Making a bottom feeder bowl gouge

[Aron Fast]

Today I spent about 90 minutes creating a first attempt at a bowl gouge and I am quite encouraged with the results.

Briefly: I selected a 16" length of 3/4" scrap rod.
I chucked it in the lathe and drilled a 3/8" hole in the end about 2" deep [about 200 rpm per minute]
Then I used an angle grinder to hog out the metal to the hole.
I ground the end angle at about 60*.
I handled it in a 1.5" oak dowel. I cross cut relief joints on the band saw and held it in place with two hose clamps [overall tool length about 35"]

I was pleased with how the process went and how well it cut Osage orange. It seemed to hold an edge well.

For my next step I am considering quenching it and heat treating it [I have a forge but I have only quenched and heat treated knives]. I don't know how much longer the edge will hold as it seemed to last for several minutes already [ there isn't as much pressure cleaning up the bottom].

If this goes well I am considering making a 40* bowl gouge for roughing.

 

[Steve Tiedman]

Nifty. What kind of steel? Something high carbon that can heat treat and hold an edge?

 

[robo hippy]

Well, my favorite for now is a converted spindle detail gouge, but it could be just a "detail" gouge. Nose shape is ), with a 65 degree bevel, platform sharpened, but that is how I sharpen all of my tools. I have another that is half round and I did like it a lot. One thing I liked about them is that they can be rolled on their sides for a very high sheer angle, which generally leaves a cleaner surface.

robo hippy

 

[john lucas]

I use the Hunter Badger cupped carbide tool as a bottom gouge. Ride the bevel like a Ring tool and it leaves a finish like 600 grit. It has an outside bevel of 82 degrees so you can ride the bevel inside really steep bowls and boxes. The cutting angle is 65 degrees so it leaves a very good finish. Here is a video i made when they first came out. He called it a #4 back then.

View: https://youtu.be/nfp2kvhH6Mo?si=tovyf_ZyxAMZValQ

 

[hughie]

Today I spent about 90 minutes creating a first attempt at a bowl gouge and I am quite encouraged with the results.

Briefly: I selected a 16" length of 3/4" scrap rod.
I chucked it in the lathe and drilled a 3/8" hole in the end about 2" deep [about 200 rpm per minute]
Then I used an angle grinder to hog out the metal to the hole.
I ground the end angle at about 60*.
I handled it in a 1.5" oak dowel. I cross cut relief joints on the band saw and held it in place with two hose clamps [overall tool length about 35"]

I was pleased with how the process went and how well it cut Osage orange. It seemed to hold an edge well.

For my next step I am considering quenching it and heat treating it [I have a forge but I have only quenched and heat treated knives]. I don't know how much longer the edge will hold as it seemed to last for several minutes already [ there isn't as much pressure cleaning up the bottom].

If this goes well I am considering making a 40* bowl gouge for roughing.

View attachment 76664

I would say you need to remove more steel as the wigs are curved over that cause some issues down the track. But otherwise it looks real good and as mentioned high carbon steel if you cant heat treat HSS and as to tempering a light straw color

 

[Jamie Straw]

I've had good results regrinding D-Way bowl gouges (1/2" and 5/8") that were too short to register in the Verigrind holder.

 

[Aron Fast]

Hughie - you are right. I reshaped the end to take more off the wings.

I also made a 40/40 grind on a second blank.

Both blanks I heated in a forge until non- magnetic, quenched in water, then tempered at 400* F x 1 hour.

I don’t have a hardness meter, but the edge held for longer.

 

[Richard Coers]

I just can't see spending that kind of time to make a common tool with really short flute like that. But that's just me. A 1/2" bowl gouge is only about $80. One bowl and that purchased gouge is paid for.

 

[john lucas]

I made several..I wanted to experiment with flute shapes abd didnt want to buy 3 or 4 gouges. So I made 3 short gouges with a 3/8" tang that I could put in a longer shaft.

 

[Hugh]

Richard Coers.......some people just like to make stuff.
It is kind of fun when one can make something like this and then turn a bowl with it.
Keep at it Aron.
Keep us up to date too.