"Brad" wrote in message
ps.com...
The advice here so far is good. I have a big roughing gouge and I use
it all the time to round spindle turnings, it never seems to catch and
can quickly get the part rounded. On green wood you can be standing
knee deep in shavings faster than you can believe possible.
A word of warning, these gouges are not intended for bowls, the tang
(steel part that goes into the handle) is too thin for what is needed
on a bowl. I have heard that the roughing gouge can bust at the tang if
you get a catch on a bowl.

If you use the gouge properly, there's no catch. Convex is convex,
regardless the diameter. Not to mention it's tough to stress the tang with
a 10:1 mechanical advantage on the rest. NO "pommel" cut angles!

You use the tool as you would when rounding over an end on a spindle
turning - from face grain peel through end grain sever, bevel registering
throughout. With the constant bevel angle, and the size of the gouge, it's
almost impossible to tip the tool once the cut is in progress. A
fingernail - variable angle - grind is prone to tipping and catching.

Attempting to use one inside results in overhangs that are extremely risky
and the gouge is really too big for small clearances. It'll smooth a face,
but hollowing is best left to smaller stuff.