Small Gouge Preferences...

[John Grace]

All...

I am working up the 'courage' to transition to traditional turning tools as opposed to my EWT's. I have some questions relative to the smaller bowl gouges I've seen on the various web sites (Thompson, Henry Taylor, etc). What are the practical differences between a 3/8 'fingernail' gouges, detail gouges and what are the pros/cons of those when compared to just a plain 3/8 bowl gouge?

Thanks much...John

[John Keeton]

"Fingernail" is a term used to describe a style of grind that produces a nose profile similar to one's fingernail, "detail gouge" is a term usually associated with a spindle gouge that has a thicker underbelly (more shallow flute), and "just plain 3/8 bowl gouge" is probably a little too general to describe a particular tool.

[Thom Sturgill]

Doug Thompson has a nice picture on the front of his web site:
five-gouges.jpg
The first two are bowl gouges - 'V' and 'U' flutes. Several manufacturers also make a parabolic flute which is similar to the 'V' but the sides are not straight and the nose a bit wider. The next is a spindle gouge, followed by a detail gouge and a shallow detail gouge with a very shallow flute. the flute shape is determined by the maker and can not normally be changed.

Notice the difference in the angle of the grind at the tip. Bowl gouges will range from 40-70 degrees while spindle gouges will be about 35 degrees and detail gouges about 25. This so something you can change to suit yourself.

The sides can be ground nearly staight (called a conventional or bottom-feeder grind) or swept back to varying amounts creating anything from the 40-40 grind to the Fingernail, Irish, or Ellsworth grind. These are something you can change yourself.

The last issue is the type of steel. High Speed Steel (HSS) covers a wide range of metal types. M2, M42, V11, etc are more specific. Also important are how (and how well) the hardening and tempering was done. You will find advocates for each of the variables mentioned, and finding out what you like can be a long expensive journey or you can start with the best. Doug Thompson makes probably the best steel I have used, but Dave at D-Way produces a better finish to his tools.

[John Thorson]

The detail gouge has a very shallow grind, above the center of the round bar tool stock. A little bit of twist to the shaft means a lot of movement of the tip of the tool making it easier to cut fine details.

Let's go to the other end of the spectrum and take a look at a bowl gouge with its flute ground well below the center of the round tool bar stock. Any twist of the tool has a much less affect on the tip of the tool making it easier to cut those big flowing curves on a bowl. The bowl gouge wants to hold the line on a cut.

We can finally talk about the spindle gouge. It is ground to the center of the round tool bar stock. You get a very controlled movement of the tip with any twist of the tool making the control of the tip of the tool capable of cutting a variety of the forms on a spindle but not good for those smaller details or the bigger curves on a bowl.

The last difference in these tools is the distance you can work away from the tool rest before you'll get vibration. You can take a lighter cut with a smaller diameter tool to reduce this to some degree but you need a beefier tool to get too far out.

One other point is that with these gouges you will learn a lot about rubbing the bevel in a push or a pull cut. This will open up a lot of new cuts and techniques from your EWT tool experience which will change the forms you will take on in your turning. (I can hear the debate on that last statement)

[John Grace]

Thank you all...just the feedback was in need of and hoping for.

[Stan Smith]

I really appreciate this thread. I have been using carbide tools and have a 4 tool Harrison set as well as some small EWTs. I was really happy with these tools because they are so easy to control (for me). I had a splintering issue with some wenge and it was suggested to me that I try a skew. I had always been afraid to use one, but decided it was time to learn. Capt. Eddie's video really helped and it's really not that difficult. I started watching some youtubes with many turners not using carbide tools. I became interested in some of the gouges being used on turning boxes, goblets, and the tool use skills shown. I just ordered a 3/8 Thompson detail gouge and this thread really helped me in my choice. Thanks all!

[bob svoboda]

Don't rule Dave's tools at D-Way Tools. I have tried them all and those are my favorites.

[Michael Mills]

All...

I have some questions relative to the smaller bowl gouges I've seen on the various web sites (Thompson, Henry Taylor, etc). What are the practical differences between a 3/8 'fingernail' gouges, detail gouges and what are the pros/cons of those when compared to just a plain 3/8 bowl gouge?

For Bowl Gouges only, not spindle gouges, UK specs are different than US specs.

A UK (Henry Taylor, Sorby, Hamlet, Crown, Asley Iles, etc) will be about 1/8" larger than US specs. Packard's are made by Hamlet and Woodworkers Supply by Crown (I believe) so theirs fall into the same category. I don't know if the Hurricanes are made in the UK or the PRC but they are UK spec.

UK's are measured from the flute and US measured by the shaft diameter.
So as UK 3/8 = a US 1/2; a UK 1/2 = a US 5/8.

It can be interesting (?) if you mix apples and oranges as I did and wound up with two almost identical.

[Stan Smith]

Thanks, Michael. i didn't know that. I do have a mixture of both. I probably should do a comparison check, but I think I have what I need for the projects I do.