• July 2025 Turning Challenge: Turn a Multi-axis Weed Pot! (click here for details)
  • Congratulations to Michael Foster for "Costa II" being selected as Turning of the Week for July 28th, 2025 (click here for details)
  • Welcome new registering member. Your username must be your real First and Last name (for example: John Doe). "Screen names" and "handles" are not allowed and your registration will be deleted if you don't use your real name. Also, do not use all caps nor all lower case.

Old glazer bottom bowl gouge

K

Kendall Northern

Joined
Jun 8, 2013
Messages
6
Likes
0
Location
Phoenix, AZ
When I used to turn before having to stop because of diabetes and a serious wood allergy. I owned a Glaser bottom bowl gouge that was a fantastic tool it was a beast with about an eighty degree grind and I loved it. I sold it with everything else. Now that I lost 290 pounds my diabetes and wood allergy are gone. And I am back to turning and loving it. The problem is I bought a new Glaser high tec bottoming bowl gouge and it isn't the same tool. Can anyone point me in the right direction to get one of the old ones or to another tool company that makes that shape and grind? I love the new metals availible now the powdered metals and the m42 both. And the CBN wheels. WOW. What an improvement. Unfortunately the new Glaser gouge I don't like. If anybody happens to have an old one they want to trade cause they like the new one better I have one to trade as well. :)
 
As you noticed, Glaser High tec isn't the same company and not the same steel. I don't have any of their tools and am happy with the other ones that I have like Thompson, Sorby, Crown, and Henry Taylor. I have one of the real Glaser gouges, but you'll have to pry it out of my cold dead hands. Sorry.

You might want to look at the Thompson V gouges. They have a flute design similar to the Glaser, but the flute is probably a bit broader.
 
I have and love several of Dougs tools. Including both a v shaped and a round bowl gouge. Unfortunately the shape of the flute is quit different than I remember the Glaser being. It seems to me the Glaser had a thicker wall and the flute wasn't cut quite as deep in the middle. I was just watching a video by John Lucas on the hunter cutters. I am starting to wonder if one of those used properly of course might be the way to go. I would still like to find one like the Glaser as I knew what to do with that one. But I'm considering trying a hunter.
 
I love the Hunter #4 or #5 to use in place of the steep grind bottom gouges. It has an effective bevel angle of about 82 degrees so you can cut the bottom of very steep sided bowls and vases. The actual cutting angle is about 27 to 30 degrees because the top sided of the cutter is recessed. It cuts cleaner than a standard 40 degree grind bowl gouge but still has that steep outside angle so you can rub the bevel when cutting the bottom of very deep bowls and boxes. Here is a video showing how I use the tool.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfp2kvhH6Mo
 
The best news of your post

Kendall Northern said:
that I lost 290 pounds my diabetes and wood allergy are gone. :)
Click to expand...

The Best News of your post is that you have got control of your diabetes!! Good for you! I am a type 2 and have been since 1980 due repeated contact with Agent Orange in the late 60's in Vietnam and Cambodia. My hat is off to you! Good work. You are an inspiration to fellow diabetics.
 
Glaser tools were being made by Glaserhitec for a while. Their web site still works and the have a phone number.
I'm not sure if they are still making Glaser tool but they have a bunch in their web site.

http://www.glaserhitec.com/shop/

I rarely make a bowl deeper than wide so I can use the Ellsworth gouge to the bottom and the shear cut needs little sanding.

I have been using the hunters on some engrain( not as proficient and John) they work great!

Have fun,
Al
 
Thanks guys for the comments. And thanks John I watched your videos and went out and bought a hunter 5 today. A bit of a different cut than I am used to but by following your video I got the hang of it pretty quickly. It does a very good job cleaning up the bottom on the deeper bowls and in the transition area as well. I still hope to eventually find an original Glaser but I like this tool.

And Robert take care of yourself and that diabetes its no joke. Even though mine is gone now I still have the neuropathy and minor retinopathy that I developed when I had it. It took me a long time to accept it and start really watching it and doing something about it. And I get to deal with these things forever now to remind me to never go there again.
 
Last edited:
I think D-Way Tools makes something called a "Bottom Feeder" that may be similar to what you are looking for. Check them out. No connection, blah, blah, blah.

I ground one of my standard bowl gouges with a very blunt angle after seeing Jimmy Clewes do it in one of his videos. Works for me. Might be worth a try. Very easy to grind too.
 
Douglas Ladendorf said:
That's an awesome recovery Kendall! Holy cow, good for you! :D

I can't add much to the conversation as I've been trying to scrape/shear scrape the final cuts on bowl bottoms (plus a judicious application of 80 grit…). I've been very happy with the Thompson's tools I have and he does have a 3/4" "bottom bowl gouge" you might try. http://www.thompsonlathetools.com/tool.asp?ID=8837
Click to expand...

Doug, I have that gouge too and it's a really nice tool. But I've also started using the Hunter as John recommends and find it to be very user friendly.
 
Well, any gouge can be made into a bottom feeder or BOB (bottom of bowl) tool, though V flutes don't work as well. I have one of the Glaser BOB tools and don't like it. Mostly because it is way too heavy for a long day of turning. Some of my more used ones are a standard flute 1/2 inch gouge from Craft Supplies, a spindle/detail gouge (Oneway I think), and the Thompson fluteless gouges. All are ground to a 70 degree bevel angle, with at least half of the heel ground off. I use the old CSUSA and spindle gouges for taking off 1/8 inch wide shavings, and the fluteless gouge for 1/16 inch shavings. For shear scraping the inside of a bowl, I use a scraper with a ) nose profile as well. It works great because you don't have to drop the handle.

gouge designs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xtuo5CZP8ow

Fluteless gouge: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suRxCxdMn4k

robo hippy
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top