[Woodcarver] Gouges

[Linehan718 at aol.com]

In a message dated 1/10/2007 2:31:11 AM Eastern Standard Time,  
cbcarver12 at optonline.net writes:
 
Wow Charlie.  

I have a  question in regards to using gouges that I am sure you can help me 
with. Over  the years I have noticed that there is very little written about 
how to use  gouges, there is plenty of info on how to sharpen them but not so 
much on when  to use what gouge.
If the  answer would be so long winded and you tell me to buy a book, that's 
OK please  just tell what book to buy.  I reccomend  Elements of woodcarving 
by chris pye and essential woodcarving technique by  dick onians and it 
certainly wouldn't hurt you to read anything by e.j.  tangerman
 
*Is the  answer as simple as using the flattest gouge that will work for you 
at that  time?  Depends on what you are carving.  If you  are carving out a 
flat surface, perhaps but if you are carving a rounded  section of something, 
you would want to use the gouge that is the closest  shape and size.  if you are 
removing waste, larger, more rounded gouges  remove more wood quickly.  
sometimes gouges are used to texture, smaller  for small detail.
 
*  Someone once told me that gouges are designed to cut across the grain, 
when I  try that the wood usually splinters and chips. gouges  pretty much work 
the same as chisels, any time you go into the grain, the edge  will ride into 
and chip out along the grain.  You can carve with the  grain and right up to 
about a ninety degree line across the grain.  Edge  needs to be very sharp.  to 
get the other 2 directions, you need to turn  the piece(or you)around or learn 
to become  ambidextrous.
 
* Some  gouges have a different angle or bevel at the cutting edge, what is 
the reason  for that? Does it have something to do with the hardness of wood 
you are  trying to carve that determines which angle you should use? you need to 
account for both the hardness of the steel and the  hardness of the wood.  
smaller bevels(approx.15-20 degrees) will  give a more delicate tip and works 
well in softer woods but will dull faster  in harder woods.  If doing mallet 
work or working in harder woods, you  want to increase the angle of the bevel 
(approx 20-25)to give more strength  and durability to the edge of the tool.
 
*I have  a few gouges that I inherited that have the bevel on the opposite 
side of the  gouge, it is like the cutting edge is reversed. How and when would 
they be  used?  Mainly for getting up and into hard to reach  areas on high 
relief and in the rounds.  can get where other tools cant.  very useful for the 
graceful lines of acanthus when backed into a  corner.


the things i said are only my opinion and the things that immediately come  
to mind.  There is lots to learn about gouges, chisels and their  applications 
and modifications.  Read up a bit if you must have someone  tell you how to 
use your tools but the best teachers are practice and  experience.  some people 
do entire carvings using only a pocket knife, some  people whittle away with 
only one chisel or gouge, others have complete lines of  carving tools and use 
their tools for task-specific purposes.  Chisels and  gouges are inanimate 
objects, they don't really do much of anything, it is what  you do with the tool 
that either makes it dance or stumble.

 


 
 
Maura carvin' in  nyc
www.CarvinginNYC.com
http://www.picturetrail.com/carvinginnyc


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