3/4 or 5/8 bowl gouge ?

[Leo Van Der Loo]

I guess we are NOT talking British sizes are we ?, as a 5/8” Sorby is nearly 3/4 inch and a 1/2” is 5/8 inch.

The following are all British sizes, that means flute measurements

I have also a 3/4” P & N gouge (thats a 1” gouge) and have used it on large blanks for roughing out, though I tend to use the 5/8” rather than the 3/4” one, the half inch and 3/8 for finish cuts, these are all British sizes and mostly Sorby gouges.

[Dale Bonertz]

Very interesting and curious thread. I use the 3/4" gouge (Shaft size or American size) for roughing all the time. As a matter of fact I have six of them so I can keep going without stopping except to change to a sharp one. I admit I do rough turn a lot of bowls starting in the 14" to 18" round size off the bandsaw.

What interests me is when finish cutting one isn't using the whole of the wing, they are using from 1/16" to 1/4" of the wing from the nose. You can as easily do this with a sharp 3/4" gouge as a 3/8" gouge. Now if you are turning something small using a smaller gouge allows you to get into tighter places. My go to gouge for finish turning bowls is 5/8" (American standard) since it will allow you to turn the inside of a bowl when over the tool rest a bit at the transition area, if not using a curved rest. I could easily make that same cut with my 3/4" gouges but I don't take the heel off of them so finish cutting through the transition becomes more difficult (when rough cutting it doesn't matter). I guess what I am saying is it shouldn't matter what size gouge you're using since you cut with them the same way. It matters more with what you are turning and what nose grind you need or area you're trying to cut into and etc. on what tool and shank size you use. I have 1/4", 3/8", 1/2", 5/8" and 3/4" bowl gouges with different nose grinds, V & U shape, different metallurgy and they all are useful for different cuts. The one advantage to using a smaller gouge for the final finish cut is it forces the turner to find that smaller sweet spot for that really light cut. This can be done with a larger gouge but it takes discipline to take that final pass with a really light cut.

[Bill Bulloch]

I was given a 3/4" Sorby for Christmas. It came with a Traditional grind and I really liked it. The thickness eliminated most of the vibration when extended far over the tool rest. Then, for some reason, I changed it to an Ellsworth grind -- wish I hadn't done that. Too many challenges: (1) I have to learn how to use it, it does not seem to work like the 5/8" gouges and (2) It will not fit in the Oneway Sharpening jig so I have to learn to sharpen free hand. Also, the handle is to light for me.

[Leo Van Der Loo]

Very interesting and curious thread. I use the 3/4" gouge (Shaft size or American size) for roughing all the time. As a matter of fact I have six of them so I can keep going without stopping except to change to a sharp one. I admit I do rough turn a lot of bowls starting in the 14" to 18" round size off the bandsaw.

What interests me is when finish cutting one isn't using the whole of the wing, they are using from 1/16" to 1/4" of the wing from the nose. You can as easily do this with a sharp 3/4" gouge as a 3/8" gouge. Now if you are turning something small using a smaller gouge allows you to get into tighter places. My go to gouge for finish turning bowls is 5/8" (American standard) since it will allow you to turn the inside of a bowl when over the tool rest a bit at the transition area, if not using a curved rest. I could easily make that same cut with my 3/4" gouges but I don't take the heel off of them so finish cutting through the transition becomes more difficult (when rough cutting it doesn't matter). I guess what I am saying is it shouldn't matter what size gouge you're using since you cut with them the same way. It matters more with what you are turning and what nose grind you need or area you're trying to cut into and etc. on what tool and shank size you use. I have 1/4", 3/8", 1/2", 5/8" and 3/4" bowl gouges with different nose grinds, V & U shape, different metallurgy and they all are useful for different cuts. The one advantage to using a smaller gouge for the final finish cut is it forces the turner to find that smaller sweet spot for that really light cut. This can be done with a larger gouge but it takes discipline to take that final pass with a really light cut.

I have less of a problem with the bowl shatter if I use a smaller gouge that has a much narrower cutting area when cutting inside thin wall bowls, I also use a more traditional grind on most of my bowl gouges, anyway that’s what works for me