Questions about bottle stoppers

Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad

Herb G

Member
Joined
Nov 13, 2015
Messages
1,461
Location
Southern Maryland
What gouges do you guys use for making bottle stoppers?
Do you use a bowl gouge or a spindle gouge?

It seems to me it would require a spindle gouge because the grain of the wood runs with the "ways" of the lathe.
I had some old timers tell me if the grain runs with the "ways", use a spindle gouge, and if the grain runs across the "ways" to use a bowl gouge. Is there any truth to this?

I know you're not supposed to use a spindle gouge when turning bowls.
But I can't remember why. Can someone fill me in?

Thanks for any help.
 
Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad

KenV

Member
Joined
Oct 28, 2005
Messages
4,720
Location
Juneau, Alaska.
Herb

Spindle roughing gouge is high risk of bad thing happening with bowl turning. The reason is the weak tang where it goes into the handle can break with the change from face grain to endgrain and the shape of the edge.

On a bottle stopper that is grain orientated parallel with the lathe bed, spindle roughing gouge works for making a blank round. I turn some that are cross grain, and spindle roughing gouge does not work so good.

Bowl gouge, spindle gouge, detail gouge all work for cutting coves and making beads on bottle stoppers.

And yes, it is safe to use a spindle gouge on the outside of a bowl. That is the tool for cutting beads on the outside of a bowl. A spindle gouge is not efficient or as safe for roughing bowls, and especially the inside of bowls.

In the hands of a well practiced turner, a bowl gouge can do almost anything except parting tool work.

I tend to use my long tipped thompson spindle gouge for bottle stoppers, including segmented and cross grain blanks, especially the final details. Bowl gouge is a great choice too, but harder for me to do the better details.
 

lhowell

Member
Joined
Jun 24, 2015
Messages
335
Location
Apex, NC
I typically work with acrylics for bottle stoppers so I cheat and use my easy wood tools...

Regardless, I always use my full size easy wood carbide tool to rough shape then switch to spindle or bowl gouge for more intricate work as you are limited with the carbide tools cutter heads.
 

kentonjm

Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2016
Messages
149
Location
Phoenix, AZ
I typically use spindle gouges, but have also occasionally used scrapers and carbide tools to refine a specific shape or tame some rough grain.
 

KenV

Member
Joined
Oct 28, 2005
Messages
4,720
Location
Juneau, Alaska.
I've been using this tool since I bought the pen turning DVD's from Kip & Rex who made them.
https://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/p/16/3077/Henry-Taylor-M2-HSS-Rex-%26-Kip-Signature-Shallow-Forged-Spindle-Gouge?term=988-0304

I only use it for pens though.

Herb

A shallow spindle gouge (like yours) could pass for a detail gouge in the blind identification contest. No practical difference. It will work just fine for bottle stoppers but may not let you cut fine complex combinations of shapes. Most do not make complex combinations of shapes on bottle stoppers, so minimal issue.

Should be a most excellent tool. Get to turning.
 

Herb G

Member
Joined
Nov 13, 2015
Messages
1,461
Location
Southern Maryland
I think I'm covered no matter which tool it requires.
I don't have them all, but I have a few laying around. :)

woodtools.jpg
woodtools.jpg
 

jttheclockman

Member
Joined
Feb 22, 2005
Messages
19,082
Location
NJ, USA.
Herb, nice set of tools. Not sure if these are the tools you have been using or not but it takes some practice to use short tools like that. It is a different movement than using long handled and long shaft tools. I prefer the longer ones but use small tools for fine details. With shorter tools it is hard to have your elbow locked against your body and relax. Seems like you are always reaching over the lathe and for me it makes for an unsteady tool and harder to control. Especially the skew. Those are some short skews. Not much left to sharpen in the future. Good luck and no excuse for not getting things turned. :)
 
Last edited:

Herb G

Member
Joined
Nov 13, 2015
Messages
1,461
Location
Southern Maryland
Those are all full size tools. The table they are sitting on is 4' in diameter.
Notice the Sharpie in the front for scale. That's a full size pencil on the left too.
 

jttheclockman

Member
Joined
Feb 22, 2005
Messages
19,082
Location
NJ, USA.
Those are all full size tools. The table they are sitting on is 4' in diameter.
Notice the Sharpie in the front for scale. That's a full size pencil on the left too.


Look at the shaft of the spindle gouges as compared to the skews. . But photos can be deceiving :biggrin: Have no idea what brand they are. Just not use to using that short of tools. Good luck with your turning adventures and have some fun.
 

Herb G

Member
Joined
Nov 13, 2015
Messages
1,461
Location
Southern Maryland
They are all Benjamin's Best from PSI. I got a gift certificate for them when I first got into wood turning. I used it to stock up on all kinds of tools. Some are detailing tools.
Granted, some I haven't used yet. But I have them in case I need them.
I joined a local wood club to learn turning, but they pretty much went
bust not long after I joined. So, I've watched a ton of videos & pretty much taught myself.


Here's what I use for hogging out wood.
Handle and Gouge
They work well for my needs. :)
 
Top Bottom