Robo Hippy’s Tool

[Karl Loeblein]

Reed, What can you tell me about the flat nosed tool used in your bowl from cube video, and why would someone want to use this tool over another tool for this application? Also, do you recommend turners have a gouge shaped like this in their arsenal?

 

[Emiliano Achaval]

I have a lot of tools, I have to say, that is not one of them. 87 degrees U gouge?

 

[Bill Blasic]

If it is an 87 degree U, I use one like it (but a 3/8 U) for the inside of a bowl where I'm getting tear out in the transition area between the side and the bottom that I can't get rid of any other way. Never even thought of using it on the outside of a piece.

 

[robo hippy]

Carl, can't remember that far back,,,, I am guessing you are talking about the fluteless gouge, which is a Doug Thompson tool. It is half round bar stock. I sharpen it with a ) shaped nose, and a 70 degree nose. I like it for the ability to stand up for a very high shear/slicing angle cut. It isn't made for removing lots of stock, just light finish cuts. It makes it easier, for me, to get those very dainty cuts across the bottom of a bowl, and near interrupted edges. Generally, I can get a cleaner cut than I can with a standard gouge. Some of the BOB (bottom of bowl) tools can be rolled up to that high angle. I do have a couple of spindle detail gouges ground to the same shape as my fluteless gouge.

I can't really tell, but the tool you show looks to have more of a bead cutting type tool shape and bevel angle. That is one tool I do not have in my arsenal.

robo hippy

 

[Brian Gustin]

......talking about the fluteless gouge, which is a Doug Thompson tool. It is half round bar stock. I sharpen it with a ) shaped nose, and a 70 degree nose. I like it for the ability to stand up for a very high shear/slicing angle cut. It isn't made for removing lots of stock, just light finish cuts. It makes it easier, for me, to get those very dainty cuts across the bottom of a bowl, and near interrupted edges. Generally, I can get a cleaner cut than I can with a standard gouge. Some of the BOB (bottom of bowl) tools can be rolled up to that high angle. I do have a couple of spindle detail gouges ground to the same shape as my fluteless gouge.
robo hippy

HI, Robo Hippy.. Not to hijack the thread, but I wanted to say "Thanks" for taking the time to make that video on the thompson fluteless gouge.. Soon as I saw it, I knew that was just what I had been wanting.. went and bought one right away (Thanks, Doug for the Tools!.. Might end up being another bottomless pit where my *cough*Toy*cough* tool money goes..) Tried it out today for the first time, after a couple catches (trying to start in a cut with no bevel support like a bowl gouge, and other one by not paying attention to where my edge was.. then re-viewed the video and figured out where I went wrong) .. and I could not be happier! Works beautifully, and does as nice a job as my skew (which I haven't mastered, but have done pretty good with it).. Just got to figure out what grind I'll be happy with - I been using it at first with the factory grind , but more I use it, more I will see where I will want my angles to be at.. (I don't think I will want it at the same 50 degree as my bowl gouge, probably not your 70 degree either... but maybe somewhere in between.. time will tell)

As to the O.P. I agree with robo hippy - looks like a beading tool to me.. I fashioned my own out of a massive 1/2" wide heavy duty mechanic's screwdriver (it's 2 feet long of old tool steel) .. works nicely .. for beading... It might get a new grind and become a captive ring chisel instead, since beads are becoming so much easier with skew and thompson fluteless gouge... On the other hand, another look at the gouge in the original post, looks almost like a BOB gouge, given that the flute looks to be about 10 o'clock...