Grind on 1/4 bowl gouge

Re: Grind on 1/4 bowl gouge

John Lucas

I typically go to a detail or spindle gouge when it gets this small but I would simply grind it at 35 or 45 degrees. It will reach into tighter places for better detail. I use my same bowl gouge setting on the Varigrind and V arm but put a triangular spacer block in the V arm to move the tool forward which creates a steeper angle on the grind. This method allows me to lock the V arm down for the Bowl gouges and then never move it. I can sharpen my spindle gouges using the exact same setting by putting the block in.

Free hand it

Jorge

I saw Beth Ireland in the very first demo I attended, she makes a "jig" out of one hand and grinds away. I was very impressed, great for small tools

it is not hard and teaches you control.

Re: Grind on 1/4 bowl gouge

Dale Miner

The effect that John gets by using a spacer can be approximated by increasing the stick out from the jig by about 1/4“.

This will make the grind angle more acute. Also if the wings are ground back a bit longer, the gouge becomes more pointy and can get into somewhat tighter spots.

Re: Grind on 1/4 bowl gouge

Mike Stafford

The grind you put on any tool sort of depends what you want to do with it.

I use my 1/4" bowl gouges for both bowl and spindle work. One is ground rather bluntly and I find it works well for small finials and such and also to clean up patches of torn grain on bowls and platters.

The other gouge is ground with swept back wings and I use it for undercutting rims on platters and bowls.

I was taking a workshop with Nick Cook and I had brought a platter I was working on that according to my design would have an undercut rim. I was unable to get a cleanly cut surface with my carbide tools and the cut was worse with my small hook nosed scrapers so I asked Nick how he would do the cut. He asked if I had a 1/4" bowl gouge and I pulled out the one I had at the time which was bluntly ground. He said he would regrind it with the wings swept back and show me how to make the cut.

Well, that was the solution to my problem. Grinding the wings back allowed me to make the tiny undercut I wanted and cut it cleanly at the same time. By sweeping the wings back they were taken out of the cutting area and did not catch and the longer and smaller cutting tip acted just like the bluntly ground tip and cleanly cut the wood fibers all the way around. No sanding required and crisp details which was my goal.

The best part of the whole deal was that I got to buy another 1/4" bowl gouge which I keep ground bluntly for larger areas. Any time you have a good reason to buy another tool is a good thing, right?

my video on sharpening spindle gouges  *LINK*


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOEL7Q3CpZc

Re: Grind on 1/4 bowl gouge

Lyle Jamieson

Good advice. I also have a YouTube clip that shows the set up of the grinding jig. http://youtu.be/0zUph9zEjck It shows how to set both the tip angles and side angles. The tip is set by moving the jig and the side angle is set by moving the basket/pivot point. BUT they both influence each other...can be confusing. With this understanding you can set any tool at any angle you like. (Sorry I don't know how to do the link thing, you will have to copy and paste it.)

Re: Grind on 1/4 bowl gouge

Todd Cleek

Thanks guys! Grind it like a detail gouge. I got it and thanks for the link

Todd