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Deep Bowl Gouge; handle too long ?

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Nige7:
As a brand new turner I recently bought a Record deep bowl gouge. I am still learning the basic uses of all my gouges so I'm guessing I am making a fundamental mistake in the use of this new tool.  The problem I am having is that the end of the gouge handle is fouling on the lathe bed as I try and swing it across when making a cut.

I have experimented with raising and lowering the tool rest  but that doesn't seem to help.  My lathe is a Record CL3.

I can't seem to get the cut right if I don't lower the handle as I swing through the cut and rotate the gouge.

The bowls I have been practising on are no deeper than about 3 inches so Im wondering if I am using the wrong tool. A gouge with a shorter handle would seem to be the answer but as Record don't seem to make one I suspect it is my technique rather than the tool that is not right.

Any advice great fully received.

I am going to a meeting of the local woodturners group here in Norwich on Friday to see if I can get some practical advice there :)

Nigel

Kevin Hanley:
Hi Nigel - and welcome to the addictive worls of wood turning.

You are not necessarily doing anything wrong.  This is a common problem on some lathes where the clearance over the bed is limited.  Your CL3 should have a swivelling headstock - slacken off the retaining nut and rotate the headstock towards you about 30 - 45 degrees and retighten.,  Reposition your toolrest at the correct height and take cuts as normal.  You should now have enough clearance for the end of the handle without fouling on the bed bars.

Try this and let me know if it helps.

Regards

Kevin

Nige7:
Many thanks Kevin, I'll give that a go tomorrow . I wish I had bought the bowl turning tool rest that goes with the Record lathe :) It would have been cheaper at the time !

Nigel

Kevin Hanley:
Nigel

I used to have a CL3 - a good basic lathe and one used by by some professional turners for some of their work.  I found that there was too much flex in the bed bars for my liking - especially when turning out of balance clanks off the side with the bowl turning extension.  I am not saying you have bought the wrong lathe - far from it - but before you start turning larger bowls that need the bowl turning extension decide exactly what sort of turning you want to do.  You may then decide you want to upgrade anyway! 

From memory, with the headstock partially rotated you can probably turn up to about 16 inches with what you have got.

Regards

Kevin

Nige7:
Thanks Kevin. I haven't noticed any flex in the bed bars but then I haven't turned anything very big yet.  I need a bit more experience before I try to turn a large bowl.

Nigel

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