I have completely revised this post because what I said previously turned out to be wrong.
Each time I sharpened my spindle gouge I thought I was getting nearer to getting it right. However, I always found I produced a tool which would do one thing well, like facing cuts which the previous edit was about. I was chasing my tail.
The spindle gouge correctly sharpened should be able to make a number of different cuts.
So I completely revisited my approach to sharpening the spindle gouge. I watched the videos of freehand sharpening by Alan Lacer and Richard Raffan.
I had briefly attempted to sharpen completely freehand, only using the platform as a place to rest my hand. I decided it wasn’t for me.
Finally, realising I was failing I tried totally freehand sharpening again and at last I have a tool which will make all the cuts and is not prone to catches.
It has taken two years and untold trial and error to finally find my way.
My tool has a blunter profile now and it has a bevel angle which goes from 35 degrees on the nose to 90 degrees on the wings.
It will make facing cuts, beads, coves, drill, hollow and shape.
I didn’t give up and I acknowledged the issues as they presented themselves.
It requires significant concentration to sharpen totally freehand but I have got a vastly superior tool since abandoning the platform. I won’t be using the platform for this tool from now on.
My practice cuts are easier to make and I get few catches.
I was particularly pleased when I hollowed the small endgrain dish in the last photo. I haven’t sanded or scraped and I did the hollowing in about three minutes, making two light cuts at the end brought the whole thing together and I didn’t fuss, everything fell into place, a glimpse at progress, finally building some skill with the tool.
Everything you need to know about starting to use the spindle gouge is in the book, beside the lathe. So, why not give it a try.
Spindle gouge practice
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Dear Giles, one one of the picture you show and exposed thread on the lathe - please use thread protector anytime you are spindle turning, thanks. @woodlathetechs