A little advice on tools

[Eddski]

Hi Guys.
Been absent here for alittle while, sorry.
Have been doing some pen turning but now ready to have ago with bowls, pots etc.
Here is my problem, my set of inherited tools didn’t come with a bowl gauge. So looking for advice on what should be my first, where to buy etc.

What are your thoughts on buying handle-less and turning your own handles?
Is a round tct and good place to start?

Thanks in advance and hope your enjoying your jubilee weekend.

 

[flexi]

Not really my field, but another thought is the modular chisels, I have a Sorby ali handle with a couple of blades, I know Axi have just released their own versions, might be worth a look

 

[Terry Q]

I fancy the Crown PM gouges, 3/8 and 1/2. I mostly use the 1/2 gouge.

 

[AllenN]

Crown make some double ended bowl gouges. Simon Hope has them and makes handles. The idea is you can have a more traditional grind on one end and a fingernail grind on the other. It’s handy for saving storage space and I have one end ground for bottom finishing work and the other with the fingernail grind is great for the sides of bowls. You could turn your own handle for one, but fixing would require a bit of thought. When it comes to sizes remember that bowl gouges and spindle gouges are measured differently. I find a 10mm bowl gouge the one I reach for most. 3/8 inch in old money. A lot of this is personal preference, most of my normal bowl gouges are Sorby, but I also have one of Axminsters ( which is I think probably made by Hamlet or Crown ) says it is UK made and it’s fine. Just really falls down to handle preference I think.

 

[TVS]

Record gouges are very often frowned upon by some so called experts but to me they are as good as the more expensive brands I have been using record gouges for many years along with Robert sorby, crown, Hamlet and to be honest there is no difference and you can pick up some good ones dirt cheep on EBay I come from a generation that used to make our own turning tools out of old engineers files another practice that is frowned upon why I will never know well I do when company's realised there is money to be made out of wood turners they used to spin a load of crap about them shattering but as an old time turner I have never in my life come across someone who has had one shatter never its a myth maybe some of the cheep import files but never the good old engineers files

 

[Dalboy]

When I started turning for bowls I used a 3/8" standard grind chisel which for me even now is a good tool to have. Unless you are doing very large bowls that size is ideal. I now have a number of bowl gauges but tend to use the standard and fingernail grind ones the most.
Like most things buy the best you can afford keep away from the cheap no name ones. Like Woody AKA TVS I have some record tools and find them OK but my bowl gauges are Robert Sorby and Crown
As for handled or unhandled that is a personal choice I do own some tools that require handles so I use the Simon Hope handles for those as they come with a choice of three sized collets.

 

[wm460]

I have a set of records tools they a heavy duty tools.
My favourite is Woodcut chisel they have a solid shaft with a replaceable tip.

Bowl Gouges and Tips

 

[howsitwork?]

I’ve got all sorts of makes but find Ashley Isles 3/8” the one I reach for most often. Also got a crown PM one same size that I’ve ground to fingernail profile and it’s a nice tool. Sorby provide most of my hollowing gouges

Nothing wrong with record stuff or henry taylor either . As an aside my favourite roughing gouge is a henry taylor and after 20 years getting a bit shorter but still love the flute shape and ease of use .