I am just starting again to use a lathe that was given to me 35 or
more years ago.
I was given some turning tools with it and a face plate so I turned a
couple of bowls, and put it aside, because cabinetry was more
interesting to me then.

I recently fired it up again in order to include turned parts in my
woodworking as a new challenge. I have built a shaker style chair, and
plan to build a set of them and a table to go with them.

My question relates to roughing the square blanks that become the legs
and rungs of these chairs. I am using the tools I have, and I guess
what you would call a shallow gouge to rough turn these pieces. There
is a deeper gouge which seems to be designed for this, called a
roughing gouge strangely enough.

I am blundering along well enough, but am always happy for an excuse
to get a new tool. So what's the story on these roughing gouges. Do
they work better for the task, or should I carry on with what I have?
Thank you for your patience with what might seem a dumb question, but
I have just started reading this group and appreciate the experience
that is available here.

"Norbert" wrote: (clip) There is a deeper gouge which seems to be designed
for this, called a roughing gouge strangely enough. (clip)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
By "there is," I guess you mean, "There exists," not, "I have." A roughing
gouge is intended for the exact purpose--turning square or irregular pieces
into round. There are two things about it that make it good for this job:
1.) Weight. You are doing interrupted cuts, taking off the corners. The
weight makes it easier to keep the gouge from bouncing. 2.) It has a long
cutting edge, so you can rotate the tool to bring up a new part of the edge
which hasn't been dulled yet.

They work well, and can even be used for a lot of other tasks, but are not
necessary. I do a lot of roughing with a skew, because I think the practice
is good for me. I think it is working, because I don't get as many catches
as I used to.

Hi Norbert

Leo Lightman took all the wind out of my sails, just like he says they
are meant for each other, massive tool compared to others, long bevel,
that is from side to side on the gouge, so you don,t have to sharpen as
often, and when presented on a skewed angle able to leave a very good
finish.
Tang on the tool is usually considered weak, however if you let the
bevel do its job, there is little leverage on the tool, and you will be
surprised at how quickly and easily you will be able to round up those
square sticks.

http://homepage.mac.com/l.vanderloo/PhotoAlbum4.html

Have fun and take care
Leo Van Der Loo

Heh, heh.

I'm with Leo & Leo on this one.

Been savin' that one up.

Robert

"Norbert" wrote in message
...

My question relates to roughing the square blanks that become the legs
and rungs of these chairs. I am using the tools I have, and I guess
what you would call a shallow gouge to rough turn these pieces. There
is a deeper gouge which seems to be designed for this, called a
roughing gouge strangely enough.

I am blundering along well enough, but am always happy for an excuse
to get a new tool. So what's the story on these roughing gouges. Do
they work better for the task, or should I carry on with what I have?
Thank you for your patience with what might seem a dumb question, but
I have just started reading this group and appreciate the experience
that is available here.



A roughing gouge is ground with a constant angle making it possible to use
the same hold angle while rolling the gouge into a cut for depth or running
the rest cutting down hill, both of which work well for knocking the corners
off. If you have one that has the "U" shape, you have your straight chisel
on either side of the gouge for a smooth sand-free surface as well.

http://georgephoto.photosite.com/GeorgeTurns/ Shows one in use doing both,
and a "pommel" cut as well.

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.
Brad
www.hardingpens.com

"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.

wrote in message
ups.com...
Although checking the sites of the manufacturers referenced above does
not tell you that you shouldn't, the people that sell the gouges seem
to be emphatic that you don't. I did notice they highlighted the
warning, too. BTW, Packard tools (for the most part) are branded
Crowns.


They're also the ones who remind you not to use your lawn mower as a hedge
trimmer. Presumably because some folks don't do much thinking.

Why someone would say such a thing is curious, because these were the only
gouges available for hundreds of years before advances in metal milling made
the cylindrical gouge - cheaper to make - the "bowl" gouge. For longer
reaches, they were made "long and strong," but the pattern was the same -
equal thickness material and equal angle grind. You'd have to undercut the
groove in a cylindrical gouge to get back to the advantage of equal
thickness, of course.

On Thu, 23 Feb 2006 12:34:34 -0500, "George" George@least wrote:


wrote in message
oups.com...
Although checking the sites of the manufacturers referenced above does
not tell you that you shouldn't, the people that sell the gouges seem
to be emphatic that you don't. I did notice they highlighted the
warning, too. BTW, Packard tools (for the most part) are branded
Crowns.


They're also the ones who remind you not to use your lawn mower as a hedge
trimmer. Presumably because some folks don't do much thinking.

Why someone would say such a thing is curious, because these were the only
gouges available for hundreds of years before advances in metal milling made
the cylindrical gouge - cheaper to make - the "bowl" gouge. For longer
reaches, they were made "long and strong," but the pattern was the same -
equal thickness material and equal angle grind. You'd have to undercut the
groove in a cylindrical gouge to get back to the advantage of equal
thickness, of course.


Thank's for all the feedback, feel like I poked a wasp's nest.
I'm not going to use it for bowls, eh!
Guess I'll have to seriously consider getting one now.
SWMBO is going to tear my face off, but she'll gat over it when she
sees the wonders I perform with it.

"Norbert" wrote in message
...
Thank's for all the feedback, feel like I poked a wasp's nest.
I'm not going to use it for bowls, eh!
Guess I'll have to seriously consider getting one now.
SWMBO is going to tear my face off, but she'll gat over it when she
sees the wonders I perform with it.

You won't regret it. Get a large one rather than smaller.

Norbert wrote:
On Thu, 23 Feb 2006 12:34:34 -0500, "George" George@least wrote:


wrote in message
roups.com...
Although checking the sites of the manufacturers referenced above does
not tell you that you shouldn't, the people that sell the gouges seem
to be emphatic that you don't. I did notice they highlighted the
warning, too. BTW, Packard tools (for the most part) are branded
Crowns.


They're also the ones who remind you not to use your lawn mower as a hedge
trimmer. Presumably because some folks don't do much thinking.

Why someone would say such a thing is curious, because these were the only
gouges available for hundreds of years before advances in metal milling made
the cylindrical gouge - cheaper to make - the "bowl" gouge. For longer
reaches, they were made "long and strong," but the pattern was the same -
equal thickness material and equal angle grind. You'd have to undercut the
groove in a cylindrical gouge to get back to the advantage of equal
thickness, of course.


Thank's for all the feedback, feel like I poked a wasp's nest.
I'm not going to use it for bowls, eh!
Guess I'll have to seriously consider getting one now.
SWMBO is going to tear my face off, but she'll gat over it when she
sees the wonders I perform with it.

I sharpen mine with a blunter bevel (40-45 degrees) per Leonard Lee's
book. I think this helps it withstand the wham bam of roughing large blanks.

--
Gerald Ross
Cochran, GA

A guru is somone who knows more jargon
than you.





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Just a quick update.
I got a Henry Taylor 1 1/2 inch roughing gouge from Lee valley and it
is a rhinosaurus of a tool. Glad I got it, makes a big difference,
but it makes my other turning tools feel like tiny lightweights.

Norbert

On Thu, 23 Feb 2006 18:46:19 -0500, Gerald Ross
wrote:

Norbert wrote:
On Thu, 23 Feb 2006 12:34:34 -0500, "George" George@least wrote:


wrote in message
groups.com...
Although checking the sites of the manufacturers referenced above does
not tell you that you shouldn't, the people that sell the gouges seem
to be emphatic that you don't. I did notice they highlighted the
warning, too. BTW, Packard tools (for the most part) are branded
Crowns.


They're also the ones who remind you not to use your lawn mower as a hedge
trimmer. Presumably because some folks don't do much thinking.

Why someone would say such a thing is curious, because these were the only
gouges available for hundreds of years before advances in metal milling made
the cylindrical gouge - cheaper to make - the "bowl" gouge. For longer
reaches, they were made "long and strong," but the pattern was the same -
equal thickness material and equal angle grind. You'd have to undercut the
groove in a cylindrical gouge to get back to the advantage of equal
thickness, of course.


Thank's for all the feedback, feel like I poked a wasp's nest.
I'm not going to use it for bowls, eh!
Guess I'll have to seriously consider getting one now.
SWMBO is going to tear my face off, but she'll gat over it when she
sees the wonders I perform with it.

I sharpen mine with a blunter bevel (40-45 degrees) per Leonard Lee's
book. I think this helps it withstand the wham bam of roughing large blanks.