Knowledge You Can Build On — Est. 1998
spindle gouge grind angle
keith zimmerman, Normal, IL
>What's the "best" angle for the bevel on a spindle gouge that is intended for general spindle use, not as a detail gouge? I need more experienced doing spindle work and I think the bevel angle on my existing gouge is too flat.
TIA
keithz
Re: spindle gouge grind angle
Richard Allen
>Hi Keith
The rule of thumb is:
A long bevel (pointy) will give you the cleanest cut but is also requires the most precise tool presentation.
A short bevel (blunt) will give the roughest cut and will be the most forgiving of tool presentation.
I prefer a bevel, for making coves on spindles, to be a long as the tool is wide. A 3/8" spindle gouge would have a 3/8" long tip to heel bevel. I grind this in a fingernail profile.
For box work I like the bevel shorter, almost straight up and down.
For detail work I like a long bevel, as much as twice the the width of the tool. A 3/8" spindle gouge would have a 3/4" long tip to heel bevel (I will then grind away the heel so the length of the bevel is closer to 1/4" long). I grind this in a fingernail profile.
Good Luck
Richard
Re: spindle gouge grind angle
Keith Tompkins
>HI Keith, I grind all my spindle tools with a long,long, bevel. The reason for this is I almost always turn with my gouges on their side, almost never flat on the toolrest. This long bevel gives me a long surface to ride against the wood, and will let me get into the spaces between beads and coves that a blunt grind cannot. I turn with the gouge contacting the wood right on the centerline.
Over time, I have gradually ground my gouges steeper and steeper, I haven't found a disadvantage to it yet.
