How to repurpose an Ellsworth gouge.

[Tom Hamilton D'ville, GA]

One of the first Ellsworth gouge's I bought is now too short to sharpen. I've ground a flat on the steel between the handle and the flute and extended the life for a short time. So what to do?

Grind past the flute and make a ???? I'd have about 3" of round steel in this situation.

Remove the handle and use it for another tool? If so, how does one remove a handle. Heat the steel to soften the glue?

I await your counsel.

Thanks, Tom in Douglasville, trying to get a few more chips from the Ellsworth.

[John Keeton]

Tom, I think you may have squeezed all you can out of that one. Frank Penta might agree with me that each of us has a responsibility to support the turning community, so turn loose of some of that stale folding money and buy a new gouge!😁😁😁

[Steve Nix]

$$$$$$$$$$������������
I think you've milked that cow dry. Enjoy the new one.

[Rich Colvin]

Tom,

I'd make it it into a point tool.

Rich

[John K Jordan]

...how does one remove a handle. Heat the steel to soften the glue?

If the tool is held in the handle with epoxy you can heat the shaft to soften the epoxy and twist the tool from the handle.

You may have more steel to work with once the handle is removed. I've made several negative rake scrapers from gouges with a variety of profiles. I like the scrapers made from round stock since I can rotate it to any angle and it is stable on the tool rest. I use these without handles on mostly smaller pieces.

BTW, I've done the "grind a flat" thing on several gouges to allow gripping for sharpening.

JKJ

[Ralph Lindberg]

Tom
Are you certain the shaft is hardened all the way up?
A lot of tools are only hardened up the flute, some actually aren't hard all the way up the flute.
Take a metal file, like a fine triangle and make a pass on the shaft of the tool. If the file cuts the shaft, the shaft is not hardened.

The only modern tools I've tested that were hard all the way up are D-Way and Thompson.

[Brice Rogers]

I'm surprised that a wood turner would want to re-use an existing handle when they can turn a new one in less time that it probably takes to re-use an old one. Just wondering....

[William C Rogers]

I'm surprised that a wood turner would want to re-use an existing handle when they can turn a new one in less time that it probably takes to re-use an old one. Just wondering....

I make all my handles, but I'll repurpose one for some tool I've made that is limited use. I got a set of Delta chisels with the midi lathe I bought 10 years ago. Chisels are not HSS, so when I need a quick handle I use one of them.

Made handles
IMG_0928.JPG

[John K Jordan]

I'm surprised that a wood turner would want to re-use an existing handle when they can turn a new one in less time that it probably takes to re-use an old one. Just wondering....

I'm not surprised, even though I make almost all of my handles.

My take on reuse: while a handle is fairly quick and easy to make it is even quicker and easier to re-use one. Saves finding the right wood, locating something for the ferrule, drilling, sizing, shaping, and perhaps texturing and finishing.

And not everyone likes making handles - if they did those who sell tool handles might have to find something else to do.

BTW, for all the handles I've made in the last few years I also turn an adapter from either aluminum or steel to hold the tools with set screws. This gives more flexibility in controlling the tool extension from the handle and saves a LOT of shop space for those who, just maybe, might have too many tools...

textured_handles_hunterIMG_.jpg

For example, I keep one handle with a 3/8" hole for my 3/8" spindle gouges. I sharpen several with identical grinds so when one gets dull I just swap it for a fresh one instead of stopping to sharpen.

You can easily make such an adapter from aluminum using the wood lathe and standard tools.

turning_IMG_20150420_121555.jpg shavings_IMG_20150420_12241.jpg

JKJ

[Tom Hamilton D'ville, GA]

Thanks for the responses. I've got 5 or 6 Ellsworth's, this is the first one to get "too short to sharpen." I thought perhaps there was another use I had not thought of. Plus it's fun to repurpose, reuse and renew. It's not the money but the challenge.
Again, thanks for the counsel.

Tom, in Douglasville, looking for his propane torch.