Some time back, Robert Sorby had a line of turning tools that were "Texas Size", or something like that. The handles were 23" long and the shafts were on the order of 15" new. At the time, I bought a 3/8" and 1/2 bowl gouge and a 2" wide skew chisel.
Despite searching, I can't find any reference to these anywhere recently.
Anyone have these gouges they may wish to sell? I'm located in Hawaii, so my purchase choices are typically mainland US or more from my location.
Thanks
--Rick
Rick - take this for what it is worth, which may be nothing. I had heard that there were problems with this line of tools. I heard of tools breaking, bending, etc., but don't have any first hand experience. It may just be rumor and hearsay.
I seem to remember that Hamlet has a line of big stuff, but you may have to order it from a U.K. site.
Robert
I use Serious Tools, since I turn rather large pieces, my lathe can clear a 44" diameter bowl. I like the system of one handle being able to hold different gouges. You put your own profile on the stock gouge stock. I pull open my drawer and look down to see which profile I want to use and simply change the gouge out. I'm in Hawaii also, so I know how hard it is to find anything local for woodturning. I have one massive roughing gouge that is 2 1/2 inches, that takes off material in a hurry, and surprisingly leaves a nice cut.
Aloha, Wallace
I just bought one from the toolpost.co.uk cheaper than in the US even with the shipping, especially if you buy a few things. I prefer the ones that are all metal along the full length. I have a swan neck and one of the multi tips, on which I use scrapers and the Hamlet/Siragas Big Brother and Goliath ring tools. I also made my own multi tip tool with a 4 foot long 1.25" dia steel bar, which is excellent for deep hollowing. The tool handle/tang recently broke on my handled Sorby Texan multi tip tool, which is why I suggest using solid bar tools, not tools that are half wood, half steel. I will try to weld the broken tool to a conveniently sized 1/2 schedule 80 pipe I have lying around to make it long again, rather than make a wood handle.
Check out Parkard Wood, they had Sorby Texan tools as of yesterday
Rick, they are still available at Packard Woodworks at this link:
Ralph
Thanks for the replies. Now I've got to measure the shafts of what I have been calling 3/8" is actually the 1/2" If so, I'd agree that the
1/2" is best used for light or finishing cuts, as it does tend to vibrate on heavier cuts with a long reach, but that's to be expected with a thin shaft and long reach.As far ae "problems" I hadn't heard of any and the only problem with mine is that they seem to have shrunk for some reason... With heavy use, the handle seems to stay the same length, but oddly enough, the shaft and flute tend to get shorter over time. Perhaps it's like the waistband of my pants shrinking "in the laundry" [smile]
Funny how one gets something in their mind and it just won't go away... I had "texas" not "texan", so all of ny google searches returned nothing... Had my brain kicked in before I posted, I would have searched for variations, but things have been less than optimal here lately.
Again, Thanks for the replies and links.
-Rick
Rick Frazier wrote:
Big stir mode ON
Why do you think Texas size is big? It is TINY
Stand in El Paso, W TEXAS and look north as far as the Canadian border, every state on your left would fit in mine with probably room for Hawaii & Delaware as well.
Big stir mode OFF
Happy turning, only 25C tomorrow so I should be able to do some turning tomorrow but may split the tractor instead to replace the clutch, horrible job, did it on a smaller tractor about 5 years ago.
Alan
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