SRG: How measured?

[Ken Grunke]

Simple question about spindle roughing gouges, the next tool on my wish list.

Catalog listings have 3/4", 1", 1 1/4" sizes and more--is this the flute width, or the total width? Are the measurements standard across brands?

 

[Randy Rice]

Depends

I don't remember which is which, but the Americans measure one way and the English measure the other. That said, there is no "standard". The only constant is within a brand.

And don't forget that some manufacturers, such as P&N, use metric dimensions.

 

[MichaelMouse]

The bigger one is broader. About all you can count on. For example, my Sorby roughing gouge is 1.125 inside, 1.5 outside dimension, and lists as 1.25. My Sorby "35mm" gouge is 32mm inside, 41mm outside dimension. My "American measurement" 1" Serious bowl gouge is a 1" cylinder. with .625 flute, while my Henry Taylor .75" is indeed .75 with a .5 flute.

I guess the numbers are as consistent as the nomenclature.

My Inch and a Quarter is about my most used gouge, starting almost all turnings. I've been working with him for over ten years, and he's an inch shorter then what he was when new. I think a 3/4 would curve a bit too fast to be as effective a slicer as the broader radius.

 

[Ken Grunke]

Thanks for going to the trouble of measuring your gouges, that was just what I needed. Seems to be some inconsistancy across different brands!