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BYO grinder. Arbortech’s ball gouge is appropriate with most 4″ and 41⁄2″ grinders with speeds between 9,000 and 12,000 RPM.
This attachment makes energy carving hollows quick and enjoyable.
Tool: Ball Gouge Buy Now
Manufacturer: Arbortech
MSRP: $109
The Arbortech ball gouge is likely one of the most enjoyable instruments I’ve utilized in latest reminiscence. It turns an angle grinder – a comparatively crude woodworking instrument – right into a extra exact instrument that may nonetheless hog away plenty of materials shortly.
The very first thing I did was thread this considerably odd-looking attachment on to my angle grinder, don some security attire and see what sort of injury I might do to a chunk of firewood. I used to be anticipating to must cope with some form of kickback or make use of a superb little bit of muscle to make it do what I needed. But that wasn’t the case in any respect. It merely minimize good, rounded divots with a great deal of precision.
The attachment itself consists of a 13⁄16” diameter ball-shaped head with an built-in, replaceable cutter affixed to a metal shaft. It attaches by way of threads to an angle grinder. The gouge is designed to suit most 4″ or 41⁄2” grinders and work with speeds between 9,000 and 12,000 RPM.
The ring-shaped cutter is designed to self-sharpen in use. As the chopping fringe of the cutter cuts, the again edge is burnished. That means you’ll be able to rotate the cutter to reveal a brand new sharp edge a number of occasions earlier than needing to exchange the blade (a alternative cutter prices about $30).
My speedy thought with this gouge was to hole out a stack of spoon blanks. And it positive did make fast work! Compared to utilizing a handheld gouge or spoon knife and dealing by hand, it was (unsurprisingly) a lot faster. The spoons nonetheless wanted some ending work by hand, however I bought to that time faster than I might have in any other case.
Then I set about hollowing out a bigger piece of firewood to make a serving dish. This took a bit extra time than the bowl of a spoon – in hindsight, I most likely ought to have used a hatchet to get nearer to the shape I used to be going for earlier than I used the ball gouge. But it was nonetheless shocking how shortly I might make a useable kind.
The last item I attempted was making a patterned floor on a chunk of flat inventory. This was trickier than easy hollowing – particularly attaining an excellent, repeated sample – however nonetheless a lot simpler than I assumed it was going to be.
You’ll need to be sure to’re utilizing satisfactory safety – security glasses, listening to safety – and have your piece securely clamped to a steady work floor. You’ll discover that the ball gouge doesn’t create a lot mud – it’s principally small shavings. You’ll additionally need to be sure to’re utilizing your grinder’s auxiliary deal with to maintain two palms on the instrument always. It makes controlling the instrument a lot simpler, and it retains your palms out of the best way of the spinning gouge. It’s not an insignificant funding at about $110 for the instrument, however when you begin utilizing it, the artistic juices begin to move and you actually begin having some enjoyable.
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