Hello Vic,

The Ellsworth Grind is designed for the 5/8 inch deep fluted bowl
gouge. It has a nose angle of 60 degrees and a swept back side grind
that is best obtained with the Ellsworth Jig. I don't consider it to
be the same as the fingernail grind used on spindle gouges. For
spindle gouges, I generally grind a 30 to 35 degree nose bevel and
swing the wings back similar to the Ellsworth Grind. This way you can
use the spindle gouge in a scraping cut if desired.

It is the spindle roughing gouge that they recommend that one not use
for bowls. The reason for this is the small extension of the gouge
that goes into the handle. This is the area where they are likely to
break and often do.

I personally use two spindle gouges: a 1/2 inch Crown spindle gouge
with a 35 degree bevel and swept back wings and a 3/8 inch Hamlet
spindle gouge also ground with the same grind as the 1/2 inch. Plus,
of course, the roughing gouge which is about 1-3/8 inch wide. My
roughing gouge is actually a Robert Sorby Spindle gouge with a
roughing Gouge grind on it, which is probably about 45 degrees.

The spindle roughing gouge I've just described will work fine for
little boxes and the outside of bowls; however, the bevel angle is too
sharp for hollowing bowls. You can use them to hollow End grain boxes
by first drilling a hole to the depth to be hollowed on center. The
with the spindle gouge you go in and cut up toward about 10:00 o'clock
and pull it back toward the top of the box while cutting with the left
side of the swept back wing.

I hope this helps, if not let me know.

Fred Holder
http://www.morewoodturning.net

On Nov 7, 9:55*am, "Vic Baron" wrote:
Is a fingernail grind the same as am Ellsworth grind?

I've read of the advantages to the side grind but are the disadvantages?

I have a few small detail gouges that were purchased with the fingernail
grind and was wondering if there'd be any benefit to putting that grind on a
1/2" spindle gouge. Wondering if it would make hollowing out end grain
easier or harder.

Shifting gears - I'm trying to wrap my head around what I've read about bowl
gouges. I've read that using a spindle gouge as a bowl gouge could break the
gouge. I'm assuming we're talking about large pieces here not the cups or
small boxes that I would make. I'm also assuming that the difference between
hollowing end grain and hollowing face grain is significant - or am I doing
the typical newbie over think here?

Thanx,

Vic

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