. It seems ideal for getting in to those corners etc in a bowl but every single time that I have tried using it I have a massive dig in and have so far ruined three bits of work. I can't throw it out in disgust as it isn't mine so any advice on using it would be gratefully received. It's a 1/4 inch fingernail profile and fits perfectly into all sorts of places, as long as the wood is stationary. ](*,)

Pete

 

[Anonymous]

Hi Pete

When you're cutting with a larger bowl gouge it's possible to see the portion of the 'blade' that's doing the cutting... also easy to prevent the other areas of the blade from coming into contact when you don't want them to...

The smaller the blade, the greater possibility of unwanted contact with other cutting portions (especially so with the extended cutting surface of a fingernail grind!)... particular care is needed in confined working space on any piece.

approach each and every cut with caution, aim for a very fine cut; know which part of the 'blade' will be doing the cutting.... try this with simple cuts with plenty of manoevering room... let me know how you get on....

 

[Bodrighy]

Thanks Graham, I suspect that I am falling into my usual trap of trying to run before I learn to walk. I was trying to undercut the lip on the inside of a plate.....big mistake. Managed to rescue the piece by using a scraper. Now have very thin plate. Others are beyond repair and in the scrap bin awaiting ideas for recycling as other projects. What you say makes sense. I have a three foot 3/4" gouge which is a dream to use but this little one ....will let you know how I get on.

Pete

 

[CHJ]

I was trying to undercut the lip on the inside of a plate.....big mistake. Pete

Is this the effect you are after:

When I first started, I shear scraped with a round nosed scraper back towards the edge to get the shape above.
Now I can get nearer with a bowl gouge with suitable grind from the front but I start with the gouge on its side (wings are well out of the contact area) with the handle as near touching the opposite rim as possible.

But I still shear scrape back towards the edge to finish, right or wrong it works for me, it also avoids the risk of skating across the rim surface with the gouge.

Edit: I have a couple of 6mm gouges with simple grinds which work well but when I think about how I use them, they are presented more on their sides than my bigger gouges, perhaps this compensates for the less precise bevel presentation.

 

[TEP]

Hi Pete.

I agree with Graham a fingernail grind on a 1/4" gouge is usually a no/no. These small gouges haven't got the strength to reach too far over a tool rest, you get vibration and the long grind would only make it worse.

Try re-grinding to a straight across profile, and before presenting the gouge to begin the undercut, use a parting tool to cut a 1 or 2mm (or more) deep groove into the inside of the bowl edge at the angle you want for your undercut. You then place the gouge bevel against the side of the small cut which supports the cutting edge and stops the tool skidding across the face. Just go slow and get the bevel at the angle of cut you need.

You can use this method with any inside bowl cut, but it works especially well when undercutting a edge.

Good luck, and take your time.

 

[Bodrighy]

I was trying to undercut the lip on the inside of a plate.....big mistake. Pete

Is this the effect you are after:

Not quite Chas, I was trying to undercut inside the bowl, not outside. Like you I tend to scrape a lot, find that I get a better finish and have more control. As far as grinding the fingernail down to a straight edge, I have the gouge on a long term loan so that isn't really a viable proposition in this case. I do find that I have little control over it if I am more than about 1" - 2" beyond the rest. e.g. inside a bowl or pot.

Thanks for all the advice people. I suspect that I will be buying a slightly larger, straight edge bowl gouge soon.

By the way Chas, I have a ring tool, I wonder if this would be a better tool for using inside bowls I havem't used it yet (another loaner :lol:

Pete

 

[CHJ]

Not quite Chas, I was trying to undercut inside the bowl, not outside..snip..

I was referring just to the inside top edge Pete, If you are trying to undercut even more than the above example I would say that you have every chance of reaching with a ring tool, just keep the cuts light on such a small cross section tool, before I had the Sorby I just used to use the back edge of one of these;

still do sometimes.

See this answer to Paulregarding what I use now to go further than I can reach with a bowl gouge.

By the way, although I am learning to use the crown and sorby tools I referred to, I would not like to give the impression that they are a must have. I purchased them with some spare cash in the hope that they might help certain tasks and could be modified if they did not work, and indeed they are getting used but only on very selected areas, like all inside work the tool support and positioning I find critical to prevent any twisting of the cutting edge. The sorby is critical on this score, the crown has the advantage of stiffness but is rather a coarse brute to use.

I have got the materials together to make a tool similar to the sorby when fitted with the narrow cutter which is in effect just a stiff boring bar with a small HSS tool mounted in the end at 90 deg to act as an undercutting scraper.

 

[Bodrighy]

Sorry Chas, I didn't look closely enough at the photo, yes that was what I was trying to do.
I have seen a few of these odd shaped tools advertised. As they are not something I would use a lot, could they be ground from old carbon skews? I seem to have accumulated about 5 of them and only use two. One I've ground to do dovetails and the other as a small scraper.

Pete

 

[CHJ]

Sorry Chas, I didn't look closely enough at the photo, yes that was what I was trying to do.
I have seen a few of these odd shaped tools advertised. As they are not something I would use a lot, could they be ground from old carbon skews? I seem to have accumulated about 5 of them and only use two. One I've ground to do dovetails and the other as a small scraper.

Pete

They should be fine, the occasional use they will get should be fine on the need for sharpening front. Just don't over heat whilst shaping, and if you do reheat, quench harden and re-temper.

 

[bwlossie]

Pete,
Don't know if you take Woodturning magazine, but there is an interesting article on page 26 of the latest edition [May 2007]
A Roy Davis only uses scrapers to make bowls!!!!!!

Barry.

 

[wood yew believe it !]

pete, have you also seen/ heard of swan neck scrapers, try a search, could b just what your looking for!

atb dave

 

[Paul.J]

Pete.
I had the same problem with mine.There were times when i needed to use it but became wary to.
But me n old Percy carried on and as as been said just do light fine cuts.
Good tool
Paul.J.