Richard Raffan using a spindle gouge to shape a bowl.

Here you see how I manipulate the handle of my ½-in spindle gouge as I shape and hollow a bowl. Shot from just above center.

[@dennisgonyier9542]

“Thank You” for the continuing education. Always appreciated.

[@youenn2180]

Every woodturner develops his own relationship with tools , which ones to use , how to use and sharpen , even make some more appropriate , here we see perfectly new ways to use a gouge !

[@jamescarter8813]

Great camera angle Richard. This is something that more turners need to understand. Showing more of what the tool does and not just the tip. You have always given great instruction, but see it helps to inform better the tools presentation.

[@raydriver7300]

Another interesting free tutorial. Thank you for sharing Richard. 🌞

[@Pato290763]

Thank you very much!!! I enjoy and learn a lot from your videos and your practical and simple style of achieving the goal

[@johnnyb95678]

Thank you so much for shifting the angle. Great video on using a spindle gouge.

[@stevenhansen8641]

Thanks again Richard for the time and effort.

[@randyscorner9434]

Beautiful! This is exactly the clarification I needed!

[@Bootes1]

Thank you Richard, that was very informative.

[@SpunbyGreenJeans]

Great demo! Thank you!

[@terrythornton1549]

That spindle gouge has seen some work. Not much life left in it, but it still does a great job.

[@RichardRaffanwoodturning]

Yesterday it began a whole new life as a beading tool. There will be a short video.

[@jackthompson5092]

Great lessons Richard.

[@kenvasko2285]

Chapter 1 of your Master Class!

[@les.6343]

Thanks Richard much appreciated.😊

[@LewisKauffman]

Thank you.

[@briantaylor9266]

Excellent demo. Thanks. I'll look for a complementary demo on how to get that grind.

[@RichardRaffanwoodturning]

The nearest is kzbin.info/www/bejne/n5WlXq1sYpJ5d9U for a deep-fluted bowl gouge.

[@DaMidwestMan]

Hello Richard, I'm a very long time viewer of your videos and I'm enjoying all your videos on KZbin now. I think the issue of using a spindle gouge on bowls comes from the concern of using "tanged" tools on a bowl. I noticed your spindle gouge is not "tanged", it is a solid round bar into the handle. I've noticed in the USA at least, a great many spindle gouges are made with a tang, that goes into the handle. It has been mentioned a lot, to NOT use a tanged tool, when making a bowl. Perhaps you can comment on that issue in a future video. Again, I am long time lover of your videos and I love all you have accomplished with helping others learn to use the lathe. -Joe

[@RichardRaffanwoodturning]

I've commented many times on this channel that it's deep-fluted spindle-roughing gouges that shouldn't go near facework. Deep-fluted spindle-roughing gouges used to be marketed simply as roughing gouges so, quite reasonably, many novice turners assumed these tools would be suitable for roughing bowls. I have shallow continental roughing gouges with long-and-strong tangs that I can use for facework as you see in kzbin.info/www/bejne/b3OrZWSgrZVogas.

[@jorisdemoel3821]

A pity that first one was cracked, it looked like a nice grain. Claret Ash? Many thanks for the alternate angle to show the tool angle. Very instructive. I too hope that you will wear it down to the ferrule in good health! And at forty-seven I'm still amazed at how long you've been turning at such an incredibily high level of skill. And I've gotten nowhere near anything this level of wear on any tool! (And nowhere near the skill either)

[@jaylijoi2060]

When making a slicing finishing cut with a spindle gouge, not a scrape, what is the angle, not of the edge, but created from your waist to the rest? I can never quite see the drop down angle of the handle in the videos when you make those cuts. Thank you for all you have provided me over the years!

[@dagwood1327]

I like the close up views in your regular videos but I can see what you are doing to make the cut by seeing both hands.

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

Other than a SG being less expensive than a bowl gouge, I am unclear on the advantages to using a SG on a bowl. Are you getting a better cut than with a BG with the same flute size?

[@MP-ou7lb]

I also am wondering why not to use a bowl gouge, a tool specified for this use case!?

[@RichardRaffanwoodturning]

There are two advantages for me. The spindle gouge is less expensive than a DF gouge. It cuts as cleanly but doesn't have the strength to work more than 3-in over the rest. The other advantage is shavings never jam in the flute as they can with a DF gouge when my left hand is on the blade deflecting shavings. I used to keep a dental tool to prise them out.

[@RichardRaffanwoodturning]

@@MP-ou7lb There's my response to Mike Peace. There's also some history: In 1970-71 I turned bowls using 1-in shallow gouges we'd now call continental gouges. These were army-surplus made by Sorby. I could buy five for the cost of one Sorby long and strong gouge. I was on a tight budget and turning tools scarce so that's what I used. Shortly after modern bowl gouges appeared in Britain c.1978, I was given a ½-in Vascoware gouge designed by Jerry Glaser for his friend Bob Stocksdale, the famous bowl turner. I used that shallow gouge all through the 1980s to profile bowls, so I've profiled bowls using spindle gouges for 53 years.

[@davidshaper5146]

Are you planning on using that gouge down to the ferrule?

[@RichardRaffanwoodturning]

There's a good ½-in left yet and after than it might become a detailing tool - a point with three bevels.

[@davidshaper5146]

@@RichardRaffanwoodturning So, in other words, I was right. Once it becomes a point tool, you'll use it down to the ferrule.

[@RichardRaffanwoodturning]

@@davidshaper5146 I think it'll see me out before I get to the ferrule.

[@MikePeaceWoodturning]

@@RichardRaffanwoodturning Let's hope not!

[@alanneel2749]

It seems you and Tomislav use the spindle gouge most of the time …So when do we need to use a bowl gouge??

[@RichardRaffanwoodturning]

Boowl gouges are designed for strength when hollowing deep into crossgrain. A spindle gouge is okay up to 70mm over the rest, but beyond that is inclined to flex.

[@alanneel2749]

@@RichardRaffanwoodturning thank you sir.

[@josephpotterf9459]

Thanks btw I have a couple of signature tools bearing your name coming tomorrow a scraper and a skew from Packard woodworks.Thnks. again