How to sharpen a standard gouge bowl gouge?

[Tom Lewis]

I have several bowl gouges with fingernail shapes which I sharpen with a Wolverine Vari-Gring Jig.
I also have a 1/2" Robert Sorby bowl gouge with a standard grind with out the fingernail shape or wings. I like this grind for finishing cuts inside bowls. My question for those of you who use a gouge like this is, how do you sharpen it? I have tried setting up the Vari-Grind Jig and I can't get it to reproduce the original standard grind.
Is freehand the only way to sharpen this type of grind?

[Ron McKinley]

Use the Wolverine adjustable arm only and it will reproduce a typical, conventional bowl gouge grin. You can also use it to put a secondary bevel on it to give it even more "get to the bottom" usability.....Ron

[Tom Lewis]

Thanks Ron, that's the answer I needed.

[Bruce Smith]

Tom, October 2008 issue of Wood magazine had a great four page article on grinding the bowl gouge with the grind that you are looking for. Let me know if you can't get your hands on the October issue and I can no doubt scan it to you. Good luck

[George Morris]

Like Ron said! G

[Tom Lewis]

Bruce, I would really like to see that article you refer to. If you can scan it and send it to me I would appreciate it.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Tom I use the P & N with a conventional grind. Pull the arm out to match the bevel and grind it like a roughing gouge. I generally have a 55* bevel on mine. I also use them (1/2" and 3/8") for the final cut or two.

[Bruce Smith]

Tom, I shall get that off to you this afternoon, Iam on the fly here this morning.

[Hilel Salomon]

Tom,

If you use a black marking pen and color your existing grind, you can fiddle with both the angle of the jig and the distance from the wheel until you get exactly the grind you want. Write down the angle and maybe cut a piece of scrap the width of which is exactly the distance you get and the repeatability is guaranteed.
Luck,
Hilel.