Poll - what angle do you have on your favorite bowl gouge?

[Reed Gray]

I have heard of two different wing profiles that turners use. One, is like what Lyle uses, which is straight from the top of the flute/wing, to the center of the nose. The other is more pretty much straight, but then curves down a bit at the nose, making a convex type wing. Doug Thompson mentioned to me at the Symposium this year that having a slightly convex type side profile makes his V gouge act more like a parabolic fluted gouge. I am still pondering that one. I am still pondering the differences between the parabolic, and V and U flutes (oh my!!!). Some times when sharpening, I end up with the flutes having a slight concave profile as well. It still cuts, and the next time I sharpen it, I grind a bit more off the nose or wing to get it back the way it is supposed to be. Does the convex wing contribute to more catches??? Well, I don't understand how. But, I always cut with the gouge rolled over to 9 or 3 o'clock, and that way the wing that is closest to the wood can not catch.

robo hippy

[Peter Fabricius]

Interesting, exactly the kind of discussion I was hoping for.
If the wing is convex, is there not more metal sticking out and a possibility of digging in??? Even when using the wing like Reed describes the convex shape is out further than a straight wing.
In a sheer scrape the straight wing should give a smoother surface since there is a longer piece of edge in touch with the wood.
I sure would like to hear from Lyle Jamison.
Peter F.

[Bob Bergstrom]

I sharpen free hand and use Glenn Lucas style with my Wolverine platform tilted almost vertical. This style allows freedom to pivot, rotate or slide the gouge to the desired grind. Most of my bowl gouges are about 55 degrees, but that changes with the kind of wood or type of bowl. The wings are ground back and either straight or concave. I find a concave wing actually conforms to the curve of the outside of the bowl. A shorter convex curve is a better cutter on the inside of the bowl. Here is a couple pics of what I have found the best shear cutter on the outside of a bowl. This is a 5/8" spindle gouge with the wings ground back about 2". The shallow flute seems to take a very fine cut with the shavings like fluff. Ray Key showed this at a demo years ago and it has saved me a ton of sanding time. It performs much like a cabinet scraper.

image.jpgimage.jpg

[Reed Gray]

Well, a convex wing will have slightly more surface area, that is a given fact. I can't see how that contributes to catches though. The main factor, as far as I am concerned is tool/cutting edge presentation. If your flutes are pointing more up, and you are cutting more with the wings, then you are cutting with the unbalanced part of the tool, where if the flutes are up, you should be cutting with the bottom of the flute, which is directly over the tool rest, and can not tip over. I do need to do a video on this. Other than that, for shear cuts, the higher the shear angle, the less resistance there is to the cut, and the cleaner the cut is. With Bob's flute above, you can drop the handle really low, and get a 60 to 80 degree shear angle. I can do the same with my swept back scrapers. Much harder to do on the inside of the bowl, so I use a bull nose ) shaped scraper and cut with the lower third of the edge, and can get a 60 plus shear angle on the inside. I don't know how that can be done with a gouge, other than the fluteless gouge from Doug, or a spindle/detail shallow flute gouge with the same ) nose profile, but then it is a bevel rubbing cut, and not a shear scrape.

robo hippy

[ALAN HOLLAR]

General workhorses are 3/8 and 1/2 sidegrinds. I have several traditional grind gouges in both sizes with bevels at 35, 46 60, and 70 degrees for dealing with problem woods, or for bottoming work on deep bowls with smaller diameters

[Dave Cullen]

Mine are still close to whatever the creators shipped them as. One is by Thompson, the other is D-Way. I've never measured them.