Tormek Community Forum

In the Shop => Wood Turning => Topic started by: LarsHansen on May 04, 2026, 02:22:36 PM

Title: Settings for sharpening Woodcut bowl gouge tips?
Post by: LarsHansen on May 04, 2026, 02:22:36 PM
I searched the forum but no luck so here goes.

The tip of the Woodcut bowl gouge comes in two versions.
One with a traditional 35° grind and one with a 55°fingernail grind.
Since the tip is quite short, I'd love to avoid experimenting like I'd normally do.
So if anyone has success with a certain "formula", I'd be happy to have it.
Can anybody help with hints to Tormek settings that fit - besides "trial & error"?

Thanks very much for ANY help.
Lars
Title: Re: Settings for sharpening Woodcut bowl gouge tips?
Post by: tgbto on May 04, 2026, 03:05:36 PM
Hello !

Have you tried Rich's website (https://sharpeninghandbook.info/WW-BowlGouge.html) ?
Title: Re: Settings for sharpening Woodcut bowl gouge tips?
Post by: Ken S on May 04, 2026, 03:21:04 PM
Lars,

A few suggestions: Tormek used to sell a woodturner's instruction box. It contained an instruction book written by Torgny Jansson, the founder and inventor of the Tormek. It alco contains an excellent DVD by Jeff Farris, the founder of this forum. Jeff is an accomplished turner. The DVD is divided into two sections, setting up the jigs and using them. If you cannot find the instruction box, email Tormek support ([email protected]). They can help you with instruction.

There is a section in the handbook covering sharpening bowl gouges. It is subheaded SVD-186R, although it also applies to the SVD-185. It starts around p72.If you don't have a paper, just register your Tormek online. You can then download the handbook in several languages, including Danish, at no charge.

Here is a link to two Tormek youtubes which should be useful to you:

https://www.youtube.com/live/7aHmc43RUY4?si=az8R7KNDS8GQsK96

https://youtu.be/-cEXDssipig?si=uDrrB8DM_N1dpCd_

Ken
Title: Re: Settings for sharpening Woodcut bowl gouge tips?
Post by: LarsHansen on May 04, 2026, 11:34:12 PM
@#1
Thanks for the suggestion, tgbto.
I found lots of interesting stuff there, but if there is any information about my topic, I can't find it.
Title: Re: Settings for sharpening Woodcut bowl gouge tips?
Post by: LarsHansen on May 04, 2026, 11:38:29 PM
@#2
Thanks, Ken.
Sorry, somehow, I managed to leave out a part of my intended thread opener. I've edited it now.
Hope that explains what I'm looking for.
Title: Re: Settings for sharpening Woodcut bowl gouge tips?
Post by: RichColvin on May 05, 2026, 05:03:07 AM
I've been turning for ~30 years and have never encountered a 35° bevel. 40° is the smallest I've ever seen. 

None-the-less, the settings for the SVD-186 are shown (https://sharpeninghandbook.info/WW-BowlGouge.html).  Based on 40° needing a projection of 75mm, and 45° needing 65mm, you would probably need the projection to be 85mm. 

But, the sharpie method will have to be used to figure this out.  
Title: Re: Settings for sharpening Woodcut bowl gouge tips?
Post by: Ken S on May 05, 2026, 06:15:04 AM
Rich,

I read through the cited section of your Sharpening Handbook. You have done a fine, thorough job; turning is obviously your passion. I recommend it highly.

Ken