I know this is a hard question to answer, but when roughing out a 5" bowl made from Bradford Pear with a 3/4" HSS roughing gouge; how often should you have to sharpen the gouge? I don't have a sharpening jig, but I feel I am doing a good job of sharpening based on how well the gouge cuts after I finish. The problem is that until I get the corners rounded and the bark cut off, I'm running back and forth to the grinder every 5 minutes of so to re-sharpen. Does this sound normal? To save you the trouble, I know there is a ton of variables in this equation, I just want your opinion under the normal circumstances.
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sharpening tools
- Thread starter Jason Ledbetter
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Steve Worcester
Admin Emeritus
I would say that is about right.
John Jordans mantra is to sharpen it whenever and even before you think you have to. Dry wood of course will require more frequent sharpening than wet would. Wood closer to the ground may also, wood with higher silica contents also...
I think you are getting the picture.
John Jordans mantra is to sharpen it whenever and even before you think you have to. Dry wood of course will require more frequent sharpening than wet would. Wood closer to the ground may also, wood with higher silica contents also...
I think you are getting the picture.
This wood was close to the ground and dryer than what I have turned so far. I guess I need to move my grinder closer to the lathe!
Thanks for the reply
Thanks for the reply
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Roughing gouge?
Jason,
Before you continue, I would suggest that you read ALL of the thread entitled "turning end-grain for a newbie" and reconsider your choice of tools. 😱 😱
Jason,
Before you continue, I would suggest that you read ALL of the thread entitled "turning end-grain for a newbie" and reconsider your choice of tools. 😱 😱
Last edited:
john lucas
AAW Forum Expert
Jason
The fact that it is near the ground and partially dry means it will dull a tool much more quickly.
The fact that it is near the ground and partially dry means it will dull a tool much more quickly.
As Ed indicated you probably should consider a different tool. A bowl gouge is specifically made to create bowls. If you have access to a friend's workshop who has a bowl gouge you can always try that first and see how you like it.
I use a bowl gouge almost exclusively for nearly all the work I do. Note that I rarely turn spindles though.
If you are turning dry wood then 5 minutes per session sounds right. A sharp bowl gouge might last longer though because of the way the gouge addresses the wood. Please note that I've turned a few bowls:
stack of roughouts
I use a bowl gouge almost exclusively for nearly all the work I do. Note that I rarely turn spindles though.
If you are turning dry wood then 5 minutes per session sounds right. A sharp bowl gouge might last longer though because of the way the gouge addresses the wood. Please note that I've turned a few bowls:
stack of roughouts
I'm not familiar with pear bark, but some of the other barks that I have roughed off a blank are real bears when it comes to dulling a tool. I have a Pro PM bowl gouge by Crown and it lasts a good bit longer than the M2 grade HSS steel tools. I have started doing all my blank roughing with the Pro Pm due to the lathe time it gives me by not having to sharpen as often.
Here is an excellent link for Pro Pm tools. They are 5 to 10 dollars cheaper than all other suppliers I have seen on the Crown Pro PM.
http://www.cuttingedgetools.com/Onlinecat.htm/WebCatalog/CrownProPM.html
Here is an excellent link for Pro Pm tools. They are 5 to 10 dollars cheaper than all other suppliers I have seen on the Crown Pro PM.
http://www.cuttingedgetools.com/Onlinecat.htm/WebCatalog/CrownProPM.html
I do not turn spindles but I am a little confused about the roughing gouge on a bowl issue. I'm not using the roughing gouge to rough out the inside of the bowl or even to taper the sides. I'm just using it to knock the corners off in the beginning of the roughing out phase so I can start with a "round" piece of stock. Is this still dangerous?
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Jason Ledbetter said:
I see it's dry and was stored outside, so the sand load is probably high. Do yourself a favor and get the bark off, unless it's part of your ultimate design. It's got the most nooks and crannies to accumulate grit. If you've a bandsaw, consider tilting and lopping off the parts of endgrain which have no counterpart on the long grain, thereby creating better balance while removing some bark. Then knock as much of the remaining loose bark off as you can with an old chisel or whatever's convenient. This will keep the regrinding of the edge by both the grit in the wood and yourself at the wheel to a minimum.
Doesn't matter what form the edge is in, as you've discovered, as long as it's presented properly. One of the more abrasion-resisting alloys might be marginally superior, but cut with what you've got until you're willing to spend cash in pursuit of the Grail. Freshening an edge doesn't remove much. A thousand or so pieces has taken 1" or so off my rougher, and I don't plan on replacement until he's at least 3/4 less.
I forgot something... I have a couple of bowl gouges that I use once the piece is rounded and fairly smooth. Yes, that seems to be the way to go, but as rough a job as the initial roughing out is, I think it would break my bowl gouge to use it when I first begin to rough out.
Also, I must say, I love the roughing out gouge. For the outside of the bowl it works great. I hate the initial turning when the piece still has corners to deal with, but once it starts to take shape the roughing gouge seems great.
Also, I must say, I love the roughing out gouge. For the outside of the bowl it works great. I hate the initial turning when the piece still has corners to deal with, but once it starts to take shape the roughing gouge seems great.
It's been my experience that a 1/2 inch bowl gouge is a lot sturdier than a roughing gouge. Haven't bent a bowl gouge yet but I have bent a roughing gouge.
The thing I like about using the bowl gouge for roughing a bowl blank is that the bowl gouge takes a narrower bite. This reduces the hammering force that I have to absorb through the tool handle... unless I'm feeling particularly agressive and I'm taking deeper bites to get the job done faster.
The thing I like about using the bowl gouge for roughing a bowl blank is that the bowl gouge takes a narrower bite. This reduces the hammering force that I have to absorb through the tool handle... unless I'm feeling particularly agressive and I'm taking deeper bites to get the job done faster.
The tool that feels best in your hand is probably going to help you do the best work. If you like using the roughout gouge for certain parts of the bowl and it seems to be working then that's great!
I would be worried about catching one of the side wings of the roughout gouge on the piece - which could be a bad catch.
Another thing you can do to knock of the corners is to trim them on a bandsaw if you have one.
I would be worried about catching one of the side wings of the roughout gouge on the piece - which could be a bad catch.
Another thing you can do to knock of the corners is to trim them on a bandsaw if you have one.
Hey Jason.
Not sure if you're like me and used the roughing gouge like a glorified scraper for the longest time. If so, you're doing yourself a disservice if you are approaching the wood directly with the gouge. Even with cornered pieces, you can drop the handle until the bevel (or even the bottom of the gouge) are rubbing the draw back the tool and raise the handle until the edge just bites. You'll know your doing it right if nice clean chips fly off. Draw back and forth across the piece, rotating the tool or handle as suits, and it will take material off pretty quick and dull the tool alot less quickly that approaching the wood directly, as you're cutting rather than scraping.
I round most stuff on my bandsaw but, when lazy, will just throw it on, put on some leather gloves for chip protection, and rough it down. I can get a 6" bowl blank down to round in about 90sec or so with no catches (longer if it's out of balance or varying thicknesses). Won't tough anything larger without cutting it round first, though. That's itchin for trouble.
Dietrich
Not sure if you're like me and used the roughing gouge like a glorified scraper for the longest time. If so, you're doing yourself a disservice if you are approaching the wood directly with the gouge. Even with cornered pieces, you can drop the handle until the bevel (or even the bottom of the gouge) are rubbing the draw back the tool and raise the handle until the edge just bites. You'll know your doing it right if nice clean chips fly off. Draw back and forth across the piece, rotating the tool or handle as suits, and it will take material off pretty quick and dull the tool alot less quickly that approaching the wood directly, as you're cutting rather than scraping.
I round most stuff on my bandsaw but, when lazy, will just throw it on, put on some leather gloves for chip protection, and rough it down. I can get a 6" bowl blank down to round in about 90sec or so with no catches (longer if it's out of balance or varying thicknesses). Won't tough anything larger without cutting it round first, though. That's itchin for trouble.
Dietrich
I will begin by saying that although I have been using a wood lathe since I was 10 years old, I'm now 57, I have never had a lesson or outside of a video watched someone else turn wood. Because of this I am hesitant to make a suggestion, but I have been using something that works so well for me that I will go ahead. If my suggestion is really ignorant, I'm sorry.
What I use to knock off the bark and to rough form a bowl is some homemade tools that use carbide metal lathe inserts. These inserts can be purchased very cheaply on E-bay, and the tools are also easy to make . I am not very computer literate and don't know how to post pictures or I would.
I use these carbide insert tools to get rid of the bark and rough form the bowl, then switch to regular lathe tools. These carbide inserts seem to last and last. This saves my other tools and I don't need to resharpen them as often.
I someone is interested, I could send them pictures and they could post the pictures for me.
I would also like to say that I just discovered this forum and think it is excellent. I look forward to being able to learn a lot from it.
What I use to knock off the bark and to rough form a bowl is some homemade tools that use carbide metal lathe inserts. These inserts can be purchased very cheaply on E-bay, and the tools are also easy to make . I am not very computer literate and don't know how to post pictures or I would.
I use these carbide insert tools to get rid of the bark and rough form the bowl, then switch to regular lathe tools. These carbide inserts seem to last and last. This saves my other tools and I don't need to resharpen them as often.
I someone is interested, I could send them pictures and they could post the pictures for me.
I would also like to say that I just discovered this forum and think it is excellent. I look forward to being able to learn a lot from it.
Tom - it is not difficult to post pictures. See the "sticky" posting at the top of the forum.
Would love to see your tools, Tom. And, please, don't worry about sounding "ignorant". We're all learners when it comes down to it, and I can't imagine 47 years of experience wouldn't leave you with some pretty helpful hints.
Thanks,
Dietrich
Thanks,
Dietrich