# Need some opinions of making a turing tool.



## Alan Sweet (Oct 22, 2014)

I like my turning tools for most of my work. When working with finials though, I am of the mind set that I want a 1/4 finger nail detail gouge. Only for some detail work at the tight places. Thompson has one, but I don't like it. Its U shaped and still doesn't let me get into detail I want. If it were swept back on the bottom and V shaped I think it might work.

So, I am looking for advice on making a V shaped 1/4" finger nail detail gouge. I can get a heat source and I have made a few tools. 

What I have done using 3/8" & 1/2" steel is to drill a hole in rod and grind it back. I have tried with 1/4" O-1 Steel drill rod. I have used 1/8" drills (off center) and the results are not very good. 

So all those that are more experienced than I, if you can enlighten me, I would appreciate it. Is it not really a good thing to try? Or am I going about all wrong?


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## Schroedc (Oct 22, 2014)

Do you need to make it or can you possibly adapt one of the v shaped carving chisels to do the job?


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## Alan Sweet (Oct 22, 2014)

I need to make it. I want it for making ornaments.


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## Tim Carter (Oct 23, 2014)

Have you checked out Cindy Drazda's specialty tools? She has a tool that might work. I think it's called a vortex tool.

You also might consider a very shallow 1/4" gouge with a long fingernail grind. I made one out of an old Witherby carving chisel and it allows me to get into some very tight areas with great control and clean cuts. I got the chisel on eBay and turned a longer handle for it. It's tool steel, not HSS, but I use a light touch on the grinder.

Reactions: Like 1


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## duncsuss (Oct 23, 2014)

Alan Sweet said:


> Thompson has one, but I don't like it. Its U shaped and still doesn't let me get into detail I want. If it were swept back on the bottom and V shaped I think it might work.


I'm having trouble understanding "swept back on the bottom" ... can you say it another way please?

I've got one of Doug Thompson's 1/2" shallow detail gouges, ground with a very long bevel (i.e. the angle at the nose is much more acute than in his photos) and swept back sides (i.e. a 'fingernail grind'.)

It lets me get into fairly tight corners -- and when that gets tough, I use the pointy end of a skew. (Or change my design )


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## Alan Sweet (Oct 23, 2014)

Tim, thank you. You put me on the right path. Using the vortex as a model, I made a couple of my version. and one turned out pretty good. Its getting there close to what I want. I'll use it a bit and see what I need to change.

Duncan, this is the tool Tim is talking about. I'm using it as model.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## DKMD (Oct 23, 2014)

I use a small Thompson detail gouge for most things. I've crafted a point tool of sorts out of a piece of round tool steel, and I use a point tool from DWay for cleaning up between beads and making little line details.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## duncsuss (Oct 23, 2014)

Got it, thanks Alan. I can see how that would be handy to get deep into the crevices between beads and whatever they call those angled rings around the base of teardrops.


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## The PenSmith (Oct 27, 2014)

For what it's worth, I use the 3/8 Thompson detail gouge to get close to the final shape and switch to a skew for the last little bits of touch up, it seems to work pretty well, at least for me anyway. 

Also check out Cindy Drozda line of tools, I use this tool to get into the really tight locations between beads.






Cindy also has a detail gouge, I don't have it, but it may work for you.


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## Vern Tator (Nov 2, 2014)

Cindy's vortex tool is great for fine work. I do really thin fine finials 1/16" thick shafts and it allows me to make really fine small beads and coves. She also has an unusual grind on her spindle gouge. I has a narrower than normal point and is sharpened on about 40 degrees, swept back with long wings. A lot of the meat underneath the gouge is ground away so I will get into small spaces. The actual bevel on it is some where between a 1/16" and 1/8". I use that grind on my spindle gouge for finials and I have another conventional grind on one for most spindle work.


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## elnino (Nov 2, 2014)

here are the angles and good diagrams from the inventor of the vortex tool.

i would order the thompson steel rods 1/4 and grind it this way. i'm sure honing only dwould keep it sharp between re grinds.

http://woodturning.org/products/chisels-tools/vortex-tool/


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