I guess I'm confused

Well said Brian.

I agree with Jim on this one. An experienced turner could get away with using a roughing gouge on a bowl, but I do not recommend it. Specifically, the Sorby roughing gouge is a formed tool with a pretty flimsy tang. It is not designed to take the abuse that bowl turning would induce. the tool can easily be broke at the tang causing serious injury.

RP,

Don't let the size of the tool confuse you. Sorby's 3/8" bowl gouge has a

1/2" thick bar and will more than likely allow you to turn most bowls up to 12" in diameter and 3" to 4" deep. The next tool size up, a 5/8" bar (Sorby's 1/2") would be a fine addition to your arsenal later. For the record, I turn on a 30" lathe and I use 1/2" bar bowl gouges about 90 percent of the time.

George,

Brian is dead-on correct. The difference here is that "you teach them". RP has nobody giving him specific, personal instruction like your high school students. All of the blather here, while quite interesting for those of us that understand what is being discussed, would be - and probably is - thoroughly confusing for a beginner.

All,

When a beginner asks a question, I believe we have a collective obligation to give "beginner" answers for their personal safety, their chance for woodturning success, and for their enjoyment. We should attempt to understand from what frame of reference each inquiry comes before giving generic answers.

RP,

Unless I missed it buried in this lengthy thread, given your question, I recommend that you get Keith Rowley's book on turning and one or more of the following bowl turning videos: Del Stubbs, Richard Raffan, John Jordan. I also recommend that you find a local chapter of the American Association of Woodturners (go to the AAW's website for further information: ), and I recommend you join the AAW. If you have a local chapter, ask for assistance from a local club member. Many clubs have mentoring programs that are free for the asking.

Last post.

Folks, unlike some, I make no claim to special knowledge nor ability. Which is precisely why I recommend the technique - if I can do it, anyone can. Don't have to give any caveats like Ruth, no "professional driver, do not attempt this." That I have taught beginners and youngsters to use the same with success seems to validate my estimation.

Use what you want, cut any way you want, but if you ever intend to teach or learn, do not attack the messenger until you read and understand the message. If you can't understand, it is best to ask clarification, not to say "impossible." Or be so pompous as to tell what "we" are obligated to do.

Anyone who would extend a gouge so far over the toolrest that the strength of the tang was a factor should not consider himself a turner. If you had a mind open enough to read with understanding, rather than prejudice, you would know that there is _no_ leverage on the tang because the shaving is taken across the face, therefore down grain and down slope on the piece. It's not the bowl turning that abuses tools, it's the turner.

Specifically,

Now I'm really getting confused, at 2:20 PM you make us the promise that this is your, "Last Post", then very shortly after, at 2:24 PM you come back with another, same subject, only getting more defensive and sarcastic all the time. I believe in the very good old standby, "RTFM", and in this case Sorby's manual states not to use their roughing gouge on bowls, probably very fitting advice for a beginner so lacking in experience, that even after reading this in the manual, he "questions" it.

James Barley

Back hollowing is a technique that has been used by turners for donkeys years Raffin discribed it in his book he did not invent or rediscover it.

Point is that AT SOME POINT someone had to figure it out on their own.

Dennis White and old turners that have served apprenticeships and spent years turning will tell you never to use a roughing gouge on bowls. In fact Ray Jones who has been a professional turner for forty odd years starts his bowl turning demonstrations by throwing his roughing gouge down and stating that his what to do with a roughing gouge when bowl turning.

And your point is???????? Is it that these guys are too old or "know too much" to ever learn anything new. And that's good????? Personally I use a roughing gouge with the wings ground back on the outside of every bowl blank I mount, to true and rough shape it. I don't remember ever having a catch.

P.S. What the hell are "donkeys years"?

George,

Nothing personal here. My observation here is that you teach students the technique of how toy use roughing gouges on bowls. I am not questioning this. My impression, however, is that you are physically present with them when teaching which is lucky for them to have a teacher. With RP, the context is different than your hands-on class. All we have to offer here is a text-based response on the internet chat group r.c.w. and that is a poor substitute for hands-on like you are able to provide your students.

Given that RP expressed confusion, is buying his/her first set of tools, and didn't mention any instruction (books, classes, video, etc) other than saying self taught, I personally think that we need to be a little careful in how we dish out advice.

You will notice that in both my responses, I am simply in disagreement with you on what is appropriate. That is not a personal thing on my part. In the last post, I used the phrase "I believe we........" . Here, I said, "I personally think.......". I have tried to qualify my responses as my opinion.

Joe Fleming - San Diego ==========================================

Anyone who claims that a tool should only be used in one way needs to re-see the Del Stubbs video. Then provide 4 to 10 possible ways to use a given tool. Then provide ways it could be reground for many new uses. Dennis White shows how to grind a bowl gouge to function as a spindle gouge on his bowl video.

This is the third time I've read this statement in this thread and it's got me wondering. If you take a roughing gouge with a standard grind and grind the wings back, aren't you making a very large sideground bowl gouge. Granted the bevel angle would be a tad different but not a whole lot. I kind of wonder what the advantage of doing this is. You could just use a sideground bowl gouge to begin with (which is very aggresive and user friendly) and save your roughing gouge for it's intended purpose. Spindle turning.

Bob, Naugatuck Ct.