Here are some quick points on sharpening lathe tools:
The two most common methods used is a slow speed grinder with a Wolverine Jig and Tormek slow speed wet grinder (Grizzly & Jet have clones of this), with the dry grinder and Wolverine being the most common. I have both but use the dry grinder and Wolverine 99% of the time, it's quick and easy and I don't have to worry about water in the wet grinder.
Rockler has the Rikon 8" grinder on sale now for $99.
The Wolverine jig can be purchased locally at Klingspor & Woodcraft or ordered from many of the online turning suppliers. If going the with the Wolverine, make sure to get the original Vari-Grind, not the Vari-Grind 2. The 2 model has limitations the original does not.
The white wheels that come with the Rikon work fine, a step up would be CBN wheels. CBN are diamond wheels that will always stay the same size and shape and never need to be trued. Ken at Woodturners Wonders has the best price on CBN wheels.
The most important part of sharpening bowl gouges is consistency, you want the same grind every time you sharpen so the gouge will cut the same way. There are many, many forum threads and articles on grind angles, I'm not exactly sure what angle mine is but I do know, it's always the same.
How long a tool stays sharp depends on a couple of factors, type of steel and species of wood are the main ones. If you find yourself pushing the tool, chances are it's dull. Good steel sharpened on a CBN wheel only takes a sweep or two, very quick.
There's much more and some web searches will lead you to enough reading to last weeks.