Spindle gouge use

[Democritus]

I have been watching some of the recent Richard Raffan videos. He is clearly still a master woodturner who makes everything look easy. One of the things he does is to rough out and shape the outside of bowls using just a spindle gouge. It looks easy, but I have always been taught that spindle gouges should not be used for bowl turning as they lack the strength of the bowl gouge. It obviously works for him, but I hesitate to try it. Anyone ever done this?

 

[Terry - Somerset]

I think the real problem with spindle gouges and bowls arises when hollowing the inside where the cutting takes place some way from the tool rest creating large forces in the spindle gouge pivoting on the tool rest.

I quite often work the outside of bowls with a spindle gouge - usually for finer detail, not initial shaping of a blank.

 

[Jonzjob]

I mainly use a spindle gouge inside and out. I find that I get on better with it. When I'm not comfortable with that I go to my 3/8th bowl gouge with a finger nail grind.

And when it gets more difficult I have a ½" bowl gouge with the trad grind, can't remember the name for that. Basically it has to be horses for courses.