# Longer bit needed for "Gouging" project



## draboo (Oct 1, 2012)

I am extremely new to woodworking in a shop setting. 

My old friend (88 y.o.) has a shop with lots of tools and spare wood. 

We glued togather 3 1/2" squares of 1 1/2" lumber of two different woods, one being oak and the other being an extremely hard purple wood. It is around 9" long. We are in the process of "gouging out" the center. First we used a dado blade on the table saw and relieved the center so it looks like a trough, with sides that are about 3/8 thick. But none of the dado blades, or any of the router bits Waino has will reach deep enough to leave a 3/8 thick bottom. 

Any suggestions or links to a bit that will do the job? Preferably one with a radiused end on it. We are going over to Waino's today, so I ll get a picture of what we have to post, since my explanation leaves a bit to be desired.

Thanks for your help. It is fun being a 60 y.o. apprentice learning from a 88 y.o. carpenter!

And Merry Christmas! :smile:

Brad in Sutherlin,OR


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## Dave Paine (May 30, 2012)

Pictures will really help.

The hard purple wood is likely purpleheart.

Are you trying to make a bowl? I am having a difficult time visualizing without pictures.

If you just need to hog out the centre, do you have a drill press and Forstner bits?


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## Brian T. (Dec 19, 2012)

If you are making a bowl and if you are trying to work in end grain, you are in for some punishment and my sympathies are in short supply.

I do my best to always start with a Forstner bit, right in the center.
Lots of Forstner holes and knock out the webbing with mallet and gouge (like a 9/15). Use that gouge to clean it up as best I can.
While you can and should buy spoon-bent gouges, I go to my Haida-style crooked knives. Mora (Sweden) make some nice crooked knoves for spoons, bowls and kuksa.


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## draboo (Oct 1, 2012)

Forgot to take a pic, so I drew a sketchy sketch.:blink:

What we have already have cut out we did on a table saw. It is a 10" saw, so none of the dado blades he has will go any deeper. 

So I m thinking of using the router on a router table to do the rest. The problem is I cannot find a bit long enough to rabbit it out the top in the sketch to 3/8". I also would like the two inside corners to be radius-ed. 

He does have a nice drill press I m thinking might come in handy for this, but am looking for suggestions. 

This is going to end up being a sort of a box for jewelry/change/watches.

Might possibly flock the inside if I cant get it sanded good enough to look good. 

Thanks again for any suggestions,eh? :thumbsup:

Brad


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## Dave Paine (May 30, 2012)

The sketch helps a lot.

Looking at the sketch, I would just use a normal 10in blade. A normal 10in blade should be able to cut the 3 1/8in depth. Many passes and then clean out the bottom with a block plane. I do this if I do not want to remove the normal blade and set up the dado.


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## jschaben (Apr 1, 2010)

draboo said:


> Forgot to take a pic, so I drew a sketchy sketch.:blink:
> 
> What we have already have cut out we did on a table saw. It is a 10" saw, so none of the dado blades he has will go any deeper.
> 
> ...


Hi Brad - am I correct in assuming that the cutout you are trying to make is blind? That is, has a 3/8" wall all the way around, just open on the top and 1 end?
If that's the case, I would definately pass on the router table. Do it hand held. Clamp 2x material around it to provide router support and set up stops to work against the router base or a guide bushing setup to define the router movement. 1/2" spiral upcut bit would give you a pretty nice finish with little or no sanding. It would give you 1/4" radiused corners though. You would need a 1/2" collet plunge router to use this right though. :smile:


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