Norm Turning a Bowl

[Tankstand]

Hi all,

Did anyone watch Norm's episode yesterday 24/4/04?
I'm just starting to learn woodturning and was wondering why was he using the bowl gouge to rough turn the outside of the bowl? Surely a roughing gouge would be the go?

Any thoughts for a newbee?

[RETIRED]

A roughing gouge is used in SPINDLE turning.

[Woodencrux]

From what I understand of the two chisels, the design of the bowl gouge better supports the cutting edge when the chisel is pushed along a horizontal surface (side of a bowl) with the flute up. The round cross section of the bowl gouge maintains the cutting surface close to vertically above the point of support with the tool rest so as to minimise the torque generated by a heavy cut. The roughing gouge cannot be used in a simiar orientation due to the design. If the roughing gouge is used on edge to present the bevel to the bowl, the point of contact with the wood is not above the point of support with the tool rest (nor close to it) and may roll if a deep cut is attempted leading to a bad dig in.
That said, try everything with scrap/firewood/green/dry and work out what works for you. I recently heard of a guy that finishes the ouside of bowls with a skew - not as a scraper, but as a cutting edge. Just to add some spice he doesn't rub the bevel!
I am sure some timbers respond differently to a range of chisels, some being more "accommodating" to novel choices.
Certainly green timber is easier to cut through than dry and maybe the width of the shaving from a roughing gouge is faster for the turner you mention.
Have fun and turn safely.
Alan

[Jeff]

I get kinda tired of hearing such and such tool is for ONLY such and such type of cut. I turn a very wide variety of woods and it is a fact that there is no set of hard and fast rules about what tool ALWAYS works or what angle grind on the tip is ALWAYS right. If a shop turns a few kinds of wood that are similar then sure, general rules will apply. I too often use a scraper to finish some kinds of bowls, but then I also have used a parting tool to hollow out a vase. All I can say is, get over the concept of limiting the possibilities of what a tool a can do for you. I do a tremendous amount of work with a fingernail tip skew, a tool many turners seem not to even be aware exists. Bottom line is, I want to get the job done accurately and quickly, and I'm not too proud to use whatever tool it takes.

[IanA]

Jeff,

Your fingernail tip skew sounds interesting. Is it just a skew with a gentle radius or does it have a tight radius? What is the cross section shape of the tool blank?

I agree that it's not worth getting too fussy about the "right tool for the job", as long as the fundamentals are already understood.
Plunging the unsupported long point of a skew into a spindle or bowl can be a trifle exciting. Especially as that chunk of wood buries itself in your shoulder!!

In a book I read some time ago the author recommended fixing a large nail (6"-8") in a handle, and just grinding the end at an angle. His argument was that the tool was forgiving and able to do just about anything. Not too sure about the quality of finish.

The same author advocated deep fluted gouges for spindle turning for the novice.

[Dean]

Im wondering why Ron Hazelton 30 mins earlier in his show "House Calls" called Gorilla Glue "Polyester Glue"?

[Jeff]

The "fingernail skew" is just a standard round nose scraper that I've changed the angle and shape a little. Again, my point is that it isn't a matter of a specific angle or cut that always works for all situations. If you are doing production work for a specific line of products, then it would make sense to check out what angle of grind on your tools is best for the woods you use. I do work with a huge variety of woods and specifically with a lot of driftwoods that land on the beach of the island where I live. Driftwood has unique properties due to the effects of the ocean, and I've developed certain techniques that enable me to use these woods. Typically the driftwood is very brittle and would chip and tear out if I used standard woodturning techniques. And, no, I won't disclose all my tricks of the trade on a forum such as this, sorry! I'm just trying to encourage new turners to be creative, to step back from the traditional concepts and take their work in new directions. The basics of woodturning will always be the same, but don't forget to express your own perspective through your work.