Help with Woodturning Tools

[BigPop]

Just a question for the 'experienced' turners out there.

I am about halfway thru a woodturning course at our local TAFE and we are learning to sharpen (grinding) our gouges etc this weekend (we learnt how to hone them correctly the other week.)

Anyway I have just bought the "P & N Beginners Set" and will be taking these with me to be shown how to sharpen (grind) them correctly and get the correct bevel etc.
In the set is a '20mm Roughing Gouge' however when measuring the gouge the OD is about 18mm but the ID of the gouge is only about 13mm the one I'm used to using at TAFE is a huge bugger about 30mm+ in ID and this 20mm one 'seems' to be a bit on the small side for bigger jobs

Will the smaller gouge handle all the jobs I will be undertaking or is it worthwhile for me to get a bigger roughing gouge like the one I'm used to, to compliment the smaller one. I can get about a 32MM one for a very good price and if so then can take it with me too to get it correctly sharpened this weekend

The reason I ask is that when roughing down larger pieces of timber with the BIG gouge it handles it really easy and was wondering if the smaller one will be just as capable

Any help would be really appreciated

[Baz]

Pete, I don't think you will have any troubles with the smaller roughing gouge, give it a go for a while and if it isn't suitable get a bigger one, if you want a fright check out the prices of a larger roughing gouge.
Cheers
Barry

[BigPop]

Stoppers,
Yep your are right about this week - we are learning how to sharpen (grind) the tools and have been told we can bring our own tools in to do so and last week we were shown and taught how to hone the gouges & skews, that belonged to the TAFE, with slipstones. We were shown how to hone the outer and then the inner surfaces to get rid of the burr that can be created when grinding making sure we didn't 'change' the angle of the bevel etc when doing so.
Hope that makes sense.

Will stick with me 'little' gouge and see how it goes and save me pennies for me new saw when I can get one. (which is another saga in itself :rolleyes: )

[gatiep]

More often than not that burr is useful to the woodturner.

I shape my tools to my liking, then sharpen them on the white stone, just a wee touch. Inbetween weeing and touching, I hone them with a hand held diamond lap, touching the tip and heel of the hollow grind bevel at the same time. I find that by doing the honing regularly I very seldom even touch them up on the white wheel. Usually I can see how the hollow ground bit becomes narrower. However no point in trying to hone it when it is as blunt as a used cold chisel.

My skew was shaped on the stone and I only hone that. It probably hasn't been back on the stone for over 2 years.

Thats my 2.2 c's worth

Cya

Joe

Have fun..................keep turnin

[BrianR]

I've was thinking of getting a 32mm gouge but after talking to the P&N man at the wood show who suggested that a 20mm super gouge was better. I tried one as thet're a lot cheaper and liked it and now use it preference to my 25mm gouge.