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Bowl Turning

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Derek:
I don't see the parting tool as an essential tool, but does get used occasionally in bowl turning. In the absence of a coring tool I have used the parting tool with care to core out especially if it is a very nice piece of wood.
Still not a tool that I would have thought as in my first answer when I stated what were my go to tools

BrianH:
Im a firm believer in the old adage that the tool in my hand is, hopefully, just right for the next operation but I am perplexed at the thought of using a parting tool on a bowl. Why!!!
I have tried coring with a particularly long and strong version (made from a 3/4" oval skew) a couple of times but didnt enjoy the experience so gave up on it.
Further thought reminds me that I have used one to remove a ring of usable timber from beneath a wide rim. I may have been working towards a bowl but could hardly describe it as bowl turning.
BUT! having said all that, I wont say any one else is wrong to use one. Only He/She can make that decision, based on their own personal skills, experience and intentions.
Brian

bodrighywood:
Main problem with using a parting tool is the same as using s roughing gouge. It has a tang and  so is not suitable for any work where there is a big overhang. Dangerous. As I said I have used one for adding grooves to the outside of a bowl but apart from that I can't see a practical, safe use for it in bowl turning.

Pete

Woodcrafts:
The only use I have come across, for newcomers to woodturning, is to cut a shallow slot to define the thickness of the bowl. This slot is used to support the bevel of the bowl gouge and prevent it skipping across the rim and messing it up. I have shown this to my students if they are struggling to get the tool entry correct but, once their skill and confidence grows they don't bother to do this. So a use of the parting tool but certainly not essential.

Mark Hancock:
Thank you to all for taking the time to comment.

My feeling on the use of a parting tool in bowl turning (bowl turning is not a phrase I ever use preferring cross grain turning) has been summed up by Pete. The parting tool has a reduced tang and is simply not designed for dealing with cross grain timber. That was illustrated very well last year at the height of the covid pandemic. I lost count of the number of broken parting tools that were posted on various forums; all of them broke whilst being used on cross grain timber when parting off a spigot.

A few have referred to using a parting tool for coring. I personally would advise against that for exactly the same reason as above, the reduced tang. There are tools available that look somewhat similar but are constructed with added strength to the tang for just that purpose e.g. the Slicer from Robert Sorby which was originally designed by Dave Stewart. I prefer these to the pivoting coring systems as they are more versatile, dealing with any size bowl.

The use as a tool for creating spigots and recesses always brings a smile as it reminds me of the dovetail scraper which I believe is still available.  :)

Thanks again for the comments. I know now I haven't missed something in the use of a parting tool.  ;D

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