Isn't the difference in the tang another characteristic of a continental gouge? I'm not being a smart a$$ in new to turning and am truly seeking knowledge.
Gregory
Gregory
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M42 Continental Gouge?
- Thread starter Randy Anderson
- Start date
I don't believe the tang is an intrinsic property of any gouge style – it's the profile of the sharp business end that counts, as it were. For example, there are SRGs with narrow tangs but the more recent thing is to have a much more robust, large-diameter tool end for SRGs as the tang was a weak point in a bad catch. But the tool's geometry is the same for both tang styles.
Hello Gregory- "continental" gouges, and spindle roughing gouges, both start life as flat stock, then are forged into a flattish to curved shape. The tang is formed as the sides of the flat stock at that area are sheared away, resulting in a narrow gauge rectangular tang that is fit into a round hole in the handle. That small section tang is the weak point only when one tries to hang the tool far off the tool rest, as we'd do with a bowl gouge. If undue force comes down on the cutting edge of the tool (tool too far off the rest, or a roughing gouge grabbing a big bite of wood while hanging far off the rest), the fulcrum point is close enough to the tang that it can fail, breaking where the flute section transitions to tang. "My big heavy gouge is faulty, I want a new one!" This happened enough that catalogs would warn of no guarantee for this kind of failure. This gouge design needs to have the cutting edge kept very close to the tool rest support, within an inch or so.
Modern day gouges (bowl and spindle) milled from bar stock are inherently stronger at the tang, there is more beef at that location. Modern is relative, they've been made this way for decades.
Modern day gouges (bowl and spindle) milled from bar stock are inherently stronger at the tang, there is more beef at that location. Modern is relative, they've been made this way for decades.
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I knew this about the SRG, but didn't about the contental gouge. I thought they were machined from round stock. Thanks for the information, I appreciate it very much.
Gregory
You're welcome.
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As John Whitley said, it isn't so much the tang or the stock that makes a continental gouge a continental gouge - It's the profile of the flute and cutting edge. A Continental gouge could be made from round bar stock , if you cut the flute properly (relatively shallow) - Look at the photo Randy Anderson posted, you can see how you could mill a continental gouge from round bar stock (though rarely can I imagine it to be worth it given the amount of steel you'd have to cut away to form the flute both top and bottom) and then of course the fingernail grind to the cutting tip. - Technically you could turn a SRG into a continental gouge by grinding down the top of the flute a bit lower and then giving it a fingernail grind instead of the straight-across grind of a SRG... There's lots of spindle gouges milled from round bar stock, but they tend to have a much thicker heel than a Continental once you sharpen them up.
And as mentioned by Steve, most spindle work gouges are going to be used with very little of the tool overhanging the tool rest (Leverage and all that.. gives better control, for one...) so tang is not of particular concern where Spindle Gouges (and SRG's) are in use - there's very little leverage if you get a catch for the wood to bend the gouge over tool rest, so strength is not a major issue there.
If there was an M42 or V10 continental style gouge out there, I would add them to my arsenal. I am not that much of a spindle turner, but can see them being handy. The preferred tool of the old school bodgers.
robo hippy
robo hippy
Chris Hoehle recommended the Crown M42 continental gouges up thread.
Indeed -- they're very useful for turning pieces for the Windsor chairs I build
Great name for a band: Old School Bodgers! Let the gen whatevers try to figure 'bodgers' out
