# Suggestions for grind for second bowl gouge



## sprior (Aug 31, 2008)

When I started bowl turning I bought a Pinnacle Cryo Fingernail Grind 1/2" bowl gouge and ground it to my best understanding of what an Ellsworth grind was. I've since been under the impression that my gouge was more of a V shaped rather than a U shaped tool and I thought Ellsworth was more of a U which might help chips clear the tool.

Fast forward a year to this week when I figured maybe I'd just get an authentic Ellsworth so I got the Crown Pro PM version. So it arrived today and I don't know whether it's a U or a V, but the shape of the flute looks exactly the same to me, but seeing how the new gouge is shaped was very educational and I just did a better job of grinding my original.

So I've got two 1/2" bowl gouges which turned out to be pretty close to identical, one in cryo HS steel and the other in PM. On option of course would be to return the new one (haven't ground or used it yet) as a duplicate, but that's not a high priority. So the other obvious option would to be grind the older gouge to some different and useful shape to give me more flexibility.

Any opinions about either returning the new one or a useful grind for the old one?


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## sprior (Aug 31, 2008)

BTW, before I touch the new gouge I'm going to take some pictures so I know what an Ellsworth grind should look like - that was if I drift away from it over time and sharpenings I have a reference to get back to. Didn't think to do that with the first gouge.


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## sawdustfactory (Jan 30, 2011)

Ellsworth grind refers to the shape of the bevel, not the shape of the flute itself. This might help some:
http://www.woodturningvideosplus.com/bevel-angles.html


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## john lucas (Sep 18, 2007)

I have 3 gouges that I use with different grinds. Well actually I have 4 but one was ground like Johannes Michelson grind just to learn how to use it. Back to the question at hand. I have 2 ground roughly the same but one has a 45 degree bevel and the other has a 60 to 80 depending on what I'm trying to turn. When your trying to turn the bottom of a steep sided bowl you need a bevel angle that is a lot steeper than my 45 degree gouge. I try the steep one and if it isn't right I regrind it.
My other gouge is ground to what I call the Stewart Batty Grind. It has very short wings and the entire edge is ground to 45 degrees. If you notice on Ellworth or some other gouges the wings may be either much sharper or much more blunt than the tip. On the Batty grind all edges are the same. This is very useful for some cuts. 
You can find lots of different gouge shapes including Ellsworths on the tool grinds page of Woodcentral. 
http://www.woodcentral.com/newforum/grinds.shtml


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## wildwood (Jan 25, 2011)

I have posted this link before because answers lot of questions about bevel angles and different style or form bowls we turn. Having two bowl gouges not a bad thing.
http://www.woodturningdesign.com/askdale/14/14.shtml


Having two 1/2 “ bowl gouges with different bevel angle a real asset. I use both Ellsworth and Fingernail grind on my ½” bowl gouges. If like Ellsworth grind can put different bevel angles on them instead of always changing bevel angle on one tool. Or just put fingernail grind on one. 

I don’t use same method as Raffan to get a fingernail grind on any of my bowl or spindle gouges but this is what talking about:
http://www.finewoodworking.com/SkillsAndTechniques/SkillsAndTechniquesArticle.aspx?id=32953

another example:
http://www.ehow.com/video_4944013_using-woodturning-tools-fingernail-grind.html

I get confused looking at catalogs and websites today and different grinds for gouges. I learned on straight grind from factory, going to fingernail grind taking off wings so gouges resembles fingernail. To me Irish, Ellsworth, Side grind all the same thing. To me only real difference between fingernail and side grind is angle of degrees you put on the bevel and way I sharpen the tool.


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