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Large fingernail gouges

Cliff Holmes

Cliff Holmes

Joined
Jul 13, 2011
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Florida
I'm fairly new to turning, but I'm finding I really prefer turning with larger tools. I've been working with a 1/2" fingernail gouge and want something larger. I've been looking at the Thompson 3/4" and Serious Toolworks 1" gouges. Lots of people seem to like the Thompsons, anyone have an opinion on the Serious tools? Or suggestions on other lines to check out?

My primary interest is running to bowls vs spindle work.
 
Are you talking about a bowl gouge or spindle gouge. For my purposes 5/8" is as large as I like to go on a bowl gouge. I had a 3/4". Didn't like it. It was very heavy and I couldn't really take any larger cut than I can with the 5/8"
For spindle gouges it depends on what I'm doing. Larger spindles with big details and I prefer a larger gouge that gives me a cut similar to my skew. Most of the time I use a 1/2" spindle or detail gouge for things like beads or smaller coves. I have a 1" and a 3" spindle gouge. The rarely get used.
 
Bill Grumbine 5/8V

The Bill Grumbine 5/8 bowl gouge from Thompson is an excellent tool. I put an 18" aluminum handle on mine and a hole in the back to add extensions. Overall balance is great and Doug make a great tool.
 
Cliff Holmes said:
I've been looking at the Thompson 3/4" and Serious Toolworks 1" gouges. Lots of people seem to like the Thompsons, anyone have an opinion on the Serious tools? Or suggestions on other lines to check out?
Click to expand...

My order of preference for main tools is Thompson, Sorby, Crown, and Ashley Iles (for more specialized old-school tools). Serious Tools are at the end of the list - I have at least 3 of their gouges and 2 scrapers.

I learned after I bought the Serious tools that the steel for their tooling is A2 (though they have a new "secret recipe" Super High Speed alloy for their Ultimate Gouge). A2 is noticeably prone to dulling faster than the other brands' standard M2 high speed steels (HSS). It is also very sensitive to grinding heat that will ruin the temper (400-600F vs. 1000F+). Given cost differences between the Serious brand and Thompson, there's little incentive to go A2 rather than 10v or even the standard HSS M2 or M4.

On a positive note, I have a couple of the Serious Camlock handles for my Thompsons and love them. They're well built, versatile, and still comfortable and durable, after 4-5 years of use.
 
Forgot to echo those who addressed tool size: I have a 3/4" bowl gouge that is a monster and really doesn't do any better with 16"+ bowls than my 5/8" (or is it a 1/2"?) gouge. Unless you are overhanging the tool rest a long way, the smaller gouges offer much better control.
 
I have a Serious 1" cylindrical, and it is very heavy. If you use it properly, with minimum overhang, there's a lot of weight to bear. Tires me quickly, in addition to the restrictions on a large gouge not being capable of doing things a smaller can do. It was one of several tools bought on advice rather than use which spends its time occupying space. http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d160/GoodOnesGone/Now-This-Is-A-Gouge.jpg That's a quarter for reference.

As to the alloy, it seems as good as any other at taking an edge and holding it. It certainly remains sharp for longer than I can stand to work with it. My main hoggers are an 1 1/4 rougher for convex, and a 1/2" deep-flute Sorby for insides. I use shallow sweep forged patterns for finishing in or out. They are an excellent choice if you want to take a broad shaving with a good skew angle. To do what they do you'd almost have to stand a deep-flute on its end. http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d160/GoodOnesGone/Gouge-Curves.jpg That's the Sorby on the right. Some fingernail grind them, though I prefer a constant angle. The fingernail is more for cove cutting on convex work. Rather than use a broad gouge for a narrow cove, I use smaller gouges or steeper cuts.
 
Lot's of good information here Cliff. The only time I use my 3/4" Sorby is when I am finishing the bottom inside of a bowl and reaching out off the tool rest. It is ground with a conventional grind with a 70 degree bevel for most uses.
 
Cliff, the title of your thread has 'fingernail grind' in it, and you also indicate in the thread that you are referring to bowl gouges, not spindle.

If you are using the Wolverine system to sharpen your bowl gouges to get the fingernail grind, you should be aware that a 1" gouge will not fit in the jig that you fix to the tool shaft. I can't comment on other manufacturers' fingernail grind jigs, but you might want to check out the ID of yours before you drop $$ on a large gouge that you will have trouble sharpening 😀
 
Donna Banfield said:
If you are using the Wolverine system to sharpen your bowl gouges to get the fingernail grind, you should be aware that a 1" gouge will not fit in the jig that you fix to the tool shaft.
Click to expand...

Oneway makes two sizes of there traditional Vari-Grind jig. The "regular" older Vari-Grind jig will hold tools from 1/8" to 5/8" in diameter. The "large" newer Vari-Grind jig will hold tools from 1/2" to 1 1/8".
 
Hi Donna, I have a Oneway vari-grind jig that will allow 1 1/8" tools. It is available on their website, but as you suggested, it is not their "standard" jig.
 
Cliff Holmes said:
I'm fairly new to turning, but I'm finding I really prefer turning with larger tools. I've been working with a 1/2" fingernail gouge and want something larger. I've been looking at the Thompson 3/4" and Serious Toolworks 1" gouges. Lots of people seem to like the Thompsons, anyone have an opinion on the Serious tools? Or suggestions on other lines to check out?

My primary interest is running to bowls vs spindle work.
Click to expand...

Cliff

As mentioned on the other forum where you posed this question - get more than two bowls under your belt before looking to buy a massive gouge - I think you will find that there really isnt a reason to buy one

You are probably preferring larger tools because you havent perfected your skills yet.... I love tools and gagets as much as the next guy but be patient ... it will come
 
I have never tried a 1" bowl gouge. But the tool of choice - one that I would not be without is a Thompson 5/8" U bowl gouge. Nicest bowl gouge that I have ever had. I like it so much that I purchased two new ones for spares. Then I compared how much I have ground away in sharpening and found that over a couple of years of use - I hardly used an inch of the gouge (and I turn a bit). I do about 90% of my turning with this tool. Nice stuff Doug!
Hugh😀😀😀
 
Cliff
I use the 5/8 Thompson bowl for most everything,But I have the DT 3/4 for doing big bowls on the Vega 2600. The 3/4 DT I have is a U gouge and can reach into the bottom of a bowl way out over the rest. The only time the big gouge comes out is when I'm on the big lathe for most regular lathe if it's over 5/8 it's over kill to me.
Just my$.02
 
I purchased an unhandled 7/8 or one inch gouge (don't recall the manufacturer). My Powermatic has the stones to allow me to take huge cuts with it. That said, I only use it for roughing fresh cut green wood. If roughing dryer wood, I stay with a 5/8 inch one.
 
Newer Oneway Vari-grind

I was not aware that the newer Oneway jig had a larger capacity. I stand corrected 😀

But I also use the Michelsen grind and free-hand sharpen all my bowl gouges, so don't use the Wolverine for a fingernail grind on bowl gouges anymore.
 
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