So, I bought a new 1/2" bowl gouge from Carter and Son Toolworks.  This is a beautiful tool, as you can see below.  No intended disloyalty to EWT, I just think I should be able to use both traditional and carbide turning tools.

 

 

I found an old piece of poplar and proceeded to begin turning a small bowl, more of a cup actually, just to get used to the use and feel of the new gouge.  Went OK at first.  Roughing out the piece went fine, and the forming of the tenon was OK.  When I reversed the work piece, installed it in my chuck, and started hollowing out the inside, that also went OK, at first.  (The suspence builds!).  All of a sudden, CATCH!!.  But I couldn't see the catch, because it took me a while to find the part of the bowl that was supposed to still be connected to the tenon, which was still in my chuck.  When I located the bowl,  this is what the catch looked like.  I colored in the catch for visibility in the picture.

 

 

 

This is what I was left with.

 

 

I think part of my problem was that I got too comfortable with the gouge, too quickly and got too aggressive with it.  Another thing I think was in play was that the poplar work piece was maybe too old and dry and had developed some hairline cracks.  I had noticed something like that earlier as I was prepping the piece to go on my lathe, but I dismissed them as not enough to worry about.  Think maybe that was a bad assumption?  So tomorrow, I might fish out another piece of something, and try it again.  Wish me luck.

Since you asked... good luck with it Tom

My big problems come from getting too comfortable with what I'm doing.  I bump the tool into the wood while admiring the cut I just made.  I need to keep constant attention to where the tool is but all too often I just don't and get the big "BANG".

Good luck with your endeavor.  Looks like there may be enough tenon left to get the jaws to bite.  I prefer a recess for mounting.

19 minutes ago, HandyDan said:

My big problems come from getting too comfortable with what I'm doing.  I bump the tool into the wood while admiring the cut I just made.  I need to keep constant attention to where the tool is but all too often I just don't and get the big "BANG".

Good luck with your endeavor.  Looks like there may be enough tenon left to get the jaws to bite.  I prefer a recess for mounting.

My problem is that I get comfortable too. Things are going really good and I'm about finished. I'll reach to shut down the lathe with my left hand or set some sandpaper down...........I accidentally (absentmindedly) allow the cutting tool to touch the spinning chuck with my right hand. OUCH. I have done this twice. Since it is a carbide cutter, I can turn it to avoid the damage. Once is forgivable, twice isn't

Just thinking out loud here, and maybe @Gerald can add to this. I have ground my HSS bowl gouges (yes I do own 2 of them) to have more of a swept back wings (fingernail grind). It looks like you have a grinding jig that will help you do that. The swept wings can help prevent catches. 

 

That's a beautiful gouge!

 

6 hours ago, Cal said:

Since you asked... good luck with it Tom

I'm not proud Cal.  I'll take all the help I can get.

 

4 hours ago, HandyDan said:

Looks like there may be enough tenon left to get the jaws to bite.

Well, maybe.  But with the hairline cracks I mentioned earlier, I just don't trust it.  I'll start over with a fresh piece.

 

2 hours ago, lew said:

Just thinking out loud here, and maybe @Gerald can add to this. I have ground my HSS bowl gouges (yes I do own 2 of them) to have more of a swept back wings (fingernail grind). It looks like you have a grinding jig that will help you do that. The swept wings can help prevent catches. 

According to the product description on their web site, the gouge is already ground to a fingernail grind.  And I do have the jig to do that.  Which is another one of my minor problems.  I have the Wolverine Vari Grind 2, not the original Vari Grind.  A lot of the add on attachments and even info are just for the Vari Grind.  It seems like the Vari Grind 2 has fallen out of favor.  And it's not a new product.  I have  had mine for several years.  I really don't want to change the grind on this new gouge until I can comfortable reproduce the original grind.  And, I also want to buy a couple of CBN wheels.  So not much is going to happen in that arena until the 1st of the month, when I get the bulk of my retirement money.  Sometimes I think sharpening is a steeper learning curve than the actual turning.  And maybe just as expensive.

1 hour ago, PostalTom said:

gouge is already ground to a fingernail grind

Sorry, I couldn't see it very well in the picture.

I wasn't sure either, even looking at it in my hand.  I had to go back to Carter and Son web site and look up the product description of that specific model.  I'm not surprised it wasn't that clear in the picture.

@PostalTom, that is a beautiful tool.  That handle would just grow sweat in my hands.  But, that only is a problem for some of us.  LOL  How does the handle fit the tool?  It appears to have a couple of set screws.  Do you have to tighten and loosen them each time you change it out?  Thank you.

 

 

Steve set screws are not a problem in handles once tight have never seen one loosen.

 

I use something of a Ellsworth grind which I think as Lew pointed to is swept back farther. The only Carter tool I own is a SRG so cannot speak for that.

 

The catch looks like you started with the flute opened too much. Start the cut with flute closed and gradually open as you cut into the bowl rubbing the bevel the whole way.

12 hours ago, FlGatorwood said:

How does the handle fit the tool?  It appears to have a couple of set screws.  Do you have to tighten and loosen them each time you change it out?

Yes it does have set screws, but there is more going on than just that.  Their handles will directly accept their tools with a 3/4" diameter shaft.  Anything with a smaller shaft, such as the 1/2" gouge I bought, needs an adapter to allow the gouge to be installed in the handle.  They supply the adapter with the gouge.  The set screws then secure the assembly.  A little bit of extra work, it all depends on how many handles you want to buy.  Of course, the individual gouges are sold with or without handles.

9 hours ago, Gerald said:

The catch looks like you started with the flute opened too much

@Gerald, I'm still a learner at turning, so I don't exactly know what you mean by an open or closed flute.  It sounds like you are saying I let the cutting edge of the gouge touch the wood before the bevel did, and I need to let the bevel contact the wood first to "stabilize" the tool's contact with the work piece.  Did I interpret that correctly?

Tim Yoder is a good turner to watch.  He often takes the time to show how to use the tools he is using to turn.  Here is a video of his that deals with catches using a bowl gouge.  I'm not promoting Tim but have learned a lot from him.  Check out his channel.

https://www.youtube.com/user/woodturningwithtim1

You will have to copy and paste this.  It wouldn't take.

 

Here is the bowl gouge video.

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks Dan.  I'll check that out.

Got a lot of stuff but I just made a couple pics of open and closed flute first.

First one is closed flute with the flutes facing the right. At the right is open flute with flutes facing the ceiling.

 

 

 

Now for rubbing the bevel and catches with again Tim Yoder. look at about 5:30 on video, by the way all his catch videos are very interesting.
Catches #2

 

Now for a great teacher Stuart Batty and his Seven Fundamentals of Woodturning . This is on Vimeo and there are more than seven but watch them all , they are all short.

 

Seven Fundamentals of Woodturning with Stuart Batty

 

 

 

"No intended disloyalty to EWT, I just think I should be able to use both traditional and carbide turning tools."

 

Tom - I agree 100%!  I learned to turn with HSS tools over 30 years ago.  Not disloyal ever!  This great hobby means that you continue to learn and expand your knowledge, continue to increase your skills.  Use the tool that works best for you.

 

Cheers.  

I thought I would post these before I screwed it up again.  I watched that Tim Yoder video, and also one from worththeeffort wood working.  That one was over an hour long, but he kept emphasizing the important parts and demonstrating them over and over again.  It was the one on turning your first bowl.  For someone with the patience to watch the whole thing, it also had some good information.  This is just a practice bowl, but I am happy with my progress, compared to the first one I tried with the new gouge.  This one also with the new gouge.  Except for the tenon.  I had to go back to a parting tool to do that.  I still have to get a different live center to allow more room for that end.  Still have the cup center that came with the lathe.  Now for the pics.

 

 

Thanks for the help and suggestions from everyone.  It really made a difference.

Edited August 21, 20205 yr by PostalTom
Added the thanks.

Looking good. 

Stay at it, don't get discouraged.  The worst critic you have, is yourself.  

Nice curve inside. Usually you make that curve on the outside before you start hollowing, but that will come with time.