I saw a Ball gouge on sale at Arbortech and I knew LBD had one and we spoke about it I watched Kevin demonstrating it and it all seemed to be so easy to use so I decided to buy one. Apart from being boxed for something you would find under the Christmas tree it was surprising easy to use. I rummaged out some of my Red Iron Bark off cuts and set to work. I wasn't expecting the Ball gouge to be as easy to use as expected hence the rubbish timber. As I had started and was on a roll I continued thinking everything would end up in the Otto bin anyway. being quite impressed I was stirred along to continue. ending up producing what I would call 1 and a half spoons. Its quite an amazing tool and was suitably inpressed. Well done Kevin and all the Arbortech staff. I was so motivated to continue next I made a "flipper" and Fork to complement them. Not content then pressed my luck with a ladle, this proved to be a little beyond my skills so Packed it away with my Turboplaner and used my holesaw and bowl router bit. How I managed it. 1. I used my drill press and drilled a kiss profile in the timber with the holesaw. 2. Removed it and drilled out enough material to allow waist buildup to be collected. 3. Removed the plot drill and set the hole saw back in the drill press and drilled into the wood until reaching the hole saws max depth. 4. removed the block of wood and chiseled out the middle waste. 5. repeated the process indicated in step 3 and 4 but setting the depth stop on the drill close to the depth I wanted. 6. Once I achieved the depth required used my router and extender and finished the base of the ladle. That was the vessel part completed. next band sawed a reasonable shape then linisher roughed out the basic shape. Set up my engineers vice and drilled a TCT forstner bit hole at 10 degrees fitted a 19 mm round over bit in the shaper and made the handles leaving the square end on just in case re work was needed Once everything was finished I cut the handle to length.
All was a lot of fun and possibly never get used apart from decoration but anyway there you go!
1. Corrected the incorrect spelling of untensils! Now some replies Jim Jakosh- Jim its a worthwile item if your into spoons or uneven surfaces, as you saw with the little ladle I had to revert to my holesaw and router bits to produce a workable item.
HokieKen- Being a "expert" on the sharpening aspect you will be interested to know the cutting surface is a circular negative rake carbide insert and possibly only cuts in maybe a 1/4 of the insert allowing you to rotate it to a new face and continue on.
Pottz- the company is in western Australia and the manager owner Kevin Inkster is a wizz at tool design, he has a few youtube videos (that LBD pointed me to) along with the Turbo Planner which is similar to RyanGi's comment regarding the Kutzal.
RyanGi- Ryan there is a few Youtube comparisons of the Turbo planner and Kutzal, Marc the Wood Whisperes and Stumpy Nubbs that I know of.
Thanks for commenting guys I may amuse myself making $2.50 wooden spoons! The things we do with wood! I still have fond memories of my Mom breaking a few across my legs many years ago!
I think Eagles and Bears in tree stumps in the front yard are way beyond my skills.
