Most anyone who visits this forum will know I spent a week at Marc Adams in September. The guest teacher was Glenn Lucas. During that week I had the opportunity to use some of his signature bowl gouges. I was very impressed with the cut I got from them, enough so that I ordered his 1/2", 5/8", and the 5/8" bottom feeder bowl gouges. This is the first bowl I've used them on. It is hard maple, twice turned, harder than nails, and about 9" in diameter. In the picture I have sanded it with 150 grit only. I used a 3" disk in my drill and this is after about 5 minutes.  In this picture the rim has not been sanded at all. It is the first time ever I started sanded with anything other than 60 or 80 grit on the inside of a bowl. I could start with 150 grit because there was virtually no tear out, even in the "problem" areas. FWIW, I have since finished sanded the bowl inside and I started with 320 grit on the rim.

 

 

This is not meant to be a recommendation to buy his tools. I'm sure the techniques I learned from him contributed as well. It's not unusual for me to spend an hour or more sanding a bowl this size. I might have had 15 minutes on this one.

 

Steve

 

Nice bowl, and a great report Steve,

Cal

It is amazing what paying attention to technique can do for us.

I need to learn that technique!

Good deal Steve.  What steel is used in those new gouges?

6 hours ago, HandyDan said:

Good deal Steve.  What steel is used in those new gouges?

The steel in them is M2 which I know is not the "best" steel you can get. I understand I may have to sharpen a little more but I would much rather spend an extra 2 or 3 minutes sharpening versus an extra 45 minutes sanding.

 

Steve

2 hours ago, Steve Krumanaker said:

The steel in them is M2 which I know is not the "best" steel you can get. I understand I may have to sharpen a little more but I would much rather spend an extra 2 or 3 minutes sharpening versus an extra 45 minutes sanding.

 

Steve

 

I don't have a clue about these new steels and was wondering what you went with.  I suppose I should buy one and give it a try just to see first hand what they are all about.

48 minutes ago, HandyDan said:

 

I don't have a clue about these new steels and was wondering what you went with.  I suppose I should buy one and give it a try just to see first hand what they are all about.

 

The best high speed steel these days is supposed to be 10v which is what is used in Thompson tools. He also has an elaborate heat treating and cryogenic process he uses to get maximum hardness out of the metal.

Next(I think) is m42 and I believe that's what Dway tools are. He also has an elaborate hardening process, I've never used Dway tools but I did buy my CBN from him and it's been a great addition. I think Carter tools are also m42. That would make sense because they have been accused of stealing info from Dave before they started making tools.

M4  steel is used by some manufacturers, don't know too much about that alloy.

M2 is one of the softer high speed steels which recent experience makes me believe is a non issue.

There is so much more to consider though. One thing about the tools I bought is the flute is polished and it's not on most gouges. Equate that to honing the flat side of a bench chisel and not just the bevel. Another thing, these tools have a true parabolic flute which seems to give a larger sweet spot, at least it seems that way to me.

 

Steve

 

On 10/26/2017 at 9:54 PM, lew said:

I need to learn that technique!

I do too.

Steve you left out one popular steel V10 is what Thompson uses and like Dave at Dway he uses a proprietary hardening process. Also V10 is a powdered metal steel. I think there is also a V12 but Doug tried it and decided it would not be the best for turning tools.

   There have been several discussions on AAW Forum on turning tool steels and here is a good one:

http://www.aawforum.org/community/index.php?threads/turning-tool-steels.13053/

Hi Gerald, actually it was the first steel I mentioned though I called 10V, I think we're both talking about the same alloy.

 

Steve

9 hours ago, Steve Krumanaker said:

Hi Gerald, actually it was the first steel I mentioned though I called 10V, I think we're both talking about the same alloy.

 

Steve

oops