Looking for long bowl gouge suggestions

[Cwalker935]

I have decided that I need a longer bowl gouge (handle and gouge). Grizzly has a 22" padded handle that looks pretty sweet but is pricy. I have thought about making my own handle but have not figured out how to drill a straight hole into something that long- not sure how to hold the spindle for drilling.

Any suggestions?

 

[Charlie_W]

Cody, take a look at Doug Thompson's 5/8 " bowl gouge and pair it with his 20" handle. When you want to go longer, you should go larger in diameter to reduce vibration, flex and chatter.

 

[JimB]

To drill You would turn your blank between centers and put a tenon on one end. Then mount it in your scroll chuck using the tailstock to help center it. The dimple from turning between centers gives you the center for your drill bit. Drill slowly.

 

[JimB]

You must be turning some very large and deep bowls.

 

[alankulwicki7]

Sawmill Creek Woodworking Community - Tool handles for my new Thompson Tools!!

Here's an article I wrote about some tool handles I made for some Thompson tools. I love these handles and they were pretty easy to make. The hardest part is tapping the holes for the set screws....

 

[Charlie_W]

Cody,
Is your lathe long enough to drill that length handle?
Handle stock, drill Chuck in tail + bit? Gets kind of long.

You could try mounting a drill bit in a jaw Chuck in the headstock ( or in a drill Chuck as long as you can use a draw bar to keep the drill Chuck secure) and hand hold the tool handle. Have a center mark in the handle to start from. This will start the bit centered. Then with the lathe running, bring the hand held tool handle onto the bit, drill a little, clean chips, repeat until the hole is as deep as you need.

This method is similar to having the stock mounted on the lathe spinning and introducing the bit to the spinning piece.
The bit will find its own center and track straight on its own as long as you start from a centered indentation.

Warning: only do this if you feel comfortable doing so. Do not use a self feeding bit such as an auger bit. Stand clear and have an option to turn off the lathe if needed.....such as a kill switch or a helper.

 

[JimB]

Sawmill Creek Woodworking Community - Tool handles for my new Thompson Tools!!

Here's an article I wrote about some tool handles I made for some Thompson tools. I love these handles and they were pretty easy to make. The hardest part is tapping the holes for the set screws....

That's a great tutorial!

 

[Cwalker935]

Thanks Charlie- those look like a good alternative

Jim- I have a smaller scroll chuck that will not not expand large enough for a wooden handle, good idea but I would have to buy a new chuck or new jaws, my chuck will handle smaller aluminum rod so that is a thought

Jim- I am trying to turn some larger natural edge stuff

Doug- Great article!

Gonna to have think on this. Thanks for all the input

 

[monophoto]

The method outlined by Jim is the way to do it - mount the blank between centers, turn a tenon at one end and then mount the blank in a scroll chuck. Then, you can easily drill a centered hole in the other end.

You don't need to have the drill bit in a jacobs chuck - you can hold the bit using vice grips for drilling. If you start with a centered dimple in the end, the bit will center and remain in that position as long as you don't force it into the wood.

The limitation is that the blank can't be longer than the between-centers length of your lathe. But if you need a handle that is longer, than that there is another trick you can use - turn it in two pieces, with a mortise in the end of one piece and a matching tenon one end of the other piece, and after turning the two pieces, just glue them together.

 

[JimB]

Thanks Charlie- those look like a good alternative

Jim- I have a smaller scroll chuck that will not not expand large enough for a wooden handle, good idea but I would have to buy a new chuck or new jaws, my chuck will handle smaller aluminum rod so that is a thought

Jim- I am trying to turn some larger natural edge stuff

Doug- Great article!

Gonna to have think on this. Thanks for all the input

The tenon doesn't need to be very big. It will actually be smaller in diameter than the tool handle. If your jaws can hold aluminum stock then you can do the tenon. Drilling slowly will put minimum stress on the tenon and you will be using a hard wood so it should not be an issue.

Out of curiosity, how big are the bowls you are turning?

 

[Charlie_W]

If you have some collet chucks, they would be a good method to hold the drill bit in the headstock end too.

A bunch of good ideas here! The hard part for you is picking which one will work for you!

Another thought....drill the hole in the end of your stock first, then mount on the lathe using the drilled hole......just think of this as an oversized closed end pen barrel!.....of course, use tail support till all is done. This way, your hole will be truly centered!

 

[Dale Lynch]

I'll second your last thought.Drill the handle blank on the DP,transfer blank and bit to the lathe,turn,press, and done.

 

[Cwalker935]

Jim- the natural edge bowls are around 8 in deep at there deepest points and are 14 to 15 in in diameter. Because of the irregular shape, I cannot get my tool rest very close to the work surface. I need the longer handle to better control the gouge.

 

[JimB]

That is pretty big and deep. I can see why you want the longer handle, especially when you can't get the tool rest in there.

 

[wyone]

I want to see action pics and finished pics please.

 

[Cwalker935]

I want to see action pics and finished pics please.

I'll share when I get one done.

 

[raar25]

Just for the fun of it here is one more method. During your turning of the handle leave the tenon for the brass ring a little long say an inch or so. Then take a hunk of some maple or other hard wood a couple inches long and drill two holes down the center either on your lathe or drill press. First use a fostner bit that drills a hole to match the tenon about an inch deep. Then drill a hold to for the size of the metal cutting tool shaft through the rest of the wood. Now you have a drill jig you can throw over the tenon end of the handle which will guide your drill straight down the center. Now you can do this with a hand drill if the handle is too long to drill on the lathe. I use oak blocks and the drill guides last a while although you can use anything you have lying around but I would not recommend a soft wood if you are going to use it more than once.

Have fun.

Ray

 

[Cwalker935]

Tool envy

As I've noted in other posts, my wife has been fussing about my spending on my turning hobby. This morning she asked what I wanted for Father's day and I said that I needed a bigger tool. She replied that she knew that already.

So I now have a severely bruised ego but the way is clear to get a bigger gouge.

 

[Dale Lynch]

HA!

 

[TonyL]

Just for "giggles" check this out:

Woodturning Gouges - D-Way Tools

I just turn pens, but I own his roughing gouge, skew, and handle. Their quality is outstanding and the handle is amazingly comfortable.