Woodturning gouge from an old file

**Garage workshop** · Jul 15, 2015, 03:15 AM

Here is my first video on youtube. In this video I make a woodturning gouge out of an old file using angle grinder, homemade belt sander, bench grinder and a homemade lathe that my grandfather built long time ago. The first part where I make the steel is filmed in my garage which is really cramped while the other part is filmed in my grandfathers workshop. About me, I'm 17 years old and I'm going to high school in Croatia which is where I'm from and where I live. Expect more videos like this soon to come. Also I'm just learning video editing and I apologize for sound lagging a bit in some parts of the video.

**kbalch** · Jul 15, 2015, 01:23 PM

Thanks Garage workshop! I've added your Woodturning Gouge to our Woodturning category, as well as to your builder page: Garage workshop's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:

Woodturning Gouge by Garage workshop

tags: file, turning, gouge

**DIYer** · Jul 16, 2015, 08:44 PM

Hmm, that's a good reuse for a tool that would have been relegated to the bottom of the toolbox.

**Garage workshop** · Jul 17, 2015, 01:46 AM

Yes, old files are a great source of tool steel.

**Altair** · Jul 19, 2015, 05:16 PM

Great way to repurpose a dull file. Looking forward to more toolmaking videos!

Al

**Garage workshop** · Jul 20, 2015, 12:41 AM

Thank you! A lot more toolmaking videos are coming.

**bgerens** · Oct 25, 2017, 08:21 PM

That's nicely done, but be very careful; files are brittle and can fail unexpectedly. As long as you use your newly made gouge only for spindle work you will probably be just fine, but don't ever use it for bowl turning. Not only is the file brittle, but you have a small tang going into the handle and that is a weak area. If you were to use the gouge for turning a bowl and got a catch, the gouge itself could fracture or the tang could snap off.

**pfredX1** · Oct 28, 2017, 12:18 AM

Contrary to popular misconceptions file tangs are not hard. People that make tools aren't idiots. That is the domain of Internet commenters.

**ranald** · Apr 1, 2018, 05:05 PM

There was a lot of controversy here in Australia during the early 70's as many turners were injured by bits of brittle reconstrued files. Agood friend of mine gave up on them when narrowly escaped injury but he was turning for hours every day (big saving on gouges that need sharpening regularly). Keep up your good work. I think we will see lots from you in the future especially with two workshops to use. Thanks.

**omniwatch** · Jul 27, 2018, 12:11 AM

This is what I thought of gouges made from files as well. Although I made a few myself when I was a youngster and never experience a file tool to bite me. Have anyone else experience a file gouge to break dangerously?