This Should Create Some Flack

[Bill Stevener]

I have noticed in several posts this past year and most recently in a post that bowl gouges are not needed to turn bowls.
Now, far be it that I am promoting the use of roughing gouges to be used in bowl turning, but I will say and agree that a bowl gouge is not always necessary.

The photos below, are of a bowl I turned from a burl. The only turning tool used was a radiused skew.

[Bob Hallowell]

Beautiful bowl Bill, But how do you use the skew to hollow? do you use it as a scraper?

Bob

[Marvin Hasenak]

That is a beauty, and it proves you need to know your tools. I do not own a bowl gouge, I use a roughing gouge and a round nose scraper. When I learned how to use a lathe there wasn't all of these specialty tools, got along without them all of those years see no "need" for buying them now. This is a hobby so a little extra time doesn't matter.

Marvin

[Christopher K. Hartley]

Point well made Bill! Great looking bowl! I've made some with only a scraper.

[Mike Vickery]

All right I will bite and be the first one to give you a little bit of flack.
I agree that a bowl gouge is not needed to turn a bowl.
I have no problem with people using what ever tool they want to turn any project with. I think most experienced turners would be fine using most tools. Begginers though can get hurt trying to do it.
I know that you are an experienced turner though and I fully support your right to use any tool you want to turn with.
By the way nice looking bowl.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Nice looking bowl Bill. Can't argue the fact about using any tools to make a bowl. My only comment to that would be use the right tools for the job. My granddad always told me that when he was teaching me woodworking. He said you can drive a nail into a expensive china hutch you are building with a sledge hammer. Sure ya can, but wouldn't it be better to drive it in with a smaller one that is right for the job. Just my humble opinion.

[Jim Becker]

Bill, I think that Mike gives some good advise...we all need to be careful with the advise we give about the techniques we prefer. In the beginning, it's very important that folks learn the techniques that are considered safest including tool choice. Everyone can then experiment with alternatives once they have gained the expertise and control that will help them avoid nasty situations that lack of experience could prove tragic.

But on a lighter note, that's a beautiful bowl!

[Raymond Overman]

First off Bill, it's a very nice looking bowl. Classic shape, nice finish and good balance in the heart wood and sap wood.

In response to your tool use, the question is why? Why use a skew or worse yet, a roughing gouge, that isn't made to do the job and is potentially unsafe?

Early in my career as a woodturner, I too used a roughing gouge and skew to hollow a hefty vase. I ended up breaking the gouge at the tang due to the pressures that the cuts put on it. I also threw a chunk of pecan off the lathe after a particularly bad catch with the skew and ended up with seven stitches due to not using the proper tool.

If you're not able to afford a <$40 unhandled bowl gouge, your other safe option is to make a boring bar. They can usually be made for less than $15 with easily available parts. 5/8" cold roll steel bars from a big box are less than $10 and will usually fit through the headstock of some #2MT for drilling. WT Tool and Enco sell 1/4" square by 2 1/2" bits for around $2.50-$2.75. The 5/8" bar will take a lot more stress when hanging over the tool rest than the tang of a rounded skew. The 1/4" bit is a lot less grabby than the skew too.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Now, far be it that I am promoting the use of roughing gouges to be used in bowl turning, but I will say and agree that a bowl gouge is not always necessary.

Bill - first off - that's a beautiful bowl!

I will agree with you that bowls can be turned using various tools and have no problem stating such - as long as the hazards of misuse of that tool are also stated.

[Bonnie Campbell]

Not having known any different when I started turning.... I used a small skew to turn little bowls. It worked, but could be a bit scary at times The skew was the only chisel I could keep sharp

[Bob Hampton]

ok my turn...lol
years ago when i was a newbie I used that tool to do a shallow bowl..not being educated yet on turning tools it was a rough ride to say the least...lots of catches and ducking...and had a few to many dents in the garage wall!
I soon learned what a bowel gouge was for and the scraper...wore out at least 2 bowl gouges learning to sharpen right ....since my last one has got to the point that it is no longer usable and the shop budget looks like a dust bowel from the 30's I have had to turn to alternative methods...IE the homemade stuff!
most of the time now when i turn a bowl I use a piece of 1/2" metal lathe cutter bar's...guess they call this an oland tool...found that out after i made it from some bar a friend gave me ....works ecellent both inside and out of bowls and gives a nice smooth surface on the inside ....it takes a bit of learning to find the sweet spot ..but once u do ...i bet u dont go back to the bowl gouge ..i pay $4.00 for these bars and stick them in a piece of pipe of the right diameter that has a set screw to hold the bar ...there cheap and last a long time ....so there are alot of other alternatives to the bowl gouge out there.

Bob

[Ben Gastfriend]

I really like the bowl, not sure I'd even pick up my skew till I'm almost finished a bowl, I'd end up bending it in half.

[Ben Gastfriend]

I must also comment on the lovely background... lovely!

[Scott Donley]

Great bowl Bill ! My very first turning was done with a Stanley bench chisel, it "worked". the only tool I had at the time. I sure would not recommend to anyone else to learn with I do think the radius skew is a lot more fogiving than a standard skew. Again, Great job on the bowl.

[Jude Kingery]

Bill, beautiful job! I'd have to say I prefer the bowl gouge. We had one when I was a kid and learned with that for bowls. Didn't have the fingernail grind I prefer today, but it wasn't a spindal gouge, it was a true bowl gouge and I find it my most preferred tool. But then I mostly do bowls. Nice discussion all the same! And very nice bowl you did regardless of what you used to accomplish this piece! Happy New Year! Jude