Chisels/Gouges

[buddyellis]

I'm looking to start buying some gouges and chisels, and was wondering what I should start with. I don't quite understand all the sweeps and # and etc yet (although I've found a few pages that explain) and wondered which are your most used tools for instrument work.


What's a 'fishtail' gouge, and a #14 bent gouge, and etc. Anyone have a good website explaining all this stuff?
-b

[sunburst]

A good set of bevel edge chisels is handy for all sorts of things. If you can find a set with the handles offset so you can do paring work on large surfaces without the handle getting in the way, that's an advantage, IMO.

I have one particular gouge that I use a lot in plate carving, and other things. I don't remember the sweep, but it's moderate. It's a long bent gouge, a little over an inch wide. I also use other gouges of different sweeps and sizes, and I have about three inchannel gouges. Those are pretty optional, but they can sure be handy for certain jobs. Inchannel means the bevel is ground on the inside of the curve rather than the outside. (pic below)

A fishtail gouge tapers from narrow at the handle to wide at the cutting edge. It's handy when you need clearance to cut a curve, or in tight places.
Bent tools are, well, bent. The shaft is curved so that you can reach into hollows and work, so you can cut curves more easilly, etc. They can be forward bent of back bent. They are specialty tools, really, and not something you need to start with.
The numbers, like #14 refer to sizes, and without some reference, they don't mean much. You have to have a place to look them up or have tools in hand to give you a perspective of what sizes they are. Likewise, sweeps are listed by numbers, and without a reference they don't mean much.

If you get a catalog from Woodcarver's Supply (http://www.woodcarverssupply.com/store/), there are some charts and descriptions in there that explain a lot of what you are asking.

[buddyellis]

Ah hah, found a good article on the 'why' of the numbering system:

http://www.americanlongrifles.com/WorkShop_how-to-sharpen-tools2.htm

"The numbers represent the relative radius of the blade as a segment on the golden mean derived volute. The golden mean derived volute can be thought of as the increasingly tightly spiraling line of the Nautilus shell. A #1, or flat, chisel is at the beginning of the spiral. A #11 gouge, or veiner, with a very small radius represents a segment at the center of the spiral. All the other gouges lie in between."

Anyone know what a 'double bevel' chisel is? Is it essentially a knife edge chisel (instead of a single bevel chisel)?

[Paul Hostetter]

http://www.lutherie.net/bevels.jpg

Here's a tool I find indispensible:

http://www.lutherie.net/flat.bent.palm.chisels.jpg

It's a bent flat palm chisel. I use it for paring (saddle slots, violin bridge feet, etc.) and a host of other things. The bend allows me too see the edge better. It's single bevel.

I also use a similar unbent one that's double bevel, and I use a double beveled violinmaker's knife a lot.

[sunburst]

The bottom one of those two is one that I have. I use it a lot, along with several other plam tools.
That bent palm chisel ends up cleaning up some other repairman's mess inside of guitars more times than I'd prefer.