Bowl gouge handle length

[Gary Sichmeller]

As for length of the handle, I find it seems to work best for me if it is long enough to tuck under my forearm short of the elbow for the larger bowl gouges. That tends to be in the range of 16". Diameter is subject to whatever you are comfortable with.
I have the Thompson 20" handle for my 5/8" gouge and it is a bit to long for my tastes.

[Kyle Iwamoto]

I like long handles also, and have hands on the bigger side, so thicker is good for me. I just wanted to add that in the event that you have -enough- gouges, I have a 1/2 and 5/8 Thompsons that are in short 12" long, fat handles. These I use for the light cuts and inside of the bowl, where the long handles are a PITA. Very nimble and easy to handle.

BTW I don't think anyone can have -enough- gouges.....

[Tony De Masi]

Just big enough in diameter and just long enough in length.

[Roger Chandler]

just big enough in diameter and just long enough in length.

Tony...... !

[Mike Cruz]

Just sarcastic enough, just vague enough...

[mark ravensdale]

Not sure of the sizes involved but the best wooden handle I have found to date was/is on a 5/8 crown pro-pm bowl gouge, just a lovely handle (don't rate the gouge very much but the handles great!)

[Thomas Canfield]

I normally like a longer handle for my Powermatic 3520, but find that sometimes a short handle is very handy. I "made" a 1/4" bowl gouge (bowl grind) out of a 1/4" Thompson detail gouge and put a 8" handle on it to use on a mini lathe doing small 2"+/- bowls and needing to lower the handle to get to bowl bottom. I need to make a short handle 3/8" bowl gouge for use on mini lathe.

[Anthony Cayll]

I second that on the Crown Pro-PM handle. I think that's the most comfortable handle out there.

[Faust M. Ruggiero]

Lots of opinions here so may as well read another. I believe the handle length depends on how you hold the tool and also what the handle is made from. My longest Onewat Mastercut handle is only 16" and it is more than long enough for a 5/8" gouge. However, that is a heavy handle with a flexible coating that absorbed a ton of shock. I have a wooden handle on my Woodcut 16mm gouge. This tool has a solid bar with a replaceable tip. That makes the cutting end quite heavy. Because the handle is wood I made it 20". I use it by holding the tool a few inches back of the ferrule and resting my forearm on the handle. If you've ever been to Bill Grumbine's shop you will see a special Doug Thompson gouge with a handle that appears to be a yard long. It's all about how the tool feels good to you. Personally, the longer the handle, the more difficult it is to properly swing it when sharpening it.
faust

[Mike Cruz]

Anthony and Faust, thank you both (and everyone else, too!) for your input. It looks like it really boils down to personal preference, size of the user, style of the user, and what you are using the gouge for. Which means anything from 15-36" for a 5/8" bowl gouge! Though it seems the most common is 18" with a swing 2" in each direction depending on the person. I have a feeling that I might make a couple, ranging from 16-20" and see what will fit my 5/8" Thompson the best. I already have a 5/8" Thompson with a 17 1/2" handle that I made for it. So, my next might just be the 20". Heck, I can always cut it down...