Turning Gouge

About Turning Gouge

A turning gouge is an essential woodturning tool designed for shaping and hollowing wood on a lathe. Featuring a curved cutting edge and a fluted blade, turning gouges excel at removing material quickly whilst providing excellent control for both roughing out and detailed finishing work. MyToolShed.co.uk stocks a comprehensive range of turning gouges to suit woodturners at every skill level, from beginners learning the fundamentals to professional turners crafting intricate bowls, spindles, and vessels.

Available in various profiles including spindle gouges, bowl gouges, and roughing gouges, these specialist chisels are manufactured from high-speed steel (HSS) or carbon steel to maintain sharp cutting edges through extended use. The sweep or curvature of the blade determines the tool's specific application, with deeper flutes providing better control when working on interior curves and bowl forms.

Applications

• Professional woodturners - Creating bespoke furniture components, artistic pieces, and commissioned work
• Furniture makers and joiners - Producing table legs, chair spindles, and decorative turned elements
• Wood sculptors and artists - Crafting bowls, platters, vases, and sculptural forms
• Restoration specialists - Replicating period-accurate turned components for antique furniture
• DIY enthusiasts - Home workshop projects including bowls, pens, candlesticks, and ornamental items
• Educational workshops - Teaching woodturning techniques in colleges and training centres

Choosing The Right Turning Gouge

Selecting the appropriate turning gouge depends on your intended projects and experience level. Bowl gouges feature deeper flutes and are ideal for faceplate work and creating hollow forms, whilst spindle gouges have shallower profiles suited to between-centres turning. Consider blade length – typically ranging from 100mm to 300mm – with longer tools providing greater reach for deep vessels.

Handle comfort is crucial for extended turning sessions. MyToolShed stocks gouges with various handle lengths and materials, including traditional ash and modern composite handles offering improved grip and vibration dampening. High-speed steel (HSS) blades retain their edge significantly longer than carbon steel alternatives, reducing sharpening frequency and maintaining consistent performance. The sweep angle, measured in degrees, determines cutting aggression – larger sweeps remove material faster but require more control.

Beginners should consider starting with a versatile 10mm or 12mm spindle gouge and a 10mm bowl gouge to cover most basic projects before expanding their collection.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between a spindle gouge and a bowl gouge?

Spindle gouges have a shallower flute and are designed for working between centres on projects like chair legs and spindles. Bowl gouges feature deeper flutes and heavier construction for faceplate work, providing the strength and control needed when hollowing bowls and vessels where cutting forces are greater.

How often do turning gouges need sharpening?

Sharpening frequency depends on usage intensity and wood hardness. HSS gouges typically maintain their edge for several hours of turning hardwoods. You'll know it's time to sharpen when the tool requires more pressure, produces torn fibres rather than clean shavings, or begins to chatter during cutting.

Can I use the same gouge for both spindle and bowl turning?

While technically possible, MyToolShed.co.uk recommends using dedicated tools for optimal results and safety. Bowl gouges are engineered to withstand the greater forces encountered in faceplate turning, whilst spindle gouges offer the manoeuvrability and finer control needed for delicate spindle work.