How hot should a bowl gouge get???

[DaveO]

While I was turning some Elm today I noticed that the end of my 1/2" bowl gouge was getting too hot to touch. I would have to stop, set the gouge down and wait a few minutes before I could continue cleaning out the inside of the bowl. I was hogging off about 3/16th" of wood per cut, and the gouge was sharpened twice during the turning of that bowl.
Is this normal, I don't recall noticing it before? Or maybe just the type of wood, or poor techinque? I have never had anyone show me how to turn correctly, I just do what works for me

Dave

 

[Big Mike]

Turning dry woods creates a lot of friction and the chips themselves coming off can be uncomfortably hot. The tool will also get warm, hot even but it sounds like you are riding the bevel too much.

When using a bowl gouge everyone is taught to ride the bevel. Sometimes this is interpreted to mean that you have to push the bevel hard to keep it against the wood. This can result in the tool getting very hot, uncomfortable to hold and worse can bruise the wood as you are turning. This can have a very bad effect on the appearance of your turned object and can show up as lines in the wood that are difficult to sand out.

Try starting your cut with the heel of the bevel rubbing the wood lightly. Then rock the cutting edge forward until you engage the edge and start cutting. Now glide along on the bevel not pushing it hard to maintain contact with the wood. Also, if a tool is dull you will have to push it harder to make it cut. A sharp tool will cut without much effort on your behalf in keeping it pushed against the wood. If your tools will not cut wood with the lathe off they need to be sharpened. You should be able to rotate the blank by hand and hold the tool against the wood and peel off a shaving. That is what I mean by cutting with the lathe off.

3/16" is not a large cut. Elm is hard and if it is dry will generate a lot of heat while turning. I sometimes have to wear a glove on my hand because of how hot the chips are coming off some woods. I find cherry when it is dry to be very hot when finish cutting a rough dried in alcohol. But the tool should not get so hot that you can't hold it.

Dave, rent or buy the Ellsworth gouge video. You probably don't have your bowl gouge ground exactly like his. It doesn't matter. The techniques he shows and describes will make you a better turner. I borrowed that video from a friend and it made a huge difference in how I used my bowl gouge.

 

[Wildwood]

DaveO, nice bowl! Yes, end of all turning tools get hot while turning. Do some situations make the ends hotter than normal? Yes!

Coming right from the grinder to work, tool hasn’t had time to cool from sharpening. M2 HSS, should be allowed to air cool, and not dipped into water. Some folks still cool tool with water. If use a light touch at grinder, tool doesn’t get that hot.

Difficult woods will also get tools hot to the touch, because tends to dull the cutting edge real fast. Some woods with high mineral content. Want to say silica, but not sure about that or species wood. Also woods without high mineral content notorious for dulling turning tools fast. So more trips to the grinder necessary to re sharpen your tools only way to work these kinds of wood.

Had the same problems turning some wet Mulberry with lots of inclusions and reaction wood.

 

[FredP]

While I was turning some Elm today I noticed that the end of my 1/2" bowl gouge was getting too hot to touch. I would have to stop, set the gouge down and wait a few minutes before I could continue cleaning out the inside of the bowl. I was hogging off about 3/16th" of wood per cut, and the gouge was sharpened twice during the turning of that bowl.
Is this normal, I don't recall noticing it before? Or maybe just the type of wood, or poor techinque? I have never had anyone show me how to turn correctly, I just do what works for me

Dave

well dave, that depends on weather you are turning or woodburning!:rolf: dry wood tends to heat the tools but i dont think ita a problem. when ya burns you fingers just get another band-aid hit the grinder!:-D:rolf: keep them sharp and take your time with harder woods.

fred p