Newbie needs help sharpening spindle gouge

Westru · 24th February 2003, 01:19 PM

Hi all - I have just started woodturning a couple month's ago, and have had a really satisfying experience turning between centers thus far. However, I have been having problems getting a satisfactory tip profile on my 1/2 inch spindle gouge. I have first tried a 8"wheel with a 35 degree bevel angle - as recommended by Kieth Rowley in his art of Woodturning book - I also used the the homemade angle platform jig he shows in the book, which has worked well. I have tried rotating the gouge against the wheel - swinging the handle in a 25 degree arc as he recommends. the result was a pointy, rather than rounded fingernail profile. Also - a natural result I presume - the side profile reveals that the top side opposite the bevel is a somewhat hooked concave profile. I tried going to a belt sander and ultimately about a 42.5 degree bevel - still the same problem, though less noticable. The tool is a good qaulity Packard brand gouge which arrived with a sharpening job that had me feeling like a Pro, obtaining good results with smooth and easy movements. As such there must be a way to sharpen the tool correctly. has anyone else had this ginding profile problem, or found the way to correct it. Would appreciate any advice, or useful resources you could direct me to. Thank You

**rsser** · 24th February 2003, 05:56 PM

Maybe try and save the swing for later in the roll.

If you can borrow one with the grind you want then practice the moves with wheel stationary looking from the side at the wheel/bevel contact point.

There are some plans for home-made fingernail grind jigs on the Web.

Cheers,

Ern

**Marshall Gorrow** · 25th February 2003, 11:00 AM

<html>Hello Westru,

Try just looking with the grinder off. Hold the tool in your hand and realize what movements are necessary to create the grind that you want. Practice a few "dry runs". Then when you have sharpened the tool in your mind and have got it right, do it for real.

Better yet, find a woodturner near by that will show you how to do it right. After you can sharpen it right every time, then consider whether you wish to use a jig or not. For some, a jig gives more consistent results. Some feel that a jig saves time.

I hope that this helps.

Marshall Gorrow
<a href="http://mgorrow.tripod.com/
</html>

Westru · 27th February 2003, 02:33 PM

Thanks for the replies - You seem to understand what I am looking for, and have given me some good thoughts on what may be needed to correct the problem. Would like to find a local woodturner to learn from, but just depending upon a book or two and good people like you in the mean time. Will get back to experimenting, and trust it will come along with some thoughtful analysis, practice; and that the few fractions of an inch off my good spindle gouge are yet cheaper than an instructor. Good lesson for me check and analyze the grind on new tools prior to re-sharpening

. Thanks again for your help - Westru

**Jean Michel** · 28th February 2003, 12:53 PM

Hi,

Doing it free hand is not easy at first but it can be done although it doesn't look lime done at the factory. I chose the held in a jig way more than 3 years ago and like it. I made a jig from a picture I had and never tried the real thing but mine fills the bill so why should I!

You can see the jig on my site.

HTH.

**Keith Jeeves** · 2nd March 2003, 09:00 AM

I use a Heligrind sharpening jig for bowl and spindle gouges. Because of the design, the handle does not need to be swung left and right, the tool tip climbs up the wheel as it is rotated in the jig. This allows me to get a factory quality grind every time. Because it takes a couple of minutes to set up a tool in the jig, I dont use it every time I grind - I get a good grind from the jig and then quickly hand grind when I need to. When the thing gets badly out of shape, it's back on the jig.

There is a link to a Heligrind info page on the Australian links page at the following address...

Keith Jeeves
www.sydneywoodturners.com.au

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