my new to me, cobbed together lathe AKA (thanks Burlkraft)

[low_48]

I don't have the tools hanging over too far either. I have the big tool rest inside the bowl. Still don't like using scrapers up the wall. It's like using a cabinet card scraper across the width of a board. Yup, it'll remove wood, but I sure wouldn't call it a finish cut. A bowl gouge is still the tool to use.

[Part_Timer]

Keep the ideas coming, I can build one of the rests for inside the bowl but I'll need to get a gouge.  The one tools I have are the ones that katie uses for turning pens.  they are just to small and vibrate to much.

[Burlkraft]

I agree with Low.... ;) A bowl gouge is the way to go. Scraper catches inside a bowl wall are hard on equipment...especially the fleshy kind..... ;D ;D  Hollowing tools are good for deeper stuff and most are just a cutting bar with small replaceable scraper tips. The smaller the scraper surface the smaller the catch, I guess is the logic. Woodcraft has Pinnacle tools. I picked up a couple of the 1/2" bowl gouges. They are cost efficient and work pretty well. The steel doesn't seem to hold an edge as well, but I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them. They are about $45.00 compared to $145.00 for a nice Crown gouge.. . A guy could buy some stock and grind his own profile and turn a handle....Nuthin' like home made tools..... ;D ;D ;D

[metalspinner]

Parttimer,
Have you tryed shear scraping with your scrapers?  Rather than having the scraper flat on its back, roll it to about 30-45 degrees and pull it toward you.  This is a very useful technique and gives you very fine little shavings.Just make sure the long edges of the blade all the way to the handle have a slight radius so a not to scratch up the tool rest.

A guy could buy some stock and grind his own profile and turn a handle....Nuthin' like home made tools.....   

This really is a great alternative.  Any of the machine tool supply houses sell flat HSS bar stock at much lower prices than off the shelf tools.

[Part_Timer]

metalspinner

Nope haven't tried that but I will when I get a chance to turn again.

I like the idea of making my own tools, I'm going to try it and see what happens

I'm leaving for Canada on Sunday and will be gone for a week but I'm going to try and do a glue up before I leave so it's ready to try when I get back.

[low_48]

Good idea on the shear scrape. I've only used that on the outside. Have you been able to control it on the inside? Also on the technique, make sure to keep the angle between the tool and the bowl wall less than 90 degrees. If you let it get "open" too much you will cut a thread. I use an Elsworth grind on the gouge and shear scrape on the outside with it. I roll it over and keep the outside edge of the flute off by about an 1/8". Then I drag it around the wall with the lightest touch I can. You can actually drag or push it, same quality of cut.