Richard Raffan shapes and sharpens a bowl gouge

Sharpening is on a 150mm (6-in) CBN 80 grit grinding wheel. Tools are used straight off the wheel.
For in-depth explanations of the tools and techniques you need to refer to Richard Raffan’s woodturning books and videos. www.richardraf....

[@stuartmclellan685]

Thanks for that Richard. I was watching your videos 25 years ago when I started turning. It's good to see someone showing that you don't need a jig sharpened gouge to produce great results. The multi facets on the bevel shown here don't make a heck of a difference. Too many turners think that they have to have all the gadgets or they won't be able to turn. Nahh.

[@Sealight007]

agree

[@markb8954]

Thank you Grand Wizard of Woodturning! You’re a master teacher & we’re here to learn.

[@Buttermilk3696]

Thanks for showing that grind! It just makes so much good sense!!

[@RichardRaffanwoodturning]

It's served me well for 50 years.

[@WhoGnu08]

What I learned from this is to not try to swing the gouge completely around to its left side but rather push it up the wheel. Thanks!

[@paddypup1836]

Great simple video. What’s your opinion on sharpening with sanding belts etc

[@rickhickman2730]

I own your book, and it's wonderful. I think a great addition would be a detailed sharpening video for spindle gouges

[@RichardRaffanwoodturning]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/bZ-rmH1rlquCqMU

[@hi_wifi_guy]

Very helpful instruction, thanks so much for posting!

[@JamesCouch777]

Thank you, thank you, thank you! Who says you have to have a guide? I've always sharpened my own drill bits without a guide and figured I could do a bowl gouge.

[@RichardRaffanwoodturning]

Grinding jigs for turning tools are a comparitively recent development from the 1980s. They can help but are no guarantee of a sharp edge.

[@masjabrikdiy8422]

hello friends greetings healthy and successful always. thank you for sharing knowledge and always faithfully watching your latest things @

[@jamieemes4292]

What angle do you prefer or recommend? Seems somewhere between 40 and 55 degrees is common.

[@RichardRaffanwoodturning]

This is an asymmetric grind with the bevel on the nose of the gouge around 45° and a bit steeper on the right wing. I'm not too fussed about precise angles.

[@roystheboy]

What's the reason to have a A cemetric grind

[@RichardRaffanwoodturning]

The Asymmetric Bowl Gouge video shows how I use the gouge. Essentially it's two bowl gouges in one because of the long bevel on the nose and steep bevel on the right wing. You have an easier entry cut, then by rolling the gouge keep the bevel rubbing all the way to centre. The steep right wing makes turning outflowing bowls with concave profiles much easier, and the squarer right wing is more efficient than a swept-back wing when hollowing.

[@100BearPaw]

Can you tell me about your rest with the bar on it?

[@RichardRaffanwoodturning]

Most cast iron or steel rests are easily pitted and need regular filing to keep them smooth so tools are moved easily along them. The rods on my Vicmarc and Robust rests are hardened steel that stays smooth.

[@100BearPaw]

@@RichardRaffanwoodturning and is that rod on any specific type of fixture? Adjustable at all? Is it the factory mount that you were able to get the rod attached to? I’m asking cause I would like to do something similar.

[@RichardRaffanwoodturning]

@@100BearPaw On my rests the hardened bar is welded on by the manufacturers, but you can purchase hardened rod and weld it to a rest. Robust sell sets of tee rests and I'm sure Vicmarc would be happy to do likewise.

[@robert.santore]

Why do you like the asymmetric grind?

[@RichardRaffanwoodturning]

I developed the asymmetric grind in late 1970, so it might be familiarity. Bowl gouges used to come ground straight across. I ground back the left wing so it was less likely to catch, then realized that was a superb edge for rapid shaping of a bowl profile. The variable bevel enables a more comfortable entry cut when hollowing whilst still allowing a shear cut all the way to center. The short right wing hogs out waste very effeciently as you'll see in the bowl gouges video. On a bowl profile the right wing can shear cut quite tight outflowing concave forms whilst the fulcrum remains close to the cut. Apart from that, what does anyone use the right wing for other than occasional shear scraping. A long right wing seems a waste of time and only became popular when turners started using grinding jigs.

[@robert.santore]

@@RichardRaffanwoodturning Thank you so much for the detailed reply. I just started learning how to turn last year (at age 59) and have been enjoying the videos you've posted. Right now I am using two bowl gouges - one with a swept back wing and another with a shorter/blunter grind (I guess it's sometimes called a "bottom feeder" or microbevel). The swept back is better for shear scraping. The other gouge is better for the transition inside a bowl from side to bottom where a steeper bevel allows for a better angle. I wonder if your asymmetric grind gives you the best of both tools in one grind?

[@RichardRaffanwoodturning]

@@robert.santore It does, but I usually use a scraper across the bottom of the inside of a bowl for greater control of the shape.