How do you sharpen your tools?

I have a slow speed grinder and use a white wheel for grinding..I also use a wolerine sharpen sytem with this grinder... works well. The system helps me get the correct angle on the tools. I also sometimes use my belt sander. I have a 1" belt sander , which I have belt, I purchased from lee valley made for sharpening knives. It also works great for putting a good edge on some tools Randy

I use the Tru-grind jig for most everything but skews and scrapers, but it will do those too..

She also has a 1" x 42" belt sander/grinder, which I use for all my scrapers.. I leave the table set to the angle I sharpen the scrapers, so I can just walk up and give them a quick pass and be back turning..

As to the cheap tools, I use a lot of them.. I buy $25 bowl gouges and go through a couple a year... Cheap or expensive, they only work well if you have a good edge and keep it sharp..

mac

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Several years ago I bought the same grinder that Mac has. I am on my second 120 grit wheel. The price is right and it works great. I also use the Wolverine system. For grinding my fingernail bowl gouges I have adapted the Ellsworth jig using a riser block in the Wolverine cradle. This small block brings the pivot point to the correct height on an 8 inch grinding wheel. Works for me.

I use an 80 grit aluminum oxide wheel in a regular grinder and a home made jig. The white wheels are aluminum oxide in a very friable matrix and they wear too fast for my taste. With a jig and high speed steel tools a low speed grinder is not necessary (boy am I going to get flack for that one). There is nothing wrong with most cheap tools. Just look for M2 HSS or better. You can see my setup at

I want to get a slow one, but have three already at this time :-)

I normally use hand stones for my gouges - I have inside and outside curves "cone" looking stones. The others on India and Arkansas hand/bench stones. I use power only to do master shapes or take out nicks or crashes.

Martin

Martin H. Eastburn @ home at Lions' Lair with our computer lionslair at consolidated dot net TSRA, Endowed; NRA LOH & Patron Member, Golden Eagle, Patriot's Medal. NRA Second Amendment Task Force Charter Founder IHMSA and NRA Metallic Silhouette maker & member.

randyswoodsho>> I've been using a cheap grinder with a cheap wheel

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I have a related question:

I use the woodcraft slow grinder with a home made jig based on Darrel's design. It works well, except:

When I go back to touch up an edge and reload my gouge into the holder, you have to attach the holder part of the jig to the exact same spot on the shaft of the gauge, or the geometry of the bevel changes, requiring removal of more material than otherwise necessary.

It does not appear as though commercial jigs are immune to this problem. Is this true and have anyone found any tricks to mitigate this problem?

Thanks,

Steve

As the amount of protrusion from the clamp is what sets the geometry of the tip, You just need a simple way of setting the protrusion, like a depth gauge, or a marker on the bench even an "L" shaped piece of wood if you want portable

In message , StephenM writes

Steve... I'm thinking that my Tru-grind is pretty much typical?

I have a block of wood at the base of my grinder that's something like 2" from the edge of the table.. It's whatever Tru-grind suggests.. I put the gouge in the jig loosely, line it up with the table/block and tighten.. Next step is, (before you turn the grinder on), to put the jig and tool in the grinding position and see if the bevel is hitting the wheel at the right angle..

Sounds like a PITA, but it becomes automatic and only takes about a minute..

mac

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I too use a hole drilled in a wooden block at a 2 inch depth to make sure that the end of the bowl gouge is extended to the same length each time.

But also, on my Wolverine setup, I have a small hose clamp on the slide that holds the cradle used for my Ellsworth jig. It is tightened to the exact spot for grinding my bowl gouge. Most of the other tools that I grind on that side of the grinder need more length so I can pull the slide out to grind those tools. When I am done I can push the slide back to the exact spot for grinding my bowl gouge and it will stop where the hose clamp is attached.

Hope that makes sense. Its actually easier the use than it is to explain in words.

Ted

There are ways to do this. You can make a spacer jig to help you determine distance from the tip to the place the holder grips the tool.

Think: block of wood of length X with hole through middle.

Tormek makes a nifty one for their system. They also provide labels to put on each tool to make it easier to apply the same bevel twice.

Hello,

Here is a link to an article that I wrote that offers some recommendations...

http://www.woodturn> I've been using a cheap grinder with a cheap wheel

I have a friend who sharpens with a $30 grinder and the original cheap gray wheel. Some of his turnings have sold for $10,000 +

cm

I've upgraded/improved my sharpening equipment several times, but it hasn't improved my sharpening skill much... My guess is that your friend could get a better edge with a foot powered grinding wheel then I can with my 3 grinders, sharpening jigs, etc... ;-[

mac

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